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 .
Election/Restrictions and Response to Arguments
Claims 7-9 and 17-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. An election with traverse was made for Species A in the reply filed on May 16th, 2026. The applicants statements of Claims 1-6, 10, 11-16, and 20 read on the elected species is acknowledged.
Applicant's arguments filed May 16th, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to the arguments made towards the lack of unity, the Examiner finds the argument of sharing an inventive concept as said on page 7 of Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment to be “designed to reduce the risk of water vapor intruding into the display area from the non-display area” could be a unifying concept but as persistent to 37 CFR 1.475(a) this concept does not create a “single” inventive concept. The other species of record have different avenues of reducing the risk of water vapor leakage, such as in Species B where the blocking portions are segmented in a pattern instead of continuous and the other species exclude an encapsulation layer for further protection. Within the presented species there are different ways of reducing the water vapor leakage and therefore there is lack of unity for a single inventive concept, even if the goal of the concept is the same for the species, the execution is not the same (see 37 CFR 1.475(c) and 37 CFR 1.475(d)).
With regard to the arguments made on pages 8 and 9 for the inventions contributions over the prior art, the Examiner finds the argument of paragraph (a) non-persuasive as the art does not have to teach the exact technical problem found in the as described by the applicant. In response to applicant's argument that Zhou et al. (CN 114284327 A, hereinafter "Z1") and Peng et al. (CN 112420954 A, hereinafter "P1") is not analogous art, it has been held that a prior art reference must either be in the field of the inventor’s endeavor or, if not, then be reasonably pertinent to the particular problem with which the inventor was concerned, in order to be relied upon as a basis for rejection of the claimed invention. See In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 24 USPQ2d 1443 (Fed. Cir. 1992). In this case, both Z1 and P1 are within the same field of endeavor display screens and the protections of the device therein. Both Z1 and P1 cite the need for specific distribution and placement of elements to reduce a harming factor within the device structure, and while not solving the exact issue as the Applicant, they describe analogous devices with analogous capabilities.
With regard to the arguments made on page 9 for the inventions contributions over the prior art, the Examiner finds the argument of paragraph (b) and (c) non-persuasive as the prior arts do not have to teach limitation that are not claimed. Within the disputed claim, the prior art only has to teach what is explicitly claimed. Specifically, the claims are interpreted as their plain meaning, not their intended use, and the use described within the specification is not disputed within the claims. Therefore, the structural elements in combination from another device with the intention of another use can be used as they have the same plain meaning (see MPEP 2111.01).
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). Furthermore, obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be wholly incorporated into the structure of the primary reference as described, but is rather the test of the combined teachings of those references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art (see MPEP 2145).
For the above reasoning, the Requirement for Unity of Invention withstands.
In regards to the arguments made on pages 9 and 10 with regard to the presents of search burden, the Examiner finds the inclusion of multiple classification areas provided for this invention as reason to believe for search burden. There are multiple areas of classification that would require searching in multiple different way even before any additional areas the Examiner might deem necessary for a thorough and complete search of the available art. Furthermore, the scope of the search is not limited to classification alone. An examiner is expected to create a thorough search of prior art pertaining to the application but pertinent art is not always within the same classifications provided. Including further areas to search that also need a specialized search strategy creates excess search burden.
It is also worth pointing out the structure of the device as described in the restriction for the arrangement of blocking sections in the non-display area are not explicitly refuted and therefore are considered to be a correct restriction on the device structure.
For the reasons set forth above, the examiner finds the restriction requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Note by the Examiner
For clarity, the reference to specific claim numbers are presented in bold. Cited claim limitations are presented in bold the first time they are associated with a particular prior art disclosing the cited limitations, and subsequent reference to the already disclosed claim limitations are presented un-bolded. Certain elements from prior art which are not required by the claims are also presented un-bolded if they are particularly pertinent to understanding how the references are being combined. Item-to-item matching and Examiner explanations for 102 &/or 103 rejections have been provided in parenthesis.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 11, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over Zhou (US 2023/0200122 A1), hereinafter as Z1.
