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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/09/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-13 are pending and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments of 01/09/2026 with respect to the rejections of claims have
been fully considered, and are persuasive. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-13 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Notes: when present, hyphen separated fields within the hyphens (- -) represent, for example, as (30A - Fig 2B - [0128]) = (element 30A - Figure No. 2B - Paragraph No. [0128]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. The same conventions apply to Column and Sentence, for example (19:14-20) = (column19:sentences 14-20). These conventions are used throughout this document.
Claims 1-7, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pu et al. (US 20250126990 A1 – hereinafter Pu) in view of Kim et al. (US 20160020422 A1 – hereinafter Kim).
Regarding independent claim 1, Pu teaches:
(Currently Amended) A display panel ([Title] – “Display Substrate And
Preparation Method Thereof, And Display Device”), comprising:
a substrate (10 – Fig. 6 – [0078] – “substrate 10”), wherein the substrate (10)
comprises a display area (100 – Fig. 6 – [0074] – “display area 100”) and a pad
area (200 – Fig. 6 – [0074] – “bonding area 200” – this corresponds to the pad area);
a thin-film transistor (TFT) structure (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – [0079] – “The transistor may include a gate electrode G, a first electrode S and a second electrode D” – hereinafter ‘TFT’) disposed on the substrate (10), wherein the TFT structure (TFT) is located in the display area (100);
a bonding line (201 – Fig. 6 – [0140] – “first bonding electrode 201”) disposed on the substrate (10), wherein the bonding line (201) is located in the pad area (200);
a bonding pad (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – [0074] – hereinafter ‘112’) disposed on a side of the bonding line (201) away from the substrate (10), wherein the bonding pad (112) comprises a thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen, and a material of the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen comprises metal oxide, and the film for blocking moisture and oxygen is configured to block moisture and oxygen from corroding the bonding line; and
a luminescent functional layer (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – hereinafter ‘EL’) disposed on a side of the TFT structure (TFT) away from the substrate (10).
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Pu does not expressly disclose the other limitations of claim 1.
However, in an analogous art, Kim teaches
a thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180 – Fig. 2 – [0087] – “by blocking a contact of the pad electrode structure 150, particularly, the second conductive layer 154 of the second pad electrode 152 formed of the same material as the anode 137 with air or moisture (water), corrosion of the second pad electrode 152 can be reduced. In order to reduce corrosion of the second pad electrode 152, the protection conductive layer 180 may be formed”), and a material of the thin film (180) for blocking moisture and oxygen comprises metal oxide (180 – [0087] – “protection conductive layer 180 may be formed of any one of material, such as transparent conductive oxide, molybdenum (Mo), and a molybdenum alloy (Mo alloy), which is not likely to be corroded even when in contact with air or water”), and the film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180) is configured to block moisture and oxygen from corroding the bonding line (150 – Fig. 2 – [0070] – “pad electrode structure 150” – this corresponds to the bonding line).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen structure as taught by Kim into Pu.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the known technique of Kim in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable result of [0014] – “an organic light emitting display device and a method of manufacturing the organic light emitting display device including a new pad electrode structure for suppressing damage which may occur in a pad electrode structure of a top-emission organic light emitting display device” wherein the damage can be caused by the intrusion of water and oxygen.
To do so would have merely been to apply a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results, KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007), MPEP 2143 I. D.
Regarding claim 2, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 1 from which claim 2 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 1, wherein the luminescent
functional layer (EL) comprises an anode layer (Fig. 6 annotated, see above – hereinafter ‘111’), the anode layer (111) is connected to the TFT structure (TFT), and the anode layer (111) and the bonding pad (112) have same material ({[0165] – “the material of the first anode layer 31-1 may be metal titanium (Ti), and the material of the second anode layer 31-2 may be metal aluminum (Al)”}, {(202 – [0145] – “(the second bonding electrode) may include a titanium nitride (TiN) layer, an aluminum-copper (AlCu) layer and a titanium nitride layer”}, {[0149] – “second bonding pad layer 220 may be a metal material of high conductivity, such as copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al)”} – 112 contains 202 and 220 that contain the same material, (Al) and (Ti)).
