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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/21/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated 01/21/2026, in which claims 1 and 23 were amended, claims 4-10, 12-22 were withdrawn, has been entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) to foreign application KR10-2021-0133740 filed on 10/08/2021. The foreign application is not in English. The certified copy of the foreign priority application KR10-2021-0133740 has been received.
Filing Dates for the Claims — All Claims Not Entitled to Priority Date
To be entitled to the filing date of the foreign priority application KR10-2021-0133740 that is not in English, an English translation of the non-English language foreign application KR10-2021-0133740 and a statement that the translation is accurate in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55 is required to perfect the claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The foreign application must adequately support the claimed subject matter, meaning satisfy the written description and enablement requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a). See MPEP §§ 215 and 216. 37 C.F.R. 1.55(g)(3)(ii)-(iii). To demonstrate compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112(a), applicant should point to support for their claimed subject matter in their translations.
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, 11 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US Pub. 20060119263) in view of Lee et al. (US Pub. 20200303488) and Tomoaki (JP 2005234180A).
Regarding claim 1, Chen et al. discloses in Fig. 4, paragraph [0054] a display device comprising:
a lower substrate [114];
a display element [112] on the lower substrate [114], the display element [112] configured to emit light [];
a pad [118, 138 and 142] disposed on the lower substrate [114] along a periphery of the lower substrate [114], the pad [118, 138 and 142] comprising a first partial pad and a second partial pad [See annotated drawing]; and
a cover substrate [134] on the pad [118, 138 and 142], the cover substrate [134] covering the lower substrate [114] and the pad [118, 138 and 142];
wherein the pad [118, 138 and 142] is between the lower substrate [114] and the cover substrate [134] in across-sectional view of the display device, and
wherein the pad [118, 138 and 142] is in contact with the lower substrate [114] and the cover substrate [134].
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Chen et al. fails to disclose
the cover substrate comprises a cover glass.
Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 6-Fig. 7, Fig. 18, paragraph [0107]
the cover substrate [410] comprises a cover glass.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Lee et al. into the method of Chen et al. to include the cover substrate comprises a cover glass. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable material of the transparent cover substrate.
Chen et al. fails to disclose
a portion of the first partial pad overlaps a portion of the second partial pad in a thickness direction on the lower substrate.
Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18, paragraph [0048]-[0049], that the first and second partial pads form a frame shape structure.
Tomoaki discloses in Fig. 13, Fig. 14, paragraph [0112]-[0113]
a frame shape structure [620] is formed by a first partial structure [first 622] and a second partial structure [second 622];
a portion of the first partial structure [first 622] overlaps a portion of the second partial structure [second 622] in a thickness direction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Tomoaki and Lee et al. into the method of Chen et al. to include a portion of the first partial pad overlaps a portion of the second partial pad in a thickness direction on the lower substrate. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing pad having frame shape to prevent light leakage from the joint portion of each separation frame member more reliably [paragraph [0112], [0113] of Tomoaki].
Regarding claim 11, Chen et al. discloses in Fig. 2A, Fig. 3A and Fig. 4
wherein the first partial pad is disposed on an upper portion of the lower substrate [114],
wherein the second partial pad is disposed on a left side portion of the lower substrate [114],
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the first partial pad comprising a first center portion,
a first protruding portion protruding from the first center portion to a first side, and a second protruding portion protruding to a second side;
the second partial pad in contact with the first protruding portion; and
a groove formed on the first protruding portion in a plan view of the display device
Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2 and Fig. 18
wherein the second partial pad is disposed on a left side portion of the lower substrate;
the first partial pad comprising a first center portion, a first protruding portion protruding from the first center portion to a first side, and a second protruding portion protruding to a second side;
the second partial pad in contact with the first protruding portion;
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Tomoaki discloses in Fig. 13, Fig. 14, paragraph [0012], [0013]
a groove formed on a protruding portion in a plan view.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Tomoaki and Lee et al. into the method of Chen et al. to include the first partial pad comprising a first center portion,a first protruding portion protruding from the first center portion to a first side, and a second protruding portion protruding to a second side; the second partial pad in contact with the first protruding portion; and a groove formed on the first protruding portion in a plan view of the display device. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen et al. et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing configuration of pad having frame shape to prevent light leakage from the joint portion of each separation frame member more reliably [paragraph [0112], [0113] of Tomoaki].
Regarding claim 23, Chen et al. discloses in Fig. 4, paragraph [0054] a display device comprising:
a lower substrate [114];
a display element [112] on the lower substrate [114], the display element [112] configured to emit light;
a pad [118, 138 and 142] disposed on the lower substrate [114] along a periphery of the lower substrate [114], the pad [118, 138 and 142] comprising a first partial pad and a second partial pad [See annotated drawing]; and
a cover substrate [134] on the pad [118, 138 and 142], the cover substrate [134] covering the lower substrate [114] and the pad [118, 138 and 142];
wherein the pad [118, 138 and 142] is between the lower substrate [114] and the cover substrate [134] in across-sectional view of the display device, and
wherein the pad [118, 138 and 142] is in contact with the lower substrate [114] and the cover substrate [134].
