DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicants’ election of Invention Group III, claims 15-19, in the reply filed on 01/16/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Applicants cancelled claims 1-14. As a result, no claims are currently withdrawn.
Claim interpretations
The “the adjusted tension is a tension at which a simple amplitude converted value ΔC calculated based on y components y0 to yn of coordinates of the reference points in a y direction orthogonal to the x direction can be made less than or equal to a first threshold value,
the first threshold is 1.11 μm,
the simple amplitude converted value ΔC is a difference between maximum and minimum values of simple amplitude converted components y″0 to y″n,
the simple amplitude converted components y″0 to y″n are calculated by multiplying an average amplitude magnification Mag.Y by y components y′0 to y′n of a cosine function that simulates a cosine wave,
the average amplitude magnification Mag.Y is an average of amplitude magnifications Y0 to Yn calculated by multiplying the y components y0 to yn by the y components y′0 to y′n,
when under the adjusted tension, the mask has amplitude ΔS that is greater than or equal to a third threshold and less than or equal to a fourth threshold,
the amplitude ΔS is a difference between maximum and minimum values of y components y0 to yn of coordinates of the reference points of the mask under the adjusted tension,
the third threshold is 1.8×ΔC+0.40 μm, and
the fourth threshold is 1.8×ΔC+2.00 μ” of claim 15 is a description of the inspection method. This is a product by process claim (see MPEP 2113). A mask that satisfying this relationship, although made or inspected by any other method, is considered read into the claim.
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 15-19 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.
Claim 15 recites “n+1 (where n is a positive integer) arranged in the x direction”, it is not clear what is arranged in the x direction.
Claim 15 also recites “the adjusted tension is a tension at which a simple amplitude converted value ΔC calculated based on y components y0 to yn of coordinates of the reference points in a y direction orthogonal to the x direction can be made less than or equal to a first threshold value” of claim 15, there are many problems in this portion of claim.
1) The “the reference points” lack antecedent basis.
It appear the earlier portion should be “n+1 reference points (where n is a positive integer) arranged in the x direction”.
2) The “the adjusted tension” lacks antecedent basis.
3) It is not clear what is “y components y0 to yn“, there is no definition of y0 corresponds to which reference point. Furthermore, it is not clear what is coordinates in a y direction is measured based on what reference line (line for y=0). Still furthermore, it is not clear what is the relationship between ΔC and y0 to yn. Still furthermore, it is not clear what is the relationship between the adjusted tension and ΔC.
4) furthermore, ‘ y″0 to y″n ’ “Mag.Y” and “y′0 to y′n of a cosine function” are similarly unclear.
Claim 15 will be examined inclusive BRI.
The “the mask corrected” of claims 16 and 19, it is not clear what the correction is applied.
Claims 16 and 19 will be examined inclusive any correction, including change tension, annealing, etc..
The “the third straight line is an imaginary line connecting a thirty-first cross point with a forty-first cross point” of claim 18, it is not clear what it means by “cross point”. Furthermore, as no other cross-points are mentioned in the claim, the thirty-first and the forty-first are considered any two points in a line.
Claim 18 will be examined inclusive any “point” without “cross”.
Dependent claims 16-19 are also rejected under USC 112(b) at least due to dependency to rejected claim 15.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over IKENAGA (US 20190323117, hereafter ‘117).
‘117 teaches the limitations of:
Claim 15: As shown in FIG. 1, the deposition mask 20 has a plurality of effective areas 22 that is arranged along its longitudinal direction, peripheral areas 23 surrounding the effective areas 22, and a pair of ear areas 24 that are positioned on end portions of the longitudinal direction of the deposition mask 20, with the effective areas 22 and the peripheral areas 23 being sandwiched therebetween ([0064], includes the claimed “A mask comprising: a first end portion and a second end portion that are opposite to each other in an x direction; an intermediate portion including one or more cells that are located between the first end portion and the second end portion”), A plurality of through holes 25 are formed in the effective area 22 in a desired pattern ([0065], including the claimed “and each of which includes a plurality of through holes”);
The metal plate 64 is manufactured by rolling a metal material. In an annealing step succeeding to the rolling step, the metal plate 64 is held at a predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, so that a stress remaining in the metal plate 64 is reduced. In this embodiment, in the annealing step, by adjusting the holding temperature and/or the holding time of the metal plate 64, a stress remaining in the metal plate 64 is allowed to remain therein at a desired amount. (Fig. 16, [0124], 4th last sentence, same as rolling process of instant application),
by evaluating the width along the width direction dW of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL, a warp degree of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL can be evaluated therefrom. Namely, when the width along the width direction dW of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL is evaluated to be small, the warp of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL can be evaluated to be large (a curvature factor of the curve is large, a radius of curvature of the curve is small). On the other hand, when the width along the width direction dW of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL is evaluated to be large, the warp of the deposition mask 20 in the central portion of the longitudinal direction dL can be evaluated to be small (a curvature factor of the curve is small, a radius of curvature of the curve is large) (Fig. 5, [0083], in other words, the warping is different dimension are correlated),
FIGS. 26 and 27 are tables showing, out of the manufactured deposition masks, as to deposition masks warped to be convex on the first surface in a cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction in the center portion of the longitudinal direction, an annealing condition in these examples (annealing temperature and annealing time), a value (D2−D1) of the deposition mask manufactured through the annealing of each annealing condition, and deposition quality using each deposition mask ([0157], note D1 is described [0106] and Fig. 11 and D2 is described in [0107] and Fig. 12, in short, Figs. 26-27 shows a variation of warping degree, some acceptable, some not acceptable, and some borderline, depending on annealing temperature and time. As the warping is correlated in various directions, the warping in the planar direction, as demonstrated in Fig. 5, is also having variation of warping degree. Therefore, some masks borderline warping would have fit the claimed “and
