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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s amendment filed September 20, 2025.
Specification (PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED)
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: FLEXIBLE COVER PLATE AND FLEXIBLE DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING HARDENED LAYER.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 11,594,703 B2).
In regard to claim 1, Kim et al. teach a flexible cover plate comprising a bending region FA, a non-bending region A2/A3, and a transition region B1/B2, wherein the transition region B1/B2 is connected to the non-bending region A2/A3 and the bending region FA; wherein the flexible cover plate further comprises: at least one substrate layer 300; and at least one hardened layer 200 formed on the substrate layer 300; wherein a thickness of a portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the bending region FA is less than a thickness of a portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the non-bending region A2/A3, and a thickness of a portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the bending region FA is greater than a thickness of a portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the non-bending region A2/A3; wherein the substrate layer 300 further comprises a first body (300 periphery) and a protrusion (300 center) extending from the first body (300 periphery), the first body (300 periphery) is located in the bending region FA, the non-bending region A2/A3, and the transition region B1/B2, and the protrusion (300 center) is located in the bending region FA and the transition region B1/B2; wherein the hardened layer 200 further comprises an accommodation recess (200 at B1/B2) recessed and formed in the hardened layer 200, and the protrusion (300 center) of the substrate layer 300 is accommodated in the accommodation recess (200 at B1/B2). (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 2, Kim et al. teach the thickness of the portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the bending region FA being less than the thickness of the portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the bending region FA (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 3, (the bending portions, non-bending portions and transition portions in Figure 2 of Kim et al. relate one-to-one to the figures of the claim invention) Kim et al. teach the substrate layer 300 comprising a first bending portion, a first non-bending portion, and a first transition portion, and the first transition portion connected to the first non-bending portion and the first bending portion; the hardened layer 200 comprising a second bending portion, a second non-bending portion, and a second transition portion, and the second transition portion connected to the second non-bending portion and the second bending portion; wherein the first bending portion and the second bending portion are located in the bending region FA, the first non-bending portion and the second non-bending portion are located in the non-bending region A2/A3, and the first transition portion and the second transition portion are located in the transition region B1/B2; and wherein the second bending portion is formed correspondingly on the first bending portion, the second non-bending portion is formed correspondingly on the first non-bending portion, and the second transition portion is formed correspondingly on the first transition portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 4, Kim et al. teach a thickness of the first bending portion being greater than a thickness of the first non-bending portion; and a thickness of the second bending portion being less than a thickness of the second non-bending portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 5, Kim et al. teach the thickness of the first bending portion being greater than the thickness of the second bending portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 6, Kim et al. teach a thickness of the first transition portion evenly increases from the thickness of the first non-bending portion to the thickness of the first bending portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claims 7 and 9, discovering the desired thickness variation rate to achieve the desired results would involve only routine experimentation of the skill in the art.
In regard to claim 8, Kim et al. teach a thickness of the second transition portion evenly decreasing from the thickness of the second non-bending portion to the thickness of the second bending portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claims 10-11, where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited in a claim, burden is on Applicant to show that the chosen dimensions are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
In regard to claim 12, Kim et al. teach a material of the substrate layer 300 being at least one of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), transparent polyimide, polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), or siloxane (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 13, Kim et al. teach a material of the hardened layer 200 being at least one of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyimide, polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), and organosilicon compound (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 14, Kim et al. teach thicknesses of the flexible cover plate located in the bending region FA, the transition region B1/B2, and the non-bending region A2/A3 are the same (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively). Change only in form, proportions, or degree or substitution of equivalent, doing substantially the same thing in the same way by substantially the same means with better results is not such an invention as will sustain a patent. Higley v. Brenner, 387 F.2d 855, 128 U.S. App. D.C. 290 (1967).
In regard to claim 15, Kim et al. teach the substrate layer 300 comprising a first surface, the hardened layer 200 comprising a second surface, the first surface bonded to the second surface, and the first surface and the second surface are rough surfaces (inherent for surfaces to have a level of roughness) (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 16, Kim et al. teach the first surface and the second surface have micro structures (inherent for surfaces to have a level of roughness/micro structures) (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 17, Kim et al. teach a flexible display device, comprising a display panel PN, wherein the flexible display device further comprises a flexible cover plate 200/300, a substrate layer 300 of the flexible cover plate is formed on the display panel PN, the flexible cover plate 200/300 comprises a bending region FA, a non-bending region A2/A3, and a transition region B1/B2, the transition region B1/B2 is connected to the non-bending region A2/A3 and the bending region FA, and the flexible cover plate 200/300 further comprises: at least one of the substrate layer 300; and at least one hardened layer 20 formed on the substrate layer 300; wherein a thickness of a portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the bending region FA is less than a thickness of a portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the non-bending region A2/A3, and a thickness of a portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the bending region FA is greater than a thickness of a portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the non-bending region A2/A3; wherein the substrate layer 300 further comprises a first body (300 periphery) and a protrusion (300 center) extending from the first body (300 periphery), the first body (300 periphery) is located in the bending region FA, the non-bending region A2/A3, and the transition region B1/B2, and the protrusion (300 center) is located in the bending region FA and the transition region B1/B2; wherein the hardened layer 200 further comprises an accommodation recess (200 at B1/B2) recessed and formed in the hardened layer 200, and the protrusion (300 center) of the substrate layer 300 is accommodated in the accommodation recess (200 at B1/B2) (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 18, Kim et al. teach the thickness of the portion of the hardened layer 200 located in the bending region FA being less than the thickness of the portion of the substrate layer 300 located in the bending region FA (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 19, (the bending portions, non-bending portions and transition portions in Figure 2 of Kim et al. relate one-to-one to the figures of the claim invention) Kim et al. teach the substrate layer 300 comprising a first bending portion, a first non-bending portion, and a first transition portion, and the first transition portion connected to the first non-bending portion and the first bending portion; and the hardened layer 200 comprising a second bending portion, a second non-bending portion, and a second transition portion, and the second transition portion connected to the second non-bending portion and the second bending portion; wherein the first bending portion and the second bending portion are located in the bending region, the first non-bending portion and the second non-bending portion are located in the non-bending region A2/A3, and the first transition portion and the second transition portion are located in the transition region B1/B2; and wherein the second bending portion is formed correspondingly on the first bending portion, the second non-bending portion is formed correspondingly on the first non-bending portion, and the second transition portion is formed correspondingly on the first transition portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
In regard to claim 20, Kim et al. teach a thickness of the first bending portion being greater than a thickness of the first non-bending portion; and a thickness of the second bending portion being less than a thickness of the second non-bending portion (Figure 2, columns 6-8, lines 35-67, 1-67 and 1-7, respectively).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-5, filed 09/20/2025, with respect to Kim et al. (US 11,594,703 B2) have been fully considered and are persuasive. There was a typographical error in the last digit of the reference. The correct reference number is Kim et al. (US 11,594,702 B2).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to flexible cover structures:
Ahn et al. (US 2018/0364759 A1) Han et al. (US 10,615,336 B2) Lee et al. (Us 2015/0049428 A1) Namkung et al. (US 10,915,144 B2) Wang (US 2018/0108862 A1) Xia (US 11,283,032 B2).
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IMS
September 20, 2025
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898