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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/09/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated 04/19/2026, in which claims 1, 22 were amended, claims 3, 9, 13-14 were cancelled, has been entered.
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 1-2, 4-8, 10, 15-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US Pub. 20240267450) in view of Kim et al. (US Pub. 20160227653) and Kim (US Pub. 20180164619), hereafter Kim619.
Regarding claims 1, 15 and 17, Zhang et al. discloses in Fig.1-Fig. 4, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display module, comprising a middle bezel [200], a display panel [2], and a cover plate [1], wherein the cover plate [1] is located at a light-emitting side of the display panel [2], and the middle bezel [200] comprises a side plate surrounding the display panel [2] and the cover plate [1];
a side surface of the cover glass, and
the side plate comprises a second surface being attached to the side surface;
wherein the display panel comprises a display region and a non-display region, and the non-display region comprises a bonding area [Fig. 3] located at a side of the display region and a non-bonding area [Fig. 4] located differently from the bonding area [Fig. 3];
the cover plate [1] comprises a first region corresponding to the bonding area [Fig. 3], the side plate [200] comprises a first sub-side plate corresponding to the bonding area [Fig. 3], and
the side plate [200] comprises a second sub-side plate corresponding to the non-bonding area [Fig. 4], and in a direction perpendicular to the display panel [2], the second sub-side plate comprises a first portion attached to the cover plate [1] and a second portion adjacent to the first portion.
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Zhang et al. fails to disclose
the cover plate comprises the cover glass;
a filling structure is filled between the second portion, the cover glass, and the display panel;
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in a direction toward the display panel, to form a support portion supporting the display panel on a backlight side of the display panel;
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in the direction toward the display panel, to form a filling portion filled between the cover glass and the display panel;
wherein the filling structure is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass and the display panel; and
the cover glass is directly attached to the first portion.
Zhang et al. discloses in Fig. 5, Fig. 7, Fig. 9a, paragraph [0017]
a filling structure [3] is filled between the second portion, the cover plate [1], and the display panel [2];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [2], a part of the filling structure [3] extends in a direction toward the display panel [2], to form a support portion supporting the display panel [2] on a backlight side of the display panel [2];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [2], a part of the filling structure [3] extends in the direction toward the display panel [2], to form a filling portion filled between the cover plate [1] and the display panel [2];
wherein the filling structure [3] is directly attached to the cover plate [1] and the display panel [2].
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Kim619 discloses in Fig. 2
the cover plate [500] comprises the cover glass [paragraph [0065]];
a filling structure [15, 25 and 510] is filled between the second portion, the cover glass [500], and the display panel [110];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [110], a part of the filling structure [15, 25 and 510] extends in the direction toward the display panel [110], to form a filling portion filled between the cover glass [500] and the display panel [110];
wherein the filling structure [15, 25 and 510] is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass [500] and the display panel [110]; and
the cover glass [500] is directly attached to the first portion.
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 Kim619 and Fig. 7, Fig. 9a of Zhang et al. into the method of Fig. 3 and 4 of Zhang et al. to include the cover plate comprises the cover glass; a filling structure is filled between the second portion, the cover glass, and the display panel; wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in a direction toward the display panel, to form a support portion supporting the display panel on a backlight side of the display panel; wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in the direction toward the display panel, to form a filling portion filled between the cover glass and the display panel; wherein the filling structure is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass and the display panel; and the cover glass is directly attached to the first portion for the purpose of providing suitable material of the cover plate based on scratch and transparency; supporting the cover glass, protecting the display module from an external impact and preventing particles from penetrating through a space between the display module and the housing side wall, and stably fixing the display panel or the cover glass so as not to be moved; reducing the avoidance distance, reducing the distance between the edge of the display panel layer and the edge of the cover plate, and further improving the reliability of protecting the display panel layer [paragraph [0065], [0066], [0068], [0074] of Kim619, paragraph [0008] of Zhang et al.].
Zhang et al. and Kim619 fails to disclose
the side surface of the cover glass is a first inclined surface inclined at an angle to a light incident surface of the cover glass, and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface.
Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 or Fig. 8, paragraph [0047]-[0051], [0056]-[0057], [0082], [0084]
the side surface of the cover glass [100] is a first inclined surface [110] inclined at an angle to a light incident surface [130] of the cover glass [100], and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface [210] inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface [110].
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 Kim et al. into the method of Zhang et al. and Kim619 to include the side surface of the cover glass is a first inclined surface inclined at an angle to a light incident surface of the cover glass, and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang et al. and Kim619 in the above manner for the purpose of providing securing a larger display area by reducing dead space [paragraph [0086], [0110], [0119]-[0122] of Kim et al.]
Regarding claims 2, 4-8, Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8
wherein the angle between the first inclined surface [110] and the light incident surface [130] of the cover glass [100] is 30 degrees to 60 degrees [Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8];
wherein the first inclined surface [110] is provided with a concave-convex structure, and the second inclined surface [210] is provided with a concave-convex structure fitting the concave-convex structure of the first inclined surface [110][Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8];
wherein the concave-convex structures are stripe structures extending in a first direction, and the first direction is parallel to an extension direction of the first inclined surface [110][Fig. 1];
wherein a cross-sectional shape of the concave-convex structures in a direction perpendicular to the first inclined surface [110] is at least one of arc, rectangle, trapezoid, or triangle [arc][Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 7], or [triangle]Fig. 8].
wherein the side plate further comprises a support surface connected to the second inclined surface [210], the support surface supports the cover glass [100] on a side of the cover glass [100] close to the display panel [500], and the support surface is disposed parallel to the light incident surface [130] of the cover glass [100][Fig. 3][See annotated drawing];
wherein the side plate further comprises a first end surface connected to the second inclined surface [210], the first end surface is located on a side of the second inclined surface [210] away from the display panel [500], and the first end surface is flush with a light-emitting surface [120] of the cover glass [100] Fig. 2, Fig. 5, Fig. 7, Fig. 8][See annotated drawing].
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Regarding claim 10, Zhang et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 wherein a length of the bonding area in an extension direction of the bonding area is less than a length of the first sub-side plate in an extension direction of the first sub-side plate.
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Regarding claim 16, Zhang et al. fails to disclose
wherein a width of the support portion is 1 mm to 1.8 mm in the direction from the middle bezel to the display panel.
However, Applicant has not provided any criticality of the claimed range. It would have been obvious to modify Zhang et al. to provide a width of the support portion is 1 mm to 1.8 mm in the direction from the middle bezel to the display panel for at least the purpose of optimization and routine experimentation to provide sufficient width for the support portion to perform its intended function. The claimed ranges are merely optimizations, and as such are not patentable over the prior art. "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). "The normal desire of scientists or artisans to improve upon what is already generally known provides the motivation to determine where in a disclosed set of percentage ranges is the optimum combination of percentages." Peterson, 315 F.3d at 1330, 65 USPQ2d at 1382.
Regarding claim 18, Zhang et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 7
wherein an adhesive glue layer [101 and 102] is disposed between the display panel [2] and the cover glass [1], and a thickness of the adhesive glue layer [101 and 102] is the same as a thickness of the filling portion in the direction perpendicular to the display panel [2].
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Regarding claim 19, Zhang et al. fails to disclose
wherein the filling structure has a thickness of 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm in the direction perpendicular to the display panel.
However, Applicant has not provided any criticality of the claimed range. It would have been obvious to modify Zhang et al. to provide the filling structure has a thickness of 0.8 mm to 1.6 mm in the direction perpendicular to the display panel for at least the purpose of optimization and routine experimentation to provide sufficient thickness for the filling structure to perform its intended function. The claimed ranges are merely optimizations, and as such are not patentable over the prior art. "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). "The normal desire of scientists or artisans to improve upon what is already generally known provides the motivation to determine where in a disclosed set of percentage ranges is the optimum combination of percentages." Peterson, 315 F.3d at 1330, 65 USPQ2d at 1382.
Regarding claim 20, Zhang et al. discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 4
wherein the first sub-side plate further comprises a first end surface connected to the second surface, and the first end surface is located on a side of the second surface away from the display panel [Fig. 3];
a second end surface of the first portion is flush with a light-emitting surface of the cover plate [1], and a width of the first end surface is the same as a width of the second end surface in a direction parallel to the cover plate [1].