n+1 (where n is a positive integer) arranged in the x direction,
wherein
the mask has an adjusted tension,
the adjusted tension is a tension at which a simple amplitude converted value ΔC calculated based on y components y0 to yn of coordinates of the reference points in a y direction orthogonal to the x direction can be made less than or equal to a first threshold value,
the first threshold is 1.11 μm,
the simple amplitude converted value ΔC is a difference between maximum and minimum values of simple amplitude converted components y″0 to y″n,
the simple amplitude converted components y″0 to y″n are calculated by multiplying an average amplitude magnification Mag.Y by y components y′0 to y′n of a cosine function that simulates a cosine wave,
the average amplitude magnification Mag.Y is an average of amplitude magnifications Y0 to Yn calculated by multiplying the y components y0 to yn by the y components y′0 to y′n,
when under the adjusted tension, the mask has amplitude ΔS that is greater than or equal to a third threshold and less than or equal to a fourth threshold,
the amplitude ΔS is a difference between maximum and minimum values of y components y0 to yn of coordinates of the reference points of the mask under the adjusted tension,
the third threshold is 1.8×ΔC+0.40 μm, and
the fourth threshold is 1.8×ΔC+2.00 μm”, alternatively, it is obvious some of the mask fit such equation by using adjusted tension).
Claim 16 ”wherein the y components y0 to yn are calculated by measuring coordinates of the reference points with the mask corrected so that the first end portion and the second end portion become parallel to each other” is a definition and a process step during inspection, not part of the apparatus.
Claim 17: as the borderline mask have certain degree of warping, some would have the property of “wherein the simple amplitude converted value ΔC is greater than or equal to 0.20 μm”.
Claim 18: “further comprising:
a first end and a second end that are ends of the mask in the x direction; and
a third end and a fourth end that are ends of the mask in the y direction,
wherein
each of the one or more cells includes a cell third contour extending along the third end, a cell fourth end extending along the fourth end, a cell first contour extending from a cell first end of the cell third contour to a cell first end of the cell fourth contour, and a cell second contour extending from a cell second end of the cell third contour to a cell second end of the cell fourth end” is a definition,
when mask 20 is warped like Fig. 5, the holes 25 will likewise bend accordingly, an inward bending distortion of the effective area would have had similar shape as shown in Fig. 13B of instant application, the claimed “the cell third contours of the one or more cells include at least one inner portion and at least one outer portion with the mask corrected so that the first end portion and the second end portion become parallel to each other,
the inner portion is located further inward than a third straight line,
the outer portion is located further outward than the third straight line,
the third straight line is an imaginary line connecting a thirty-first cross point with a forty-first cross point,
the thirty-first cross point is a point of intersection of the cell first contour and the cell third contour of one of the cells that is closest to the first end portion, and
the forty-first cross point is a point of intersection of the cell second contour and the cell third contour of one of the cells that is closest to the second end portion”.
Claim 19: “further comprising:
a first end and a second end that are ends of the mask in the x direction; and
a third end and a fourth end that are ends of the mask in the y direction,
wherein
each of the one or more cells includes a cell third contour extending along the third end, a cell fourth end extending along the fourth end, a cell first contour extending from a cell first end of the cell third contour to a cell first end of the cell fourth contour, and a cell second contour extending from a cell second end of the cell third contour to a cell second end of the cell fourth end” is a definition,
As there are various annealing conditions can be applied to the mask, when mask 20 is warped like Fig. 5, the holes 25 will likewise bend accordingly, an inward bending distortion of the effective area would have had similar shape as shown in Fig. 13B of instant application, the claimed “the cell third contours of the one or more cells include at least one inner portion and at least one outer portion with no tension being applied to the mask,
the inner portion is located further inward than a third straight line,
the outer portion is located further outward than the third straight line,
the third straight line is an imaginary line connecting a thirty-first cross point with a forty-first cross point,
the thirty-first cross point is a point of intersection of the cell first contour and the cell third contour of one of the cells that is closest to the first end portion, and
the forty-first cross point is a point of intersection of the cell second contour and the cell third contour of one of the cells that is closest to the second end portion”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20220320438 is cited for an mask inspection method, “C shape” distortion with different degree of offsets (Figs. 1A-1C) and higher order distortion (Fig. 1D). US 20190140178 is cited for distortion with or without stretching and dimensions measurement (Figs. 23-29. Note some of the NG in Fig. 29 has the property of instant application). CN 104762590 is cited for “since a single unitary structure mask plate stress is not evenly so that each evaporation unit has a single mask plate is deformed in different degrees” (P2, 1st complete paragraph). JP 2014148743 is cited for metal plate after rolling having different degree of bending, depending on the cut from the metal sheet (Figs. 7-9). JP 2016053192 is cited for effective area 22 bend along with the mask 20 (Fig. 11). US 20150328662 is cited for mask production method including deviation amount (Fig. 9B).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEATH T CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1870. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00 pm.
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/KEATH T CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716