DETAILED ACTION
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention I and Species A, with claims 1-8 in the reply filed on 1/06/2023 is acknowledged. Claims 9-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b).
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Choung et al. (US 2022/0077252 A1; hereinafter “Choung”).
In regard to claim 1, Choung teaches a display device (device includes a plurality of sub-pixels) (paragraph 5) comprising:
a substrate (a substrate 102) (Fig. 1B and paragraph 27);
a pixel electrode (metal layers 104) disposed on the substrate (Fig. 1B and paragraph 27);
a partition layer, disposed on the substrate and defining an opening exposing at least a part of the pixel electrode (a PDL structure 126 and inorganic overhang structures 110 and defines an opening that exposes metal layers 104) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and paragraphs 28 and 30);
a light-emitting layer (an OLED material 112) disposed on the pixel electrode within the opening of the partition layer (the OLED material 112 is shown on the exposed portion of the metal layer 104 in Fig. 1) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 29);
a common electrode (a cathode 114) disposed on the light-emitting layer within the opening of the partition layer (the cathode 114 is shown on top of the OLED material 112 in Fig. 2);
a capping layer (an encapsulation layer 116) disposed on the common electrode and the partition layer, and surrounding a side surface of the opening of the partition layer (the encapsulation layer 116 on the cathode 114 and PDL structure 126 in Fig. 2) (Fig 2 and paragraph 34); and
a color conversion pattern (a plug 122) disposed on the capping layer within the opening of the partition layer (a plug 122 may be a color filter and is disposed on the encapsulation layer 116) (Fig. 1B and paragraph 37).
In regard to claim 2, Choung teaches wherein the common electrode contacts the partition layer (the cathode 114 is shown contacting the PDL structures 126 in Fig. 2).
In regard to claim 3, Choung teaches wherein the partition layer includes:
an inorganic layer disposed on the substrate (the PDL structures 126 includes an inorganic material) Fig. 1B and paragraph 28); a first metal layer (a lower portion 110A) disposed on the inorganic layer (the lower portion 110A is formed of metal-containing material) (Fig. 1B and paragraphs 30-31); and a second metal layer (an upper portion 110B) disposed on the first metal layer (the upper portion 110B is formed of metal-containing material) (Fig. 1B and paragraphs 30-31).
In regard to claim 4, Choung teaches wherein a side surface of the second metal layer adjacent to the opening protrudes compared to a side surface of the first metal layer adjacent to the opening (the upper portion 110B is shown to be protruding compared to the lower portion 110A in Fig. 2).
In regard to claim 6, Choung teaches wherein the light-emitting layer includes a first light-emitting layer disposed on the pixel electrode within the opening (the OLED material 112 disposed over the metal layer 104 is shown in Fig. 1B), and a second light- emitting layer disposed on the partition layer and overlapping with the partition layer (as shown in Fig. 4D during manufacture, the OLED material 112 is disposed on the upper portion 110B and overlaps the OLED material 112 over the metal layer 104) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 4D and paragraph 48), in which the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer are spaced apart from each other (the two portions of the OLED material 112 are shown spaced apart in Fig 1B).
In regard to claim 7, Choung teaches wherein the capping layer extends from a first surface of the common electrode (a top surface of the cathode 114) to a first surface of the partition layer along the side surface of the opening of the partition layer (the encapsulation layer 116 is shown extending from the top surface of the cathode 114 to the upper side surface of the inorganic overhang structures 110) (Fig. 1B),
the first surface of the common electrode is opposite to a second surface of the common electrode facing the substrate (the top surface of the cathode 114 is opposite to the bottom surface of the cathode 114 as shown in Fig. 1B), and
the first surface of the partition layer is opposite to a second surface of the partition layer facing the substrate (the upper side surface of the inorganic overhang structures 110 is opposite to the bottom surface of the inorganic overhang structures 110 as shown in Fig. 1B).
In regard to claim 8, Choung teaches wherein the capping layer includes an inorganic material (the encapsulation layer 116 includes the non-conductive inorganic material).
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Choung et al. (US 2022/0077252 A1; hereinafter “Choung”). The rejection of claim 1 below has different elements mapped as the a partition layer than the rejection claim 1 above.
In regard to claim 1, Choung teaches a display device (device includes a plurality of sub-pixels) (paragraph 5) comprising:
a substrate (a substrate 102) (Fig. 1B and paragraph 27);
a pixel electrode (metal layers 104) disposed on the substrate (Fig. 1B and paragraph 27);
a partition layer, disposed on the substrate and defining an opening exposing at least a part of the pixel electrode (a PDL structure 126 that include organic material with an inorganic coating disposed thereover functions as the partition layer, while defining a respective sub-pixel and exposes the metal layer 104) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 2 and paragraphs 28 and 30);
a light-emitting layer (an OLED material 112) disposed on the pixel electrode within the opening of the partition layer (the an OLED material 112 is shown on the exposed portion of the metal layer 104 in Fