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 .
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhao (CN 111724680 A).
In regards to claim 1, Zhao (paragraphs 36-55, Figs. 2-5 and associated text) discloses a display device, comprising: a backplate (item 220); a display panel (item 210), disposed on the backplate (item 220); a polarizer (item 260), disposed on a side of the display panel (item 210) away from the backplate (item 220); a protective layer (item 280), disposed on a side of the polarizer away (item 260) from the backplate (item 220); and an adhesive layer (item 270), disposed between the protective layer (item 280) and the polarizer (item 260); wherein a side of the adhesive layer (item 270) near the backplate (item 220) is attached to the polarizer (item 260) away from the backplate (item 220); a side of the adhesive layer (item 270) away from the backplate (item 220) is attached to the protective layer (item 280) near the backplate (item 220).
In regards to claim 5, Zhao (paragraphs 36-55, Figs. 2-5 and associated text) discloses wherein the adhesive layer (item 270) is an optical adhesive (polymethyl methacrylate and epoxy acrylate, Specific Implementation Section).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 111724680 A) in view of Kang et al. (Kang) (KR 20210077669 A1).
In regards to claim 2, Zhao does not specifically disclose wherein the protective layer (item 280 glass or transparent organic hard substrate) is a plastic film layer.
In regards to claim 3, Zhao does not specifically disclose wherein a material for the protective layer (item 280 glass or transparent organic hard substrate) comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), polyimide (PI), polyethylene (PE), or acrylic.
In regards to claim 2, Kang discloses wherein the protective layer (item 10, resin include triacetyl cellulose, acetyl cellulose butyrate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, propionyl cellulose, butyryl cellulose, acetyl propionyl cellulose, polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polyetherimide, poly(meth). ) Acrylic, polyimide, polyether sulfone, polysulfone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetal, polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyether and films formed of polymers such as sulfone, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, and polyamideimide) is a plastic film layer.
In regards to claim 3, Zhao discloses wherein a material for the protective layer (item 10) comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), polyimide (PI), polyethylene (PE), or acrylic (resin include triacetyl cellulose, acetyl cellulose butyrate, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, propionyl cellulose, butyryl cellulose, acetyl propionyl cellulose, polyester, polystyrene, polyamide, polyetherimide, poly(meth). ) Acrylic, polyimide, polyether sulfone, polysulfone, polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetal, polyether ketone, polyether ether ketone, polyether and films formed of polymers such as sulfone, polymethyl methacrylate, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, and polyamideimide).
It would have been obvious to modify the invention to include a plastic film layer, polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), polyimide (PI), polyethylene (PE), or acrylic, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use (In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416).
In regards to claim 4, Zhao discloses wherein the thickness of the protective layer (item 10) ranges from 30 to 150 micrometers (um) (Front panel section).
However, the applicant has not established the critical nature of the thickness of the protection layer ranging from 30 to 150 micrometers (um). “The law is replete with cases in which the difference between the claimed invention and the prior art is some range or other variable within the claims. In such a situation, the applicant must show that the particular range is critical, generally by showing that the claimed range achieves unexpected results relative to the prior art range.” In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir.1990). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have various ranges for the purpose of a protection layer of sufficient thickness.
Claim(s) 6-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 111724680 A) in view of Chen (CN 112289187 A).
In regards to claim 6, Zhao (paragraphs 36-55, Figs. 2-5 and associated text) as modified by Zhao does not specifically disclose wherein the display panel is either an organic light-emitting display panel or a liquid crystal display panel. However, the Examiner takes official notice that both are well known in the art and obvious to one of ordinary skill.
Chen (Figs. 1, 2 and associated text) discloses wherein the display panel (item 2) is either an organic light-emitting display panel or a liquid crystal display panel.
It would have been obvious to modify the invention to include an organic light-emitting display panel or a liquid crystal display panel, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use (In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416).
In regard to claim 7, Chen (Figs. 1, 2 and associated text) discloses wherein, the display device further comprises: a buffer layer (item 9), disposed on a side of the backplate away from the display panel (item 2); and a supportive layer (item 1), disposed on a side of the buffer layer (item 9) away from the display panel (item 2).
In regard to claim 8, Chen (Figs. 1, 2 and associated text) discloses wherein the display device comprises a bending area and non-bending area (shown but not labeled, Fig. 2); a plurality of holes (item 7) are disposed on the supportive layer (item 1) for the bending area.
In regard to claim 9, Chen (Figs. 1, 2 and associated text) discloses wherein the display device further comprises: a sealing layer (item 8), covering the supportive layer (item 1) for the bending area away from the backplate and extending to cover the supportive layer (item 1) for the non-bending area away from the backplate.
In regard to claim 10, Zhao (paragraphs 36-55, Figs. 2-5 and associated text) discloses wherein a material for the buffer layer (item 230) is selected from foam, polyimide (PI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and an optical adhesive (optical adhesive, olyurethane rubber. acrylic ester material, and epoxy material).
Conclusion
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TELLY D. GREEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2898
/TELLY D GREEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898 September 3, 2026
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