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the cover substrate comprises a cover glass.
Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 6-Fig. 7, Fig. 18, paragraph [0107]
the cover substrate [410] comprises a cover glass.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Lee et al. into the method of Chen et al. to include the cover substrate comprises a cover glass. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable material of the transparent cover substrate.
Chen et al. fails to disclose
wherein a portion of the first partial pad overlaps a portion of the second partial pad in a thickness direction on the lower substrate;
wherein an innermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an innermost outer edge of the second partial pad does not respectively extend past an outermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an outermost outer edge of the second partial pad in a plan view of the display device after compression of the lower substrate, the pad, and the cover substrate.
Lee et al discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 6-Fig. 7, Fig. 18, paragraph [0042]-[0043], [0051]-[0056], [0141]
Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18, paragraph [0048]-[0049], that the first and second partial pads form a frame shape structure; and
wherein an innermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an innermost outer edge of the second partial pad [an innermost outer edge of the first partial pad] does not respectively extend past an outermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an outermost outer edge of the second partial pad [an innermost outer edge of the first partial pad does not extend past an outermost outer edge of the first partial pad] in a plan view of the display device after compression of the lower substrate [110], the pad [350 and 380], and the cover glass [410].
Tomoaki discloses in Fig. 13, Fig. 14, paragraph [0112]-[0113]
a frame shape structure [620] is formed by a first partial structure [first 622] and a second partial structure [second 622];
a portion of the first partial structure [first 622] overlaps a portion of the second partial structure [second 622] in a thickness direction.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Tomoaki and Lee et al. into the method of Chen et al. to include wherein a portion of the first partial pad overlaps a portion of the second partial pad in a thickness direction on the lower substrate; wherein an innermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an innermost outer edge of the second partial pad does not respectively extend past an outermost outer edge of the first partial pad or an outermost outer edge of the second partial pad in a plan view of the display device after compression of the lower substrate, the pad, and the cover substrate. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable configuration of pad having frame shape to prevent light leakage from the joint portion of each separation frame member more reliably [paragraph [0112], [0113] of Tomoaki].
Claims 2-3, 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US Pub. 20060119263) in view of Lee et al. (US Pub. 20200303488) and Tomoaki (JP 2005234180A) as applied to claims 1 and 23 above and further in view of Xu (US Pub. 20180150161) and Sugiyama (US Pat. 10649277).
Regarding claims 2-3, Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18
wherein the first partial pad [380] is on an upper portion of the lower substrate [110] in a plan view of the display device, the first partial pad [380] including a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial pad [350] is disposed on a first side portion of the lower substrate [110] in the plan view, the second partial pad [350] including a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion;
wherein the pad [350 and 380] includes a concave area at one or more corners of the pad [350 and 380] in the plan view,
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wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion.
However, Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18, paragraph [0048]-[0049], that the first and second partial pads form a frame shape structure and the second partial pad having an incomplete frame shape.
Sugiyama discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 4A, Fig. 4D a frame shape structure is formed by a first partial structure and a second partial structure.
wherein the first partial structure including a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial structure including a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion.
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For further providing support for a suitable configuration of a frame shape structure, Xu is cited.
Xu discloses in Fig. 4 a frame shape structure is formed by a first partial structure and a second partial structure.
wherein the first partial structure [410] including a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial structure [420 or 440] including a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Sugiyama and Xu into the method of Lee et al. and Chen et al. to include wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Lee et al. and Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable configuration of a frame shape pad. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 24-25, Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18
wherein the first partial pad [380] comprises a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial pad [350] comprises a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion;
wherein the pad [350 and 380] comprises a concave portion formed due to the overlap of the portion of the first protruding portion and the portion of the second protruding portion.
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wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion.
However, Lee et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 18, paragraph [0048]-[0049], that the first and second partial pads form a frame shape structure and the second partial pad having an incomplete frame shape.
Sugiyama discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 4A, Fig. 4D a frame shape structure is formed by a first partial structure and a second partial structure.
wherein the first partial structure including a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial structure including a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion.
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For further providing support for a suitable configuration of a frame shape structure, Xu is cited.
Xu discloses in Fig. 4 a frame shape structure is formed by a first partial structure and a second partial structure.
wherein the first partial structure [410] including a first center portion and a first protruding portion that extends from the first center portion, wherein the first protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the first center portion,
wherein the second partial structure [420 or 440] including a second center portion and a second protruding portion that extends from the second center portion, wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion, and wherein at least a portion of the first protruding portion overlaps at least a portion of the second protruding portion.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Sugiyama and Xu into the method of Lee et al. and Chen et al. to include wherein the second protruding portion has a width that is less than a width of the second center portion. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Lee et al. and Chen et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable configuration of a frame shape pad. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 11, 23-25 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.
Overall, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive. The claims stand rejected.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited art discloses similar materials, devices and methods.
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/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893