DETAILED ACTION
1. The Amendment filed 09/25/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-17 & 19-20 in the application remain pending. Claims 17 & 19 were amended. Claim 18 was cancelled. Claims 1-16 & 20 remain withdrawn from consideration.
2. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S.C. code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
3. 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
4. The claim rejections under AIA 35 U.S.C. 112(b), of claims 18-19 are withdrawn per cancellation of claim 18.
5. The claim rejections under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Kim (US 2021/0020704 A1) of claim 18 are withdrawn per cancellation of claim 18.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. Claims 17 & 19 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2021/0020704 A1) hereinafter Kim.
Regarding claims 17 & 19, the recitation of “cell” is being interpreted as an area or region on the mask and/or corresponding to a deposition region on the substrate wherein deposition is taking place.
As regards to claim 17, Kim discloses a mask 422B comprising a cell AR2-2 including a mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) and a mask second area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area between W2) when seen along a direction normal to the mask 422B, wherein the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) includes a wide-area through hole 422B-2, in the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1), the wide-area through hole 422B-2
spreads in a gapless manner (see fig 20, 22, 24), the mask second area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area between W2) includes a shielding area (see fig 20, 22, 24, solid portion between W2) and two or more of the wide-area through holes 422B-2 surrounded by the shielding area (see fig 20, 22, 24, solid portion between W2), wherein the cell AR2-2 includes cell contours (see fig 20, 22, 24, boundary lines of 422B-2) including cell first and second sides (see fig 20, 22, 24, left and right boundary lines) that are opposite to each other in a mask first direction (see fig 20, 22, 24) and cell third and fourth sides (see fig 20, 22, 24, top and bottom boundary lines) that are opposite to each other in a mask second direction (see fig 20, 22, 24) intersecting the mask first direction (see fig 20, 22, 24), and the wide-area through hole 422B-2 in the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) spreads along the cell first side (see fig 20, 22, 24, left boundary line), the cell second side (see fig 20, 22, 24, right boundary line), the cell third side (see fig 20, 22, 24, top boundary line) and a part of the cell fourth side (see fig 20, 22, 24, bottom boundary line) ([0219]-[0232]; fig 20, 22, 24).
As regards to claim 19, Kim discloses a mask 422B (abs; fig 20, 22, 24), wherein the mask second area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area between W2) is in contact with the cell fourth side (see fig 20, 22, 24, bottom boundary line) ([0219]-[0232]; fig 20, 22, 24).
Response to Arguments
7. Applicant's arguments filed 09/25/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s principal arguments are:
(a) Independent claim 17 has been amended to recite, in relevant part, that (i) the mask first area includes a wide-area through hole, (ii) in the mask first area the wide- area through hole spreads in a gapless manner, (iii) the cell includes cell contours including cell first and second sides that are opposite to each other in a mask first direction and cell third and fourth sides that are opposite to each other in a mask second direction intersecting the mask first direction, and (iv) the wide-area through hole in the mask first area spreads along the cell first side, the cell second side, the cell
third side and a part of the cell fourth side.
The present invention is distinguishable over the applied prior art because Kim fails to teach or suggest a mask including a fourth opening 422B-3 (asserted wide-area through hole) that contacts all four edges (i.e., spreads along all four cell sides), as now recited in independent claim 17 (see Fig. 20 of Kim, which has been reproduced below). Indeed, Fig. 14 of Kim, which has also been reproduced below, shows that the main opposing electrode 230e formed by the fourth opening 422B-3 (asserted wide-area through hole) contacts all four edges (i.e., spreads along all four cell sides).
(b) Based on the above, Applicant respectfully submits that Kim fails to teach or suggest all of the limitations now recited in independent claim 17. For at least the foregoing reasons, Applicant respectfully submits that all claims pending herein define patentable subject matter over the prior art of record.
8. In response to applicant’s arguments, please consider the following comments.
(a) In view of Applicant’s amendments to claim 17, Examiner has reevaluated the teachings of Kim as a whole for what they disclose or fairly suggest. As already discussed above in detail in regards to claim 17 and as clearly seen in at least Fig. 20, Kim discloses a mask 422B comprising a cell AR2-2 including a mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) and a mask second area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area between W2) when seen along a direction normal to the mask 422B, wherein the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) includes a wide-area through hole 422B-2, in the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1), the wide-area through hole 422B-2
spreads in a gapless manner (see fig 20, 22, 24), the mask second area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area between W2) includes a shielding area (see fig 20, 22, 24, solid portion between W2) and two or more of the wide-area through holes 422B-2 surrounded by the shielding area (see fig 20, 22, 24, solid portion between W2), wherein the cell AR2-2 includes cell contours (see fig 20, 22, 24, boundary lines of 422B-2) including cell first and second sides (see fig 20, 22, 24, left and right boundary lines) that are opposite to each other in a mask first direction (see fig 20, 22, 24) and cell third and fourth sides (see fig 20, 22, 24, top and bottom boundary lines) that are opposite to each other in a mask second direction (see fig 20, 22, 24) intersecting the mask first direction (see fig 20, 22, 24), and the wide-area through hole 422B-2 in the mask first area (see fig 20, 22, 24, area below W1) spreads along the cell first side (see fig 20, 22, 24, left boundary line), the cell second side (see fig 20, 22, 24, right boundary line), the cell third side (see fig 20, 22, 24, top boundary line) and a part of the cell fourth side (see fig 20, 22, 24, bottom boundary line) ([0219]-[0232]; fig 20, 22, 24).
(b) In view of the foregoing, Examiner respectfully contends the limitations of claim 17 are indeed satisfied. Claim 19 is rejected at least based on dependency from claim 17, as well as for its own rejections on the merits.
Conclusion
9. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jethro M Pence whose telephone number is (571)270-7423. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00 A.M. - 6:30 P.M..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dah-Wei D. Yuan can be reached on 571-272-1295. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jethro M. Pence/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717