Regarding claim 3, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 2 from which claim 3 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 2, wherein the bonding pad
(112) comprises first a bonding part (202 – Fig. 6 – [0104] – “bonding electrode 202”), a second bonding part (220 – Fig. 6 – [0105] – “second bonding pad layer 220”), and a third bonding part (210 – fig. 6 – [0106] – “bonding pad layer 210”), the first bonding part (202) is disposed on a side of the bonding line (201) close to the TFT structure (TFT), the second bonding part (220) is disposed on a side of the first bonding part (202) away from the bonding line (201), the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen is disposed on a side of the second bonding (220) part away from the first bonding part (202), the third bonding part (210) is disposed on a side of the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen away from the second bonding part (220), and the anode layer (111) comprises a first anode sub-layer (31-1 – Fig. 15 – [0169] – “first anode layer 31-1”), a second anode sub-layer (31-2 – Fig. 15 – [0169] – “second anode layer 31-2”), a thin film for insulating moisture and oxygen (31-3 – Fig. 15 – {[0166] – “third anode thin film”}, {[0169] – “third anode layer 31-3”}), and a third anode sub-layer (31-4 – Fig. 15 – [0169] – “fourth anode layer 31-4”) sequentially disposed on the TFT structure (TFT).
Pu does not expressly disclose the other limitations of claim 1.
However, in analogous art, Kim teaches
thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen structure as taught by Kim into Pu.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the known technique of Kim in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable result of stated above in claim 1.
Regarding claim 4, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 3 from which claim 4 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 3, wherein an orthographic
projection of first anode sub-layer (31-1) on the substrate (10) covers an orthographic projection of the second anode sub-layer (31-2) on the substrate (10 – Fig. 15 shows this).
Regarding claim 5, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 3 from which claim 5 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 3, wherein the first bonding part
(202) and the first anode sub-layer (31-1 – [0165] – “first anode layer 31-1 may be metal titanium (Ti)”) comprise same material, and the material of the first bonding part (201 – {[0141] – “first bonding electrode 201 may be located in the second conductive layer, the third conductive layer, the fourth conductive layer, the fifth conductive layer or the sixth conductive layer”}, {[0143] – “The first to sixth metal layers may be made of a metal material, such as silver (Ag), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), molybdenum (Mo), or the like”} – 201 is an electrode and therefore a metal layer) comprises one of indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, Mo, Ni, Nb, or Ti.
Regarding claim 6, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 3 from which claim 6 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 3, wherein the second bonding
part (220) and the second anode sub-layer (31-2 – [0165] – “second anode layer 31-2 may be metal aluminum (Al)”) comprise same material, and the material of the second bonding part (220 – [0149] – “second bonding pad layer 220 may be a metal material of high conductivity, such as copper (Cu) or aluminum (Al)”) comprises a mixture of Al, Ni, Cu, and LA, or comprises an Al alloy.
Regarding claim 7, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 3 from which claim 7 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 3, wherein the third anode sub-
layer (31-4 – {[0175] – “the first bonding pad layer 210 of the bonding area 200 and the fourth anode layer 31-4 of the display area 100 are disposed in a same layer and formed synchronously by a same patterning process”}, {[0070] – ““disposed in a same layer” refers to structures formed by patterning two (or more than two) structures through a same patterning process, and their materials may be the same or different”}) and the
third bonding part (210) comprise same material, and the material of the third bonding part (210 – [0173] – “the fourth anode thin film may be indium tin oxide (ITO)”) comprises indium tin oxide.
Regarding independent claim 11, Pu teaches
(Currently Amended) A method of manufacturing a display panel
([Title] – “Display Substrate And Preparation Method Thereof, And Display Device”),
comprising a plurality of following steps:
providing a substrate (10), wherein the substrate (10) comprises a display area (100 – Fig. 6 – [0074] – “display area 100”) and a pad area (200 – Fig. 6 – [0074] – “bonding area 200” – this corresponds to the pad area);
forming a thin-film transistor (TFT) structure (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – [0079] – “The transistor may include a gate electrode G, a first electrode S and a second electrode D” – hereinafter ‘TFT’) and bonding line (201 – Fig. 6 – [0140] – “first bonding electrode 201”) on the substrate (10), wherein the TFT structure (TFT) is located in the display panel (100), and the bonding line (201) is located in the pad area (200); and
forming a bonding pad (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – [0074] – hereinafter ‘112’) and a luminescent functional layer (Fig. 6 annotated, see below – hereinafter ‘EL’) on the substrate (10), wherein the bonding pad (112) is disposed on the bonding line (201), the bonding pad (112) comprises a thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen, a material of the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen comprises metal oxide, the film for blocking moisture and oxygen is configured to block moisture and oxygen from corroding the bonding line, and the luminescent functional layer (EL) is disposed on the TFT structure (TFT).