Regarding Claim 1, Z1 discloses a display panel (see FIGs. 3-5, and 11, element 100, and [0039] ln. 2 “display panel 100”), wherein the display panel comprises a display area (see FIG. 11, element 300, and [0062] ln. 2 “display area 300”) and at least one non-display area (see FIG. 11, element 400 [0062] ln. 2 “non-display area 400”) is disposed on a side of the display area (see FIG. 4 where the non-display 400 is disposed at the side of the display area 300), the display panel comprises:
an array substrate (see FIG. 5 and 11, elements 10 and 20, and [0045] ln. 1 “thin film transistor array layer 20” and [0045] ln. 5 “thin film transistor array layer 20 is disposed on the substrate 10”);
a light-emitting structure layer (see FIG. 11, elements 40, 33 and 331-333, and [0045] ln. 2 “pixel definition layer 40” and [0053] ln. 1 “the light-emitting layer 33 includes a first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color” making up the light-emitting structure layer), the light-emitting structure layer disposed on a side of the array substrate (see FIG. 5 where the light-emitting layer 33 is disposed on a top side of the array substrate 20), and the light-emitting structure layer comprising a plurality of light-emitting pixels disposed in the display area (see FIG. 5 and 11, element 33 including the elements 331, 332, and 333 and [0053] ln. 1 “the light-emitting layer 33 includes a first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color” where these light-emitting pixels are disposed in the display area 300);
an encapsulation layer (see FIG. 11, element 50, and [0045] ln. 3 “encapsulation layer 50”), the encapsulation layer disposed on a side of the light-emitting structure layer away from the array substrate (see FIG. 11 where the encapsulation layer 50 is disposed away from the light-emitting layer 30 and light-emitting pixels 331, 332, and 333 with respect to the array substrate); and
a color filter layer (see FIG. 11, element 70 including the elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 5 “color film layer 70 includes a first color resist unit 721 , a second color resist unit 722 , and a third color resist unit 723”), the color filter layer disposed on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the array substrate (see FIG. 11 where the color film layer 70 is disposed on a top side of the encapsulation layer 50); wherein,
the color filter layer comprises a light-shielding part (see FIG. 11, elements 71, 711, and 712, [0039] ln. 8 “light-shielding layer 71 includes a first light-shielding portion 711” and [0076] ln. 2 “light-shielding layer 71 also includes a second light-shielding portion 712” where they are disposed in the color filter layer 70 [0039] ln. 6 “color film layer 70 includes a light shielding layer 71”),
blocking parts (see FIG. 11, element 80, [0038] ln. 13 “first planarization layer 80” creating a protective layer), and
color resist parts (see FIG. 11, element 70 including the elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 5 “color film layer 70 includes a first color resist unit 721 , a second color resist unit 722 , and a third color resist unit 723”); the light-shielding part comprises first openings defined in the display area (see FIG. 11 where the light-shielding 712 are disposed between openings within the display area) and corresponding to the plurality of light-emitting pixels (see FIG. 4 where the openings between the light-emitting pixels 331, 332, and 333 correspond to the above light-shielding elements 712) , and second openings defined in the non-display area (see FIG. 11, and the non-display area 400 where there is an opening between the light-shielding portion 711);
the color resist parts are disposed at least in the first openings (see FIG. 4 where the opening of the display area 300 has the color resist parts 721, 722, and 723 disposed within), and the blocking parts (element 80) are disposed at least in the second openings (see FIG. 11 where the blocking element 80 is disposed in the non-display area 400 where there is an opening between the light-shielding portion 711).
Regarding Claim 3, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the blocking parts (element 80) comprise a same material as the color resist parts (see [0081] ln. “the first planarization layer 80 and the light-shielding layer 71 can be made of photoresist type organic materials”).
