DETAILED ACTION
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of the use of a phrase that can be implied, e.g. “The present invention…”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 through 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claims are replete with phrases that are either incomplete and/or awkwardly worded that render the scope of the claims as vague and indefinite.
For example in Claim 1, because of the colon recited in each of steps (1), (2), (3) and (4), e.g. “thickness: preparing” (line 4), “thickness: dipping” (line 13), “substrate: moving” (line 21), and “thickness: destroying” (line 28), it is unclear where each of the process steps begin, or where each ends. Also, the phrase of “hard ring” (line 13) appears to be inconsistent with the specification, which recites a –rigid ring—(page 7 of specification). It is unclear what is meant by the phrase of “transparent and “what you see is what you get” manner” (lines 23-24) and whether or not these limitations are part of the claim. It is unclear if the “arbitrary complex curved substrate” (line 26) is part of the ”receiving substrate” (line 21) or the “flexible electronic device” (line 3). The phrase of “the easy-to-burst feature” (line 31) lacks positive antecedent basis.
In Claim 2, it is unclear if “a ring” (line 8) is a new ring, or if this is the same as the “hard ring” (line 13 of Claim 1) previously recited.
In Claim 3, again what is meant by the phrase of “in a “what you see is what you get” manner” (line 7).
In Claim 6, “the free-floating of electronic device membrane” (line 3) lacks positive antecedent basis.
In Claim 8, the numbering of steps, e.g. (1), (2), (3), is redundant with the numbering of steps recited in Claim 1. Therefore, in Claim 9, are the phrases of “in steps (2) and (3)” (line 3) and “in step (3)” (line 7) referring to the numbering of steps in Claim 8 or Claim 1?
In Claim 10, it is unclear if “a ring” (line 3) is a new ring, or if this is the same as the “hard ring” (line 13 of Claim 1) previously recited. Also, again, the number of steps in Claim 10 is redundant with the number of steps in Claim 1.
Applicants are asked to carefully review the claim language to ensure that the scope of the claims are clear and definite.
For Claim 1, the examiner has provided the following example of a proposed amendment that would overcome the above rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
1. (Proposed) A surface tension driven flexible electronics transfer printing method, comprising[
(1) preliminary preparation of a flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness[by preparing the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness and high accuracy based on micro and nano processes comprising photolithography and etching, and replacing a rinsing solution comprising deionized water, by surfactant solution with a surface tension property so that the flexible electronic device is soaked in the surfactant solution; or placing the [a weak van der Waals force between the solid surface and the flexible electronic device;
(2) retrieving of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness[by dipping a [rigid ring into the surfactant solution and below the flexible electronic device, so that a portion of the flexible electronic device is attached to the rigid ring; with [rigid ring, making the flexible electronic device leave the surfactant solution with the rigid ring; or making a surfactant bubble supported by a hollow capillary under internal pressure or a deformed surfactant liquid membrane supported by the rigid ring under external wind pressure, come into contact with the flexible electronic device on the solid surface so as to lift the flexible electronic device from the solid surface;
(3) contact between the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness and a receiving substrate[by moving the rigid ring and the hollow capillary [the surfactant bubble come into contact with the receiving substrate [an arbitrary complex curved substrate of the receiving substrate;
(4) printing of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter
thickness[by destroying the surfactant liquid membrane or the surfactant bubble by a super-hydrophobic rod to successfully print the flexible electronic device with
nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness on the receiving substrate; realizing transfer
printing [the surfactant bubble, without requirement of [an interfacial adhesion switchability, so that the flexible electronic device is transfer-printed to the receiving substrate with extremely-low interfacial adhesion.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter.
The closest prior are reference is directed to Chinese Patent Publication, CN 110752145 (hereinafter “CN’145”)1.
CN’145 discloses a surface tension driven flexible electronics transfer printing method, comprising:
(1) preliminary preparation of a flexible electronic device (e.g. 2, Fig. 1) with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness by preparing the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness and high accuracy based on micro and nano processes comprising photolithography and etching (e.g. ¶ [0050]), and replacing a rinsing solution comprising deionized water, by surfactant solution with a surface tension property so that the flexible electronic device is soaked in the surfactant solution (e.g. ¶ [0052]); wherein there is only a weak van der Waals force between the solid surface and the flexible electronic device;
(2) retrieving of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness by dipping a rigid ring (e.g. 1) into the surfactant solution (e.g. ¶ [0078]), so that a portion of the flexible electronic device is attached to the rigid ring; with upward lifting of the rigid ring, making the flexible electronic device leave the surfactant solution with the rigid ring so as to lift the flexible electronic device from the solid surface (e.g. Fig. 1); and
(4) printing of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter
thickness by realizing transfer printing of the surfactant liquid membrane or the surfactant bubble, without requirement of an interfacial adhesion switchability, so that the flexible electronic device is transfer-printed to the receiving substrate with extremely-low interfacial adhesion (e.g. ¶¶ [0062] to [0072])
CN’145 does not teach the following (emphasis added):
1) retrieving of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness by dipping a rigid ring into the surfactant solution and below the flexible electronic device;
2) a contact between the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness and a receiving substrate by moving the rigid ring and the hollow capillary to make the flexible electronic device in the surfactant liquid membrane or the surfactant bubble come into contact with the receiving substrate; and
3) printing of the flexible electronic device with nanometer/micron/submillimeter thickness by destroying the surfactant liquid membrane or the surfactant bubble by a super-hydrophobic rod.
Moreover, it would not be obvious to modify CN’145 by adding any of the above features because to do so would destroy the overall manufacturing process of CN’145.
Therefore, Claims 1 through 11 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
a) Japanese Patent Publication, JP 2011-029528, discloses a process of transfer coating to form a flexible electronic device (e.g. circuit board) by dipping the flexible electronic device into a surfactant solution containing water to form a circuit (e.g. Fig. 1, see SOLUTION).
b) Non-Patent Literature IEEE Publication to Kim et al., entitled "Towards sub-microscale liquid metal patterns: Cascade phase change mediated pick-n-place transfer of liquid metals printed and stretched over a flexible substrate" discloses a transfer printing method (e.g. Fig. 1) for a flexible electronic device (see entire document).
c) U.S. Publication 2015/0351250 to Kella et al, discloses a transfer printing method (e.g. Figs. 3A, 3B) for a flexible electronic device.
It is noted that a telephone call was made to JOE MCKINNEY MUNCY, Attorney of Record, on April 10, 2026, to resolve the above issues with a proposed Examiner’s amendment. However, the telephone call did not result in any discussion and/or telephone interview. Applicants are invited to call the examiner to conduct a telephone interview in discussing any proposed amendments that may resolve any of the preceding issues.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to A. DEXTER TUGBANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4570. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JESSICA HAN can be reached at (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A. DEXTER TUGBANG/Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2896
1 The interpretation of CN’145 is made from a Machine Translation in English, a copy of which is attached to this office action.
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