DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11 September, 2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 et al. (KR 101661278, "Kim '278") in view of Murashige et al. (US PGPub 2022/0001652, "Murashige") and Bajorek (US 6718612).
1. Kim '278 teaches a method of manufacturing a window of a display device, the method comprising:
forming an adhesive layer on a window (stacking sheets of glass 1 and adhesive layers 4 to form laminate 2 which undergoes a first curing step, see Kim '278 translation page 4 paragraph 4 and Kim '278 fig. 3);
cutting the window along with the adhesive layer (cutting laminate 2 into body cells 3, see Kim '278 fig. 4);
polishing a cut surface of the window (physical polishing, see Kim '278 translation page 2 paragraph 1);
UV-curing the adhesive after the cut surface of the window has been polished and heat-curing the adhesive after it has been UV-cured (Kim '278 teaches that after polishing, the stack is rinsed, cured in a different frequency of UV for five minutes, and then the stack is placed in a hot water bath where the layers are separated, see Kim '278 translation page 8 final paragraph through page 9 second paragraph, which distinguishes the first and second UV curing processes), and
wherein the window includes a flexible material (glass is capable of flexing, as noted in paragraph [0047] of the specification as filed. Applicant is reminded that "[T]he discovery of a previously unappreciated property of a prior art composition, or of a scientific explanation for the prior art’s functioning, does not render the old composition patentably new to the discoverer." Atlas Powder Co. v. IRECO Inc., 190 F.3d 1342, 1347, 51 USPQ2d 1943, 1947 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See also MPEP § 2112.
Kim '278 does not teach that the step of polishing a cut surface of the single stack includes using a polishing pad while a slurry is applied to the cut surface of the single stack, that the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window.
However, Murashige teaches a method of processing glass substrates the method comprising: cutting a window (cutting laminated glass and resin, see Murashige [0067]), the window having a uniform thickness within a range of about 20 um to about 100 um (glass having a thickness of 50 μm to 100 μm, see Murashige [0045]); applying a slurry to a cut surface of the window and polishing the cut surface of the window with a polishing pad while the slurry is applied to the cut surface of the window (polishing the cut end surface by pressing an abrasive cloth against the end while supplying slurry, see Murashige [0067] and [0072]) to reduce a length of the window by 10% to 200% of the uniform thickness of the window (abrasion of 100 μm or less, which would amount to removal of up to 200% of the thickness, see Murashige [0076]), wherein the window includes a flexible material (glass laminate is for bending, see Murashige [0004]); and wherein the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window (Murashige teaches the use of a nylon material in the polishing pad, see Murashige [0074]; glass has a modulus in the range of 50-90 GPa while nylon has a modulus in the range of 2-4 MPa, see Modulus NPL1).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to integrate the teachings of Murashige regarding polishing thin substrates with a cloth polishing pad having a lower elastic modulus than the substrate into the method of Kim '278 such that the step of polishing a cut surface of the single stack included using a polishing pad while a slurry is applied to the cut surface of the single stack, wherein the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window, as Kim '278 teaches the presence of a physical polishing step (see Kim '278 translation page 2 paragraphs 1-6) but does not teach specific details, which would motivate a person of ordinary skill to find a reference such as Murashige that teaches suitable details regarding a polishing step.
Kim '278 as modified does not explicitly teach that the amount of polishing of the adhesive layer is greater than an amount of polishing of the window. However, Bajorek teaches that it is known in the art that performing polishing on a stack of glass substrates (110) and protective layers (102) made from a softer material (Bajorek 6:34-47) such as adhesive (Bajorek 8:15-26) will result in more material being removed from the adhesive layers than the substrates, causing the edges of the layers to develop a rounded profile (see Bajorek 6:43-47 and figs. 7-8).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to integrate the teachings of Bajorek regarding the use of softer adhesives as protective layers for polishing steps into the method of Kim '278 as modified such that an amount of polishing of the adhesive layer is greater than an amount of polishing of the window, as doing so represents a method of obtaining a suitable edge profile with reduced cost (Bajorek 7:13-30)
2. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the window includes glass and/or plastic (cutting ultra-thin glass, see Kim '278 translation page 1 paragraph 1).
5. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the slurry includes cerium (IV) oxide (CeO2) (polishing including a cerium oxide slurry, see Murashige [0072] and [0075]).
7. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: before the cutting of the window, or after the cutting of the window and before the polishing of the cut surface of the window. forming the adhesive layer, which includes a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer respectively on a first surface of the window and a second surface of the window opposite to the first surface. Specifically, Kim '278 teaches the steps of laminating glass sheets with adhesive (glass sheets are laminated with multiple layers of adhesive 4, see Kim '278 fig. 3) prior to cutting (laminated stack 2 is cut into laminate cells 3, see Kim '278 fig. 4), and polishing (laminate cells 3 are polished by rollers 61, 62, and 63, see Kim '278 fig. 5).
8. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 7, wherein an elastic modulus of each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer is less than the elastic modulus of the window (Bajorek teaches the use of a protective adhesive layer softer than a glass substrate is advantageous for polishing, Bajorek 6:34-47).
10. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 7. wherein each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer includes a resin, an optically clear adhesive (OCA), a rosin, and/or a wax (rosin, see Kim '278 translation page 5 paragraph 3).
11. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 7, further comprising: separating each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer from the window after the adhesive has been UV-cured and heat-cured (Kim '278 teaches that the stack is rinsed, cured in UV for five minutes, and then placed in a water bath at 60ºC for a period of time before the layers are separated, see Kim '278 translation page 8 paragraph 9).
Claims 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 in view of Murashige, Bajorek, and Forenz et al. (US 11318717, "Forenz").
21. Kim '278 teaches a method of manufacturing a window of a display device, the method comprising:
alternately stacking a plurality of windows and a plurality of adhesive layers into a single stack (stacking sheets of glass 1 and adhesive layers 4 to form laminate 2 which undergoes a first curing step, see Kim '278 translation page 4 paragraph 4 and Kim '278 fig. 3);
cutting the single stack along with the plurality of adhesive layers (cutting laminate 2 into body cells 3, see Kim '278 fig. 4);
polishing a cut surface of the single stack (physical polishing, see Kim '278 translation page 2 paragraph 1);
UV-curing the single stack after the cut surface of the single stack has been polished; heat-curing the single stack, and separating each of the plurality of windows from the single stack after the single stack has been UV-cured and heat-cured (Kim '278 teaches that after polishing, the stack is rinsed, cured in a different frequency of UV for five minutes, and then the stack is placed in a hot water bath where the layers are separated, see Kim '278 translation page 8 final paragraph through page 9 second paragraph, which distinguishes the first and second UV curing processes).
Kim '278 does not teach that the step of polishing a cut surface of the single stack includes using a polishing pad while a slurry is applied to the cut surface of the single stack, that the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window.
However, Murashige teaches a method of processing glass substrates the method comprising: cutting a window (cutting laminated glass and resin, see Murashige [0067]), the window having a uniform thickness within a range of about 20 um to about 100 um (glass having a thickness of 50 μm to 100 μm, see Murashige [0045]); applying a slurry to a cut surface of the window and polishing the cut surface of the window with a polishing pad while the slurry is applied to the cut surface of the window (polishing the cut end surface by pressing an abrasive cloth against the end while supplying slurry, see Murashige [0067] and [0072]) to reduce a length of the window by 10% to 200% of the uniform thickness of the window (abrasion of 100 μm or less, which would amount to removal of up to 200% of the thickness, see Murashige [0076]), wherein the window includes a flexible material (glass laminate is for bending, see Murashige [0004]); and wherein the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window (Murashige teaches the use of a nylon material in the polishing pad, see Murashige [0074]; glass has a modulus in the range of 50-90 GPa while nylon has a modulus in the range of 2-4 MPa, see Modulus NPL).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to integrate the teachings of Murashige regarding polishing thin substrates with a cloth polishing pad having a lower elastic modulus than the substrate into the method of Kim '278 such that the step of polishing a cut surface of the single stack included using a polishing pad while a slurry is applied to the cut surface of the single stack, wherein the polishing pad has an elastic modulus that is less than an elastic modulus of the window, as Kim '278 teaches the presence of a physical polishing step (see Kim '278 translation page 2 paragraphs 1-6) but does not teach specific details, which would motivate a person of ordinary skill to find a reference such as Murashige that teaches suitable details regarding a polishing step.