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Pu does not expressly disclose the other limitations of claim 1.
However, in an analogous art, Kim teaches
a thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180 – Fig. – [0087] – “by blocking a contact of the pad electrode structure 150, particularly, the second conductive layer 154 of the second pad electrode 152 formed of the same material as the anode 137 with air or moisture (water), corrosion of the second pad electrode 152 can be reduced. In order to reduce corrosion of the second pad electrode 152, the protection conductive layer 180 may be formed”), a material of the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180) comprises metal oxide ([0087] – “protection conductive layer 180 may be formed of any one of material, such as transparent conductive oxide, molybdenum (Mo), and a molybdenum alloy (Mo alloy), which is not likely to be corroded even when in contact with air or water”), the film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180) is configured to block moisture and oxygen (180 – Fig. – [0087] – “by blocking a contact of the pad electrode structure 150, particularly, the second conductive layer 154 of the second pad electrode 152 formed of the same material as the anode 137 with air or moisture (water), corrosion of the second pad electrode 152 can be reduced. In order to reduce corrosion of the second pad electrode 152, the protection conductive layer 180 may be formed”) from corroding the bonding line (150 – Fig. 2 – [0070] – “pad electrode structure 150” – this corresponds to the bonding line).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen structure as taught by Kim into Pu.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the known technique of Kim in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable result of as stated above in claim 1.
Regarding claim 12, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 11 from which claim 12 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The method of claim 11, wherein the luminescent functional layer
(EL) comprises an anode layer (Fig. 6 annotated, see above – hereinafter ‘111’), and the step of forming the bonding pad (112) and the luminescent functional layer (EL) comprises a following step:
forming the anode layer (111) and the bonding pad (112) on the substrate (10) by a single mask process ([0193 and 0194] – [0193] – “forming the pattern of the pixel definition layer may include: coating a pixel definition thin film on the base substrate on which the above structures are formed, and forming a pattern of a pixel definition layer (PDL) 32 by masking, exposure and development process. The pixel definition layer 32 is formed in the display area 100, and the pixel definition layer 32 of each sub-pixel is provided with a pixel opening that exposes the anode 31 of each sub-pixel, as shown in FIG. 17, [0194] – “After this patterning process, the film layer structure of the bonding area 200 do not change” – hereinafter ‘SMP’), wherein the anode layer (111) is connected to the TFT structure (TFT), the bonding pad (112) is disposed on a side of the bonding line (201) away from the substrate (10), the bonding pad (112) comprises a first bonding part (202 – Fig. 6 – [0104] – “bonding electrode 202”), a second bonding part (220 – Fig. 6 – [0105] – “second bonding pad layer 220”), and the third bonding part (210 – fig. 6 – [0106] – “bonding pad layer 210”), the anode layer (111) comprises a first anode sub-layer (31-1 – [0165] – “first anode layer 31-1 may be metal titanium (Ti)”), a second anode sub-layer (31-2 – Fig. 15 – [0169] – “second anode layer 31-2”), a thin film for insulating moisture and oxygen (31-3 – Fig. 15 – {[0166] – “third anode thin film”}, {[0169] – “third anode layer 31-3”}), and a third anode sub-layer (31-4 – Fig. 15 – [0169] – “fourth anode layer 31-4”) sequentially disposed on the TFT structure (TFT).
Claims 8, 9, 10, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
over Pu in view of Kim, and Jo et al. (US 20190348485 A1 – hereinafter Jo).
Regarding claim 8, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 3 from which claim 8 depends. Pu and Kim do not expressly disclose the limitations of claim 8.