Regarding Claim 4, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 3, wherein one of the light-emitting pixels comprises a first sub-pixel displaying a first color, a second sub-pixel displaying a second color (see FIG. 11, element 331, 332, and 333, and [0053] ln. 2 “ first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color”), and a third sub-pixel displaying a third color, and the first color, the second color, and the third color are different (the colors of each light-emitting pixels are implied to be different due to each having its own color, i.e. first, second, and third color); and
the color resist parts comprise first color resists corresponding to the first sub-pixel, second color resists corresponding to the second sub-pixel, and third color resists corresponding to the third sub-pixel (see elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 7 “The first light-emitting pixel 331 corresponds to the first color resist unit 721 . The second light-emitting pixel 332 corresponds to the second color resist unit 722 . The third light-emitting pixel 333 corresponds to the third color resist unit 723”), a material of the first color resists, a material of the second color resists, and a material of the third color resists are all different (as mentioned prior the color resist can be made of an organic material, yet no exact material is set. The color resists therefore do not all have to be the same material and can be arranged to each be different materials); and a material of the blocking parts comprises at least one of the materials of the first color resists, the material of the second color resists, and the material of the third color resists (as mentioned prior the blocking elements and color resist elements can be the same material).
Regarding Claim 11, Z1 discloses a display panel (see FIGs. 3-5, and 11, element 100, and [0039] ln. 2 “display panel 100”), wherein the display panel comprises a display area (see FIG. 11, element 300, and [0062] ln. 2 “display area 300”) and at least one non-display area (see FIG. 11, element 400 [0062] ln. 2 “non-display area 400”) is disposed on a side of the display area (see FIG. 4 where the non-display 400 is disposed at the side of the display area 300), the display panel comprises:
an array substrate (see FIG. 5 and 11, elements 10 and 20, and [0045] ln. 1 “thin film transistor array layer 20” and [0045] ln. 5 “thin film transistor array layer 20 is disposed on the substrate 10”);
a light-emitting structure layer (see FIG. 11, elements 40, 33 and 331-333, and [0045] ln. 2 “pixel definition layer 40” and [0053] ln. 1 “the light-emitting layer 33 includes a first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color” making up the light-emitting structure layer), the light-emitting structure layer disposed on a side of the array substrate (see FIG. 5 where the light-emitting layer 33 is disposed on a top side of the array substrate 20), and the light-emitting structure layer comprising a plurality of light-emitting pixels disposed in the display area (see FIG. 5 and 11, element 33 including the elements 331, 332, and 333 and [0053] ln. 1 “the light-emitting layer 33 includes a first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color” where these light-emitting pixels are disposed in the display area 300);
an encapsulation layer (see FIG. 11, element 50, and [0045] ln. 3 “encapsulation layer 50”), the encapsulation layer disposed on a side of the light-emitting structure layer away from the array substrate (see FIG. 11 where the encapsulation layer 50 is disposed away from the light-emitting layer 30 and light-emitting pixels 331, 332, and 333 with respect to the array substrate); and
a color filter layer (see FIG. 11, element 70 including the elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 5 “color film layer 70 includes a first color resist unit 721 , a second color resist unit 722 , and a third color resist unit 723”), the color filter layer disposed on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the array substrate (see FIG. 11 where the color film layer 70 is disposed on a top side of the encapsulation layer 50); wherein,
the color filter layer comprises a light-shielding part (see FIG. 11, elements 71, 711, and 712, [0039] ln. 8 “light-shielding layer 71 includes a first light-shielding portion 711” and [0076] ln. 2 “light-shielding layer 71 also includes a second light-shielding portion 712” where they are disposed in the color filter layer 70 [0039] ln. 6 “color film layer 70 includes a light shielding layer 71”),
blocking parts (see FIG. 11, element 80, [0038] ln. 13 “first planarization layer 80” creating a protective layer, blocking out unwanted materials), and
color resist parts (see FIG. 11, element 70 including the elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 5 “color film layer 70 includes a first color resist unit 721 , a second color resist unit 722 , and a third color resist unit 723”); the light-shielding part comprises first openings defined in the display area (see FIG. 11 where the light-shielding 712 are disposed between openings within the display area) and corresponding to the plurality of light-emitting pixels (see FIG. 4 where the openings between the light-emitting pixels 331, 332, and 333 correspond to the above light-shielding elements 712) , and second openings defined in the non-display area (see FIG. 11, and the non-display area 400 where there is an opening between the light-shielding portion 711);
the color resist parts are disposed at least in the first openings (see FIG. 4 where the opening of the display area 300 has the color resist parts 721, 722, and 723 disposed within), and the blocking parts (element 80) are disposed at least in the second openings (see FIG. 11 where the blocking element 80 is disposed in the non-display area 400 where there is an opening between the light-shielding portion 711).