Kim '278 as modified does not explicitly teach that the amount of polishing of the adhesive layer is greater than an amount of polishing of the window. However, Bajorek teaches that it is known in the art that performing polishing on a stack of glass substrates (110) and protective layers (102) made from a softer material (Bajorek 6:34-46) such as adhesive (Bajorek 8:15-26) will result in more material being removed from the adhesive layers than the substrates, causing the edges of the layers to develop a rounded profile (see Bajorek 6:43-46 and figs. 7-8).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to integrate the teachings of Bajorek regarding the use of softer adhesives as protective layers for polishing steps into the method of Kim '278 as modified such that an amount of polishing of the adhesive layer is greater than an amount of polishing of the window, as doing so represents a method of obtaining a suitable edge profile with reduced cost (Bajorek 7:13-30)
Kim '278 as modified also does not teach that the plurality of adhesive layers includes an optically clear adhesive (OCA).
However, Forenz teaches a variety of suitable adhesives for use in shaping laminated glass, including optically clear adhesives (see Forenz 6:43-7:11). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to include an optically clear adhesive for use in the method of Kim '278 as modified, as doing so represents the choice between a finite number of identified predictable adhesives and a person of ordinary skill could have pursued the known potential solutions with a reasonable expectation of success.
22. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 21, wherein the curing includes exposing the single stack to UV light and heat-curing includes immersing the single stack into a bath of hot water (Kim '278 teaches that after polishing, the stack is rinsed, cured in UV for five minutes, and then placed in a hot water bath which reduces the adhesive strength, allowing the layers to be separated, see Kim '278 translation page 8 paragraph 9).
23. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 21, wherein the polishing of the cut surface of the single stack includes polishing each of the plurality of adhesive layers shorter than each of the plurality of windows such that edges of each of the plurality of windows extend past corresponding edges of each of the plurality of adhesive layers (Murashige teaches that resin interlayers may be polished to be shorter than the glass layers, see Murashige figs. 5-6).
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 in view of Murashige and Bajorek as applied to claim 1 above, as evidenced by Lombardo et al. (US 8602851, "Lombardo").
24. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach that the polishing pad includes wool.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to use a pad including wool in the method of Kim '278 as modified, as the selection of a material for a particular purpose that is known in the art as suitable for that purpose and the use of wool in polishing pads is old and well known in the art (the use of wool in compressible portions of polishing pads is well known, see Lombardo 4:17-39).
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 in view of Murashige, Bajorek, and Forenz as applied to claim 21 above, as evidenced by Lombardo.
25. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 21, but does not explicitly teach that the polishing pad includes wool.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to use a pad including wool in the method of Kim '278 as modified, as the selection of a material for a particular purpose that is known in the art as suitable for that purpose and the use of wool in polishing pads is old and well known in the art (the use of wool in compressible portions of polishing pads is well known, see Lombardo 4:17-39).
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 in view of Murashige and Bajorek as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Toma (JP 2000169166).
26. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach that each of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer includes wax.
However, Toma teaches the use of heat-softening wax as an adhesive component in processing glass laminated bodies (see Toma Translation [0021]-[0022]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings regarding suitable adhesives from Toma into the method of Kim '278 as modified such that the adhesive layers included a wax, as doing so would allow for improved optimization of the glass treatment process based on the type of processing occurring (see Toma translation [0021]).
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim '278 in view of Murashige, Bajorek and Forenz as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Toma.
27. Kim '278 as modified teaches the method of claim 21, but does not explicitly teach that each of the plurality of adhesive layers includes a wax.
However, Toma teaches the use of heat-softening wax as an adhesive component in processing glass laminated bodies (see Toma Translation [0021]-[0022]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings regarding suitable adhesives from Toma into the method of Kim '278 as modified such that the adhesive layers included a wax, as doing so would allow for improved optimization of the glass treatment process based on the type of processing occurring (see Toma translation [0021]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 21-27 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/J.R.Z./Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723
1 Modulus of Elasticity - Young's Modulus for some common Materials. "Modulus NPL" Datasheet [online]. Bestech [retrieved on 2024-04-04]. Retrieved from the Internet: <URL: www.bestech.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Modulus-of-Elasticity.pdf>.