However, in analogous art, Jo teaches
(Previously Presented) The display panel of claim 3, wherein a material of
the thin film for insulating moisture and oxygen comprise metal oxide ({0103] – “In the pad area PA, the third insulating layer 163 may include a plurality of contact holes” – this describes 163a, {[0105] – “The third insulating layer 163 may include an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, tantalum oxide, or zinc oxide, or include an organic insulating material such as polyacrylates resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamides resin, polyimides resin, unsaturated polyesters resin, polyphenylenethers resin, polyphenylenesulfides resin, or benzocyclobutene (BCB) Although the third insulating layer 163 is illustrated as a single layer in the drawing, it may also be a multilayer”}).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate the ITO moisture and blocking structure of Jo into Pu and Kim.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the know technique of Jo in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable results of insulating against moisture and oxygen intrusion to prevent corrosion and degradation of the device.
The third insulating layer 163a may contain vias in it but as applicant states in remarks of 08/01/2025, page 9, paragraph 1 – “Applicant thinks that the third insulating layer 163 may include a plurality of contact holes partially exposing the first pad electrode 120b, and the third insulating layer does not play a role of blocking moisture and oxygen, but plays a role of insulating.” The examiner agrees with this as a blocking film completely stops intrusion where an insulating film only partially stops intrusion.
To do so would have merely been to apply a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results, KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007), MPEP 2143 I. D.
Regarding claim 9, Pu, as modified by Kim, teaches claim 2 from which claim 9 depends. Pu and Kim do not expressly disclose the limitations of claim 9.
However, in analogous art, Jo teaches
(Original) The display panel of claim 2, wherein the display panel
comprises a passivation layer (163 – Fig. 5 – [0103] – “insulating layer 163” – this corresponds to the passivation layer), a planarization layer (172 – [0116] – “second via layer 172” – this corresponds to the planarization layer), a first opening (Fig. 5 annotated, see below, this corresponds to h1, hereinafter ‘h1’), and a second opening (Fig. 5 annotated, see below – [0117] – “a contact hole passing through the second via layer 172” – hereinafter ‘h2’), the passivation layer (163) is disposed on the substrate (101 – Fig. 5 – [0086] – “base substrate 101”), the planarization layer (172) is disposed on a side of the passivation layer (163) away from the substrate (101), the first opening (h1) penetrates the passivation layer (163) and exposes at least part of a surface of the bonding line away (120b – Fig. 5 – [0100] – “first pad electrode 120b” – this corresponds to the bonding line) from the substrate (101), the bonding pad (PE) is connected to the bonding line (120b) by the first opening (h1), the second opening (h2) penetrates the planarization layer (172) and the passivation layer (163) and exposes part of a surface of the TFT structure (TFT – Fig. 5 annotated, see below – [0090] – “thin-film transistor TFT”), and the anode layer (Fig. 5 annotated, see below – [0117] – “the anode 150 may have a multilayer structure of ITO/Mg, ITO/MgF, ITO/Ag, or ITO/Ag/ITO”) is connected to the TFT structure (TFT) by the second opening (h2).
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate the ITO moisture and blocking structure of Jo into Pu and Kim.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the know technique of Jo in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable results of [0003] – “A display device is a device that is configured to visually display data. Such a display device includes a substrate divided into a display area DA and a non-display area NDA. Pixels are on the substrate in the display area DA, and pads or the like are on the substrate in the non-display area NDA. A driving circuit is mounted on the pads to transmit driving signals to the pixels.”
Regarding claim 10, Pu, as modified by Kim, and Jo, teaches claim 9 from which claim 10 depends. Pu further teaches
(Previously Presented) The display panel of claim 9, wherein the TFT
structure (Fig. 4 – [0079] – “The transistor may include a gate electrode G, a first electrode S and a second electrode D” – hereinafter ‘TFT’) comprises an active layer ([0124] – “The pattern of the active layer may at least include a first active layer of a first transistor” – hereinafter ‘AL’), a gate (G), a source (S), and a drain (D), and the bonding line (201 – Fig. 6 – [0140] – “first bonding electrode 201”), the source (S), and the drain (D) are disposed on a same layer (Fig. 6 shows this).
