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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 2/25/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claim 6 has been cancelled; Claims 1 and 7 have been amended; and claims 1-5, and 7-18 are currently pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 07/17/2025 has been acknowledged and a signed copy of the PTO-1449 is attached herein.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 02/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant makes the following arguments:
“In other words, as shown for example in Figure 10 of Kim, an alignment member 40 is positioned in a lower internal region of the device adjacent to the back cover 31. The groove 310 is formed in the alignment member located below the display panel, and is not positioned at a height corresponding to the side surface of the display panel. Accordingly, the groove 310 of Kim does not face or oppose the side surface of the display pane and the alignment member 40does not surround the side surfaces of the display panel. Instead, Kim merely discloses an internal alignment structure located below the panel (see Figure 5 of Kim). Therefore, Kim fails to teach or suggest a configuration that corresponds to the claimed features.” (See, remarks, page 10).
This is not persuasive because Kim discloses alignment members 40 attached along the outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the back cover 31 (See, for example, FIGS. 7-9). The back cover 31 is formed as a rectangular structure having four sidewalls extending outwardly from the inner rear surface. When the display panel 32 is inserted into the back cover 31, the sidewalls are positioned along and adjacent to the four side surfaces of the display panel 32 (See, for example, FIGS. 3A-3B). The alignment members 40 are attached along the outer surfaces of these sidewalls on respective sides of the back cover 31 (See, for example, FIG. 7).
As shown in FIG. 7, alignment members 40 are disposed on multiple sides of the back cover 31, the alignment members 40 are attached "along the outer surface of the sidewalls of the back cover 31. Since the back cover 31 is rectangular in shape, the sidewalls with respective alignment members 40 attached thereto collectively surround the four side surfaces of the display panel 32 when the display panel 32 is inserted into the back cover 31. That is, a first alignment member 40 on a first sidewall surrounds a first side surface, a second alignment member 40 on a second sidewall surrounds a second side surface, a third alignment member 40 on a third sidewall surrounds a third side surface, and a fourth alignment member 40 on a fourth sidewall surrounds a fourth side surface of the display panel 32.
Therefore, the combination of the alignment members 40 disposed on the respective sidewalls of the back cover 31 reads on the claimed first to fourth packaging members disposed to surround the first to fourth side surfaces of the display panel.
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 1-5, 9-10 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 10-2020-0075549 A, hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Kim et al. (KR 2014-0093139 A, hereinafter “Kim’139”).
In regards to claim 1, KIM discloses (Figs. 1, 7, 9 and 10) a display device comprising:
a display panel (32);
a cover shield (31) disposed on a rear surface of the display panel (32);
a magnetic unit (33, See, for example, Par [0057]) disposed on the rear surface of the display panel (32), and having a magnetic property;
a first packaging member (40/31) disposed on a first side surface of the display panel (32) and the cover shield (31);
a second packaging member (40/31) disposed on a second side surface of the display panel (32), the second side surface being an opposite surface to the first side surface;
a third packaging member (40/31) disposed on a third side surface of the display panel (32) and the cover shield (31);
a fourth packaging member (40/31) disposed on a fourth side surface of the display panel (32), the fourth side surface being an opposite surface to the third side surface; and
wherein the first packaging member (40/31), the second packaging member (40/31), the third packaging member (40/31) are disposed to surround (See, for example, Fig. 7) the first to fourth side surfaces of the display panel (32), and the fourth packaging member (40/31) have grooves (See, abstract) at positions corresponding respectively to the first to fourth side surfaces of the display panel (32).
Kim fails to explicitly teach a fixing plate fixing the first packaging member and the second packaging member to the magnetic unit.
Kim while disclosing a display apparatus teaches (See, for example, Fig. 22) a fixing plate (700) fixing the first packaging member and the second packaging member to the magnetic unit (500).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kim by Kim’139 because this would help provide a display device having a thin thickness and excellent visibility.
In regards to claim 2, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Figs. 16/22, Kim’139) a frame (1600) supporting the display panel (100), wherein the magnetic unit (500) is disposed on the frame (1600) and exposed to outside through a hole (H2) of the cover shield (130).
In regards to claim 3, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Figs. 16/22, Kim’139) the fixing plate (700) is fixed to the magnetic unit (500) by the magnetic property of the magnetic unit.
In regards to claim 4, Kim as modified above discloses all limitations of claim 3 except that the fixing plate fixed to the magnetic unit is detached from the magnetic unit by a magnetic force applied from the outside.