Regarding Claim 13, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 11, wherein the blocking parts (element 80) comprise a same material as the color resist parts (see [0081] ln. “the first planarization layer 80 and the light-shielding layer 71 can be made of photoresist type organic materials”).
Regarding Claim 14, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 13, wherein one of the light-emitting pixels comprises a first sub-pixel displaying a first color, a second sub-pixel displaying a second color (see FIG. 11, element 331, 332, and 333, and [0053] ln. 2 “ first light-emitting pixel 331 that emit a first color, a second light-emitting pixel 332 that emit a second color, and a third light-emitting pixel 333 that emit a third color”), and a third sub-pixel displaying a third color, and the first color, the second color, and the third color are different (the colors of each light-emitting pixels are implied to be different due to each having its own color, i.e. first, second, and third color); and
the color resist parts comprise first color resists corresponding to the first sub-pixel, second color resists corresponding to the second sub-pixel, and third color resists corresponding to the third sub-pixel (see elements 721, 722, and 723, and [0053] ln. 7 “The first light-emitting pixel 331 corresponds to the first color resist unit 721 . The second light-emitting pixel 332 corresponds to the second color resist unit 722 . The third light-emitting pixel 333 corresponds to the third color resist unit 723”), a material of the first color resists, a material of the second color resists, and a material of the third color resists are all different (as mentioned prior the color resist can be made of an organic material, yet no exact material is set. The color resists therefore do not all have to be the same material and can be arranged to each be different materials); and a material of the blocking parts comprises at least one of the materials of the first color resists, the material of the second color resists, and the material of the third color resists (as mentioned prior the blocking elements and color resist elements can be the same material).
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 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (US 2023/0200122 A1), hereinafter as Z1, in view of Yoo et al. (US 2023/0345795 A1), hereinafter as Y1.
Regarding Claim 2, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the blocking parts comprise a water-absorbing material
Y1 discloses the blocking parts (see FIG. 10, element OC, and [0220] ln. 1 “planarization layer OC may be further disposed between the first and second color filters CF1 and CF2” and can also be seen in FIG. 10 as above these elements) comprise a water-absorbing material (see [0220] ln. 5 “planarization layer OC may be an organic layer…the organic layer may include…a phenolic resin” where phenolic resin, as described in the Specification of the instant application, is a water absorbing material).
The material of the blocking planarization layer as disclosed by Y1 is incorporated into the disclosure of Z1 as the materials of the blocking parts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate Y1 into Z1 as this is simple substitution of one element for another to further protect the display areas of the device. Including a water absorbing blocking material between and around the color filters, the device is better protected from unwanted impurities from entering the display area of the device. The motivation to include water absorbing materials within the device yields predictable results of keeping unwanted impurities such as water out of the display areas (see Y1 [0220]).