Regarding claim 13, Pu, as modified by Kim, and Jo, teaches claim 12 from which claim 13 depends. Pu further teaches
(Original) The method of claim 12, wherein the step of forming the
anode layer (111) and the bonding pad (112) on the substrate (10) by the single mask process (SMP) comprises a plurality of following steps:
sequentially forming a first conductive metal layer and a second conductive metal
layer on the substrate;
oxidizing a surface of the second conductive metal layer away from the first
conductive metal layer to form a blocking layer;
forming a third conductive metal layer on the blocking layer; and
processing the first conductive metal layer, the second conductive metal layer, the blocking layer, and the third conductive blocking layer (32 - Fig. 17 - [0101] - "pixel definition layer 32") by a single mask process (SMP) to form the first anode
sub-layer (31-1), the second anode sub-layer (31-2), the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen, and the third anode sub-layer (31-4) sequentially stacked on the thin-film structure (TFT) and the first bonding part (202), the second bonding part (220), the thin-film for insulating moisture and oxygen (230), and the third bonding part (210) sequentially stacked on the bonding line (201).
Pu does not expressly disclose the other limitations of claim 13.
However, in analogous art, Kim teaches
the thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen (180).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate thin film for blocking moisture and oxygen structure as taught by Kim into Pu.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the known technique of Kim in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable result of as stated above in claim 1.
Pu and Kim do not expressly disclose the other limitations of claim 13.
However, in analogous art, Jo teaches
sequentially forming a first conductive metal layer ([0086] - "a base
substrate 101 and a plurality of conductive layers, a plurality of insulating layers and an
organic light emitting layer on the base substrate 101" - describes these step) and a
second conductive metal layer (105 - [0091] - "semiconductor layer 105 may include
source/drain regions and an active region") on the substrate (101);
oxidizing a surface of the second conductive metal layer ([0091] - "The
semiconductor layer 105 may include polycrystalline silicon. The polycrystalline silicon
may be formed by crystallizing amorphous silicon. Examples of the crystallization
method include rapid thermal annealing (RTA), solid phase crystallization (SPC),
excimer laser annealing (ELA), metal induced crystallization (MIC), metal induced
lateral crystallization (MILC), and sequential lateral solidification (SLS). Portions
(source/drain regions) of the semiconductor layer 105 which are coupled to (e.g.,
connected to) source and drain electrodes 130a and 130b of the thin-film transistor TFT
may be doped with impurity ions (p-type impurity ions in the case of a PMOS transistor).
A trivalent dopant such as boron b may be used as the p-type impurity ions. In an
embodiment, the semiconductor layer 105 may include monocrystalline silicon, low temperature polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, or an oxide semiconductor.
Examples of the oxide semiconductor may include a binary compound (ABx), a ternary
compound (ABxCy) and a quaternary compound (ABxCyDz) containing indium, zinc,
gallium, tin, titanium, aluminum, hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), magnesium (Mg), etc. In
an embodiment, the semiconductor layer 105 may include ITZO (an oxide including
indium, tin and titanium) or IGZO (an oxide including indium, gallium and tin)") away
from the first conductive metal layer to form a blocking layer;
forming a third conductive metal layer on the blocking layer; and
processing the first conductive metal layer, the second conductive metal
layer (20 - Fig. 17 - [0078] - "drive structure layer 20" - this contains the conductive
metal layers).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before
the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to integrate the metal and oxidizing
structure as taught by Jo into Pu and Kim.
An ordinary artisan would have been motivated to use the known technique of Jo
in the manner set forth above to produce the predictable result of manufacturing [0089]
- "prevent or reduce the penetration of moisture or outside air".
To do so would have merely been to apply a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield predictable results, KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007), MPEP 2143 I. D.
Pertinent Art
For the benefits of the Applicant, US 20180190742 A1 is cited on the record as being pertinent to significant disclosure through some but not all claimed features of the defined invention. These references fail to disclose the combination of limitations including "a pad area".
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
examiner should be directed to GARY ABEL whose telephone number is (571) 272-0246. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Eastern).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHAD M DICKE can be reached on (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRA/
Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897