The claimed limitation requiring detaching “by a magnetic force applied from the outside” would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention because the prior art already establishes a magnetic force attachment mechanism between the fixing plate and the magnetic unit which would make it obvious to apply an external magnetic force to overcome or counteract the existing magnetic attraction for detaching the fixing plate from the magnetic unit. As a result of this, applying external magnetic force to manipulate magnetic attachment mechanism is within the skill of the ordinary person in the art, and the claimed detachment mechanism is merely an obvious application of the magnetic principles already disclosed in Kim’139.
In regards to claim 5, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7, Kim) the first to fourth side surfaces of the display panel (32) are spaced apart (See, “Gap”, annotated Fig. 10(b) attached below) from the first packaging member (40/31), the second packaging member (40/31), the third packaging member (40/31), and the fourth packaging member (40/31), respectively.
In regards to claim 9, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7, Kim) the display device is in one of the following states: a first state (note: packaging members 40 are placed on all four sides of the display panel 32) in which the first packaging member (40/31), the second packaging member (40/31), the third packaging member (40/31), and the fourth packaging member (40/31) cover the first to fourth side surfaces of the display panel (32); and a second state in which the first packaging member (40/31), the second packaging member (40/31), the third packaging member (40/31), and the fourth packaging member (40/31) are disposed below the display panel (32).
In regards to claim 10, Kim as modified above (See, for example, Fig. 22, Kim’139) in the first state, the fixing plate (700) is spaced apart from the magnetic unit (500), and in the second state, the fixing plate is in contact with the magnetic unit.
In regards to claim 14, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 7, Kim) the magnetic unit (33) includes a panel magnet and a panel ferromagnetic material (See, for example, Par [0057]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to select a ferromagnetic material from a list of magnetic material, 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 as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
In regards to claim 15, Kim as modified above discloses (See, for example, Fig. 22, Kim’139) that the magnetic unit (500) is located at an edge of the display panel (100).
In regards to claim 16, Kim as modified discloses (See, for example, Fig. 1, 7, 9 and 10) that the display panel (32) is located inside of the grooves (see, for example, abstract) of the first packaging member (40/31), the second packaging member (40/31), the third packaging member (40/31), and the fourth packaging member (40/31).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Kim’139 as applied to claim 1 above; and further in view of Kim et al. (KR 20190064114 A, its US equivalent PG Pub 2021/0202892 A1 is used for the rejection, hereinafter “Kim’892”).
In regards to claim 8, Kim as modified above discloses all limitations of claim 1 except that the-side surfaces of the first packaging member and the second packaging member include inclined protrusions, and side surfaces of the third packaging member and the fourth packaging member have inclined surfaces corresponding to the protrusions.
Kim’892 while disclosing a display device teaches (See, for example, Figs. 4, 6, and 7) the-side surfaces of the first packaging member and the second packaging member include inclined protrusions (31a, see, for example, Fig. 7), and side surfaces of the third packaging member and the fourth packaging member have inclined surfaces (See, for example, Fig. 4 and 6a) corresponding to the protrusions (31a).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kim by Kim’892 because the device securely holds both the mainframe and display panel in place, allows the inner plate and display to be easily separated and replaced when needed, and maintaining stability across all environmental conditions including varying temperatures, humidity levels, and over time.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Kim’139 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Watanabe et al. (US 2017/0293067 A1, hereinafter “Watanabe”).
In regards to claim 17, Kim as modified above discloses all limitations of claim 1 above except that that a protective plate disposed at a rear of the display panel, the protective plate being disposed in the grooves of the first packaging member, the second packaging member, the third packaging member, and the fourth packaging member.
Watanabe while disclosing a display device teaches (See, for example, Figs. 1 and 2) a protective plate (12) disposed at a rear of the display panel (11D), the protective plate (12) being disposed in the grooves (see, 14a) of the first packaging member (14), the second packaging member (14), the third packaging member (14), and the fourth packaging member (14).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Kim by Watanabe because this would help restrict deterioration of brightness while having a reduction in frame width.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 7 and 18 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
In regards to claim 7, See Office action mailed on 11/25/2025. In regards to claim 18, See, applicant’s remarks filed on 08/29/2025, pp. 7-8.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS whose telephone number is (571)270-5350. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8 am - 5 pm E.S.T..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached on 571-270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERMIAS T WOLDEGEORGIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893