Regarding Claim 12, Z1 discloses the display panel according to claim 11, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the blocking parts comprise a water-absorbing material
Y1 discloses the blocking parts (see FIG. 10, element OC, and [0220] ln. 1 “planarization layer OC may be further disposed between the first and second color filters CF1 and CF2” and can also be seen in FIG. 10 as above these elements) comprise a water-absorbing material (see [0220] ln. 5 “planarization layer OC may be an organic layer…the organic layer may include…a phenolic resin” where phenolic resin, as described in the Specification of the instant application, is a water absorbing material).
The material of the blocking planarization layer as disclosed by Y1 is incorporated into the disclosure of Z1 as the materials of the blocking parts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate Y1 into Z1 as this is simple substitution of one element for another to further protect the display areas of the device. By including a water absorbing blocking material between and around the color filters, the device is better protected from unwanted impurities from entering the display area of the device. The motivation to include water absorbing materials within the device yields predictable results of keeping unwanted impurities such as water out of the display areas (see Y1 [0220]).
Claims 5, 6, 10, 15, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou (US 2023/0200122 A1), hereinafter as Z1, in view of Liu et al. (CN 110850629 A, see attached translation), hereinafter as L1.
Regarding Claim 5, Z1 the display panel according to claim 4, a material of the second subsection is same as the material of the second color resists, and a material of the first subsection is same as the material of the first color resists (as disclosed prior the blocking materials and the color resists can be the same material).
Z1 does not explicitly discloses wherein the blocking parts comprise at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection, the first subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, and the second subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, the second subsection and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart, a material of the second subsection is same as the material of the second color resists, and a material of the first subsection is same as the material of the first color resists.
L1 discloses wherein the blocking parts (see FIG. 10 and 11, elements 40 and 200, and pg. 6 par. 1 “planarization layer 40” and pg. 8 par. 1 “the planarization layer of height difference 40 from the substrate surface of one side of each location, further improving the display effect… which is beneficial for improving non-virtual display area 200 set color resist pattern to the protective effect of the display color resist pattern of the display area 100” where element 40 improves protection of the display area) comprise at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection (see FIG. 10 and 11, elements L1 and L2, and pg. 10 par. 2 “gap length is a first length L1…second length L2” define two subsections of the planarization layer 40), the first subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, and the second subsection is disposed in one of the second openings (see FIG. 10 where the described two sub sections are in the described prior second openings between elements 304 and 302), the second subsection and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart (see FIG. 10 where the two subsections are in the same layer and spaced apart).
The arrangement of blocking parts 40 into subsections as disclosed by L1 are incorporated into the disclosure of Z1 as the arrangement of blocking parts 80. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate L1 into Z1 as this is simple substitution of one element for another to further protect the display areas of the device. Including a blocking material between the openings of the device in the non-display area, the device is better protected from unwanted impurities from entering the display area of the device. The motivation to include blocking parts within the non-display area yields predictable results of keeping unwanted impurities out of the display areas (see L1 pg. 8 par. 1).
Regarding Claim 6, Z1 and L1 disclose the display panel according to claim 5, where L1 further discloses wherein the blocking parts further comprise at least one third subsection (see FIG. 10, element L3, pg. 10 par. 2 “third length L3” defines a third subsection of the protective planarization layer 40), the third subsection is disposed in one of the second openings (see FIG. 10 where the subsection described by L3 is in one of the second openings described prior between elements 306 and 304);
the third subsection, the second subsection, and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart (see FIG. 10 where the subsections defined by the lengths L1, L2, and L3 are spaced apart and in the same layer); and
Z1 further discloses a material of the third subsection is same as the material of the third color resists (as mentioned prior the materials of the color resist and the blocking members can be chosen to be the same material).
