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
Receipt is acknowledged of a request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) and a submission, filed on 01/30/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. 01/30/2026.
Park discloses an organic material layer TFE (par [0211] … thin-film encapsulation layer TFE may be a single layer including any one of a first inorganic layer, an organic layer and a second inorganic layer or may be a multilayer in which two or more of the above layers may be stacked) covering an upper surface and two side surfaces of the insulating material member set.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. 20200388666.
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Regarding claim 1, figs. 3 and 22-23 of Park disclose a display apparatus comprising:
a substrate 110 comprising a first island IS1_4, a connection unit 190, a second island IS2_1 spaced from the first island and connected through the connection unit to the first island, and an opening OA positioned between the connection unit and the first island;
a first display unit PXL overlapping the first islands;
a second display unit PXL overlapping the second island;
a conductive wire BL1 overlapping the connection unit 190; and
and an insulating material member set (as labeled by examiner above – the left and the right edge portion forms an insulating material member set) overlapping an edge region of the connection unit 190, and spaced from the conductive wire in a plan view of the display apparatus (it is necessary the case),
and an organic material layer TFE (par [0211] … thin-film encapsulation layer TFE may be a single layer including any one of a first inorganic layer, an organic layer and a second inorganic layer or may be a multilayer in which two or more of the above layers may be stacked) covering an upper surface and two side surfaces of the insulating material member set
wherein the insulating material member set is positioned between the conductive wire and the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.
Regarding claim 2, fig. 22 of Park disclose wherein the insulating material member set includes an inorganic insulating material (TFE).
Regarding claim 3, fig. 22 of Park discloses further comprising an organic material layer (portion of 200 in between) disposed between the insulating material member set and the conductive wire.
Regarding claim 4, fig. 9 of Park discloses further comprising a buffer layer 120, a gate insulating layer 140, a first interlayer insulating layer 160, and a second interlayer insulating layer 180 each including an inorganic insulating material and disposed on the first island, wherein a material of the insulating material member set (portion of 160) is identical to a material of at least one of the buffer layer, the gate insulating layer, the first interlayer insulating layer (160), and the second interlayer insulating layer.
Regarding claim 5, figs. 3 and 22-23 of Park discloses wherein a first side of the connection unit is longer (side along line II—II) than a second side of the connection unit (side along I—I), and wherein the insulating material member set overlaps a geometric center line (I---I’ line in fig. 3) of the connection unit that cross the first side of the connection unit in the plan view of the display apparatus.
Regarding claim 9, fig. 7 of Park discloses further comprising an encapsulation layer TFE covering the first display unit, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an organic encapsulation layer, a first inorganic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer (par [0211]), wherein the organic encapsulation layer is positioned between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer and is spaced from the connection unit by at least one of the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer, and wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contact each other outside the organic encapsulation layer (this is necessary the case – par [0211] - one of a first inorganic layer, an organic layer and a second inorganic layer).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Shin et al. 20200328269.
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses claim 9, but does not disclose of wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contact each other on the connection unit.
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However, Shin discloses a similar invention comprising an encapsulation layer 300 covering the a display unit, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an organic encapsulation layer, a first inorganic encapsulation layer, and a second inorganic encapsulation layer, wherein the organic encapsulation layer is positioned between the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer and is spaced from the connection unit by at least one of the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer, and wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contact each other outside the organic encapsulation layer, wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contact each other on the connection unit in order to from a recess R may be introduced to prevent or substantially prevent a material for forming a unit organic encapsulation layer 320u of the encapsulation layer 300, which will be described later, from running down the penetration portion V.
In view of such teaching, it would have been obvious to form a device of Park further wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer and the second inorganic encapsulation layer directly contact each other on the connection unit in order to prevent or substantially prevent a material for forming a unit organic encapsulation layer of the encapsulation layer from running down the penetration portion.
Conclusion
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/VONGSAVANH SENGDARA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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