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Kim619 also discloses in Fig. 2
the cover plate comprises the cover glass [500];
wherein the first sub-side plate further comprises a first end surface connected to the second surface, and the first end surface is located on a side of the second surface away from the display panel [110];
a second end surface of the first portion is flush with a light-emitting surface of the cover plate [500].
Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8
the cover plate comprises the cover glass [100];
the second surface comprises the second inclined surface [210].
Thus, the combination of Zhang et al., Kim619 and Kim et al. result to the limitation “wherein the first sub-side plate further comprises a first end surface connected to the second inclined surface, and the first end surface is located on a side of the second inclined surface away from the display panel; a second end surface of the first portion is flush with a light-emitting surface of the cover glass, and a width of the first end surface is the same as a width of the second end surface in a direction parallel to the cover glass” of claim 20.
Regarding claim 21, Zhang et al. discloses in paragraph [0053], [0067]-[0068] wherein the filling structure [3] is made of a curable polymer material.
Regarding claim 22, Zhang et al. discloses in Fig.1-Fig. 4, a display device, comprising an OLED display module, wherein the OLED display module comprises a middle bezel [200], a display panel [2], and a cover plate [1], wherein the cover plate [1] is located at a light-emitting side of the display panel [2], and the middle bezel [200] comprises a side plate surrounding the display panel [2] and the cover plate [1].
wherein the display panel comprises a display region and a non-display region, and the non-display region comprises a bonding area [Fig. 3] located at a side of the display region and a non-bonding area [Fig. 4] located differently from the bonding area [Fig. 3];
the cover plate [1] comprises a first region corresponding to the bonding area [Fig. 3], the side plate [200] comprises a first sub-side plate corresponding to the bonding area [Fig. 3], and
the side plate [200] comprises a second sub-side plate corresponding to the non-bonding area [Fig. 4], and in a direction perpendicular to the display panel [2], the second sub-side plate comprises a first portion attached to the cover plate [1] and a second portion adjacent to the first portion.
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Zhang et al. fails to disclose in Fig. 3, Fig. 4
the cover plate comprises the cover glass;
a filling structure is filled between the second portion, the cover plate, and the display panel;
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in a direction toward the display panel, to form a support portion supporting the display panel on a backlight side of the display panel;
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in the direction toward the display panel, to form a filling portion filled between the cover plate and the display panel;
wherein the filling structure is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass and the display panel; and
the cover glass is directly attached to the first portion.
Zhang et al. discloses in Fig. 5, Fig. 7, Fig. 9a, paragraph [0017]
a filling structure [3] is filled between the second portion, the cover plate [1], and the display panel [2];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [2], a part of the filling structure [3] extends in a direction toward the display panel [2], to form a support portion supporting the display panel [2] on a backlight side of the display panel [2];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [2], a part of the filling structure [3] extends in the direction toward the display panel [2], to form a filling portion filled between the cover plate [1] and the display panel [2];
wherein the filling structure [3] is directly attached to the cover plate [1] and the display panel [2].
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Kim619 discloses in Fig. 2
the cover plate [500] comprises the cover glass [paragraph [0065]];
a filling structure [15, 25 and 510] is filled between the second portion, the cover glass [500], and the display panel [110];
wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel [110], a part of the filling structure [15, 25 and 510] extends in the direction toward the display panel [110], to form a filling portion filled between the cover glass [500] and the display panel [110];
wherein the filling structure [15, 25 and 510] is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass [500] and the display panel [110]; and
the cover glass [500] is directly attached to the first portion.