Regarding Claim 10, Z1 and L1 disclose the display panel according to claim 6, where L1 further discloses wherein the first subsection is composed of a plurality of connected first protection parts, the second subsection is composed of a plurality of connected second protection parts, and the third subsection is composed of a plurality of connected third protection parts (see FIGs. 10 and 11 where the described subsections are a plurality of connected parts that run across the device for all three subsections. Elements L1, L2, and L3 are composed of the protective planarization layer 40, and are connected in sequence as protection parts. In FIG. 11 the subsections L1, L2, and L3 can be seen running along the device in the y-direction, making up continuous and connected plurality of protection parts in each subsection. First protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L1, second protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L2, and third protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L3.).
Regarding Claim 15, Z1 the display panel according to claim 14, a material of the second subsection is same as the material of the second color resists, and a material of the first subsection is same as the material of the first color resists (as disclosed prior the blocking materials and the color resists can be the same material).
Z1 does not explicitly discloses wherein the blocking parts comprise at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection, the first subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, and the second subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, the second subsection and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart, a material of the second subsection is same as the material of the second color resists, and a material of the first subsection is same as the material of the first color resists.
L1 discloses wherein the blocking parts (see FIG. 10 and 11, elements 40 and 200, and pg. 6 par. 1 “planarization layer 40” and pg. 8 par. 1 “the planarization layer of height difference 40 from the substrate surface of one side of each location, further improving the display effect… which is beneficial for improving non-virtual display area 200 set color resist pattern to the protective effect of the display color resist pattern of the display area 100” where element 40 improves protection of the display area) comprise at least one first subsection and at least one second subsection (see FIG. 10 and 11, elements L1 and L2, and pg. 10 par. 2 “gap length is a first length L1…second length L2” define two subsections of the planarization layer 40), the first subsection is disposed in one of the second openings, and the second subsection is disposed in one of the second openings (see FIG. 10 where the described two sub sections are in the described prior second openings between elements 304 and 302), the second subsection and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart (see FIG. 10 where the two subsections are in the same layer and spaced apart).
The arrangement of blocking parts 40 into subsections as disclosed by L1 are incorporated into the disclosure of Z1 as the arrangement of blocking parts 80. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate L1 into Z1 as this is simple substitution of one element for another to further protect the display areas of the device. Including a blocking material between the openings of the device in the non-display area, the device is better protected from unwanted impurities from entering the display area of the device. The motivation to include blocking parts within the non-display area yields predictable results of keeping unwanted impurities out of the display areas (see L1 pg. 8 par. 1).
Regarding Claim 16, Z1 and L1 disclose the display panel according to claim 15, where L1 further discloses wherein the blocking parts further comprise at least one third subsection (see FIG. 10, element L3, pg. 10 par. 2 “third length L3” defines a third subsection of the protective planarization layer 40), the third subsection is disposed in one of the second openings (see FIG. 10 where the subsection described by L3 is in one of the second openings described prior between elements 306 and 304);
the third subsection, the second subsection, and the first subsection are disposed in a same layer and are spaced apart (see FIG. 10 where the subsections defined by the lengths L1, L2, and L3 are spaced apart and in the same layer); and
Z1 further discloses a material of the third subsection is same as the material of the third color resists (as mentioned prior the materials of the color resist and the blocking members can be chosen to be the same material).
Regarding Claim 20, Z1 and L1 disclose the display panel according to claim 16, where L1 further discloses wherein the first subsection is composed of a plurality of connected first protection parts, the second subsection is composed of a plurality of connected second protection parts, and the third subsection is composed of a plurality of connected third protection parts (see FIGs. 10 and 11 where the described subsections are a plurality of connected parts that run across the device for all three subsections. Elements L1, L2, and L3 are composed of the protective planarization layer 40, and are connected in sequence as protection parts. In FIG. 11 the subsections L1, L2, and L3 can be seen running along the device in the y-direction, making up continuous and connected plurality of protection parts in each subsection. First protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L1, second protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L2, and third protection parts corresponding to the planarization layer 40 in L3.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Peng et al. (CN 112420954 A)
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/B.S.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/SAMUEL PARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
Prosecution Insights