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 Kim619 and Fig. 7, Fig. 9a of Zhang et al. into the method of Fig. 3 and 4 of Zhang et al. to include the cover plate comprises the cover glass; a filling structure is filled between the second portion, the cover glass, and the display panel; wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in a direction toward the display panel, to form a support portion supporting the display panel on a backlight side of the display panel; wherein in the direction parallel to the display panel, a part of the filling structure extends in the direction toward the display panel, to form a filling portion filled between the cover glass and the display panel; wherein the filling structure is directly attached to the second portion, the cover glass and the display panel; and the cover glass is directly attached to the first portion for the purpose of providing suitable material of the cover plate based on scratch and transparency; supporting the cover glass, protecting the display module from an external impact and preventing particles from penetrating through a space between the display module and the housing side wall, and stably fixing the display panel or the cover glass so as not to be moved; reducing the avoidance distance, reducing the distance between the edge of the display panel layer and the edge of the cover plate, and further improving the reliability of protecting the display panel layer [paragraph [0065], [0066], [0068], [0074] of Kim619, paragraph [0008] of Zhang et al.].
Zhang et al. and Kim619 fails to disclose
the side surface of the cover glass is a first inclined surface inclined at an angle to a light incident surface of the cover glass, and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface.
Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7 or Fig. 8, paragraph [0047]-[0051], [0056]-[0057], [0082], [0084]
the side surface of the cover glass [100] is a first inclined surface [110] inclined at an angle to a light incident surface [130] of the cover glass [100], and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface [210] inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface [110].
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 Kim et al. into the method of Zhang et al. and Kim619 to include the cover plate comprises the cover glass; the side surface of the cover glass is a first inclined surface inclined at an angle to a light incident surface of the cover glass, and the second surface comprises a second inclined surface inclined correspondingly and being attached to the first inclined surface. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang et al. and Kim619 in the above manner for the purpose of providing securing a larger display area by reducing dead space [paragraph [0086], [0110], [0119]-[0122] of Kim et al.].
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US Pub. 20240267450) in view of Kim et al. (US Pub. 20160227653) and Kim (US Pub. 20180164619), hereafter Kim619 as applied to claim 9 above and further in view of Wang et al. (CN 108227269).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang et al., and Kim et al. fails to disclose
wherein the second sub-side plate further comprises a third portion located on a side of the second portion away from the first portion, and in a direction parallel to the display panel, the third portion is disposed protruding in a direction toward the display panel, and a side of the filling structure away from the cover glass is attached to the third portion;
wherein in the direction perpendicular to the display panel, the third portion is located on a backlight side of the display panel; and/or, wherein an orthographic projection of the third portion onto the cover glass adjoins an orthographic projection of the display panel onto the cover glass, or the orthographic projection of the third portion onto the cover glass partially overlaps with the orthographic projection of the display panel onto the cover glass; and/or, wherein in a direction from the middle bezel to the display panel, a width of a first attaching surface of the filling structure that is attached to the third portion is 0.8 mm to 1 mm.
Kim619 discloses in Fig. 2
wherein the second sub-side plate further comprises a third portion located on a side of the second portion away from the first portion, and in a direction parallel to the display panel [110], the third portion is disposed protruding in a direction toward the display panel [110], and a side of the filling structure [15, 25, 510] away from the cover glass [500] is attached to the third portion.
Wang et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 10a, paragraph [0041]-[0046]
wherein the second sub-side plate [30] further comprises a third portion [400] located on a side of the second portion [300] away from the first portion [33], and in a direction parallel to the display panel [21], the third portion [400] is disposed protruding in a direction toward the display panel [21], and a side of the filling structure [40] away from the cover glass [20] is attached to the third portion [400];
wherein in the direction perpendicular to the display panel [21], the third portion [400] is located on a backlight side of the display panel [21].
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 Kim619 and Wang et al. into the method of Zhang et al. to include wherein the second sub-side plate further comprises a third portion located on a side of the second portion away from the first portion, and in a direction parallel to the display panel, the third portion is disposed protruding in a direction toward the display panel, and a side of the filling structure away from the cover glass is attached to the third portion; wherein in the direction perpendicular to the display panel, the third portion is located on a backlight side of the display panel. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang et al. in the above manner for the purpose of supporting the cover glass, protecting the display module from an external impact and preventing particles from penetrating through a space between the display module and the housing side wall; reducing the frame width of the entire electronic device, further improving the sealing of the electronic device and reducing the risk of light leakage [paragraph [0066 and 0068] of Kim619, paragraph [0046] of Wang et al.].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 4-8, 10-12, 15-22 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1686. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am -5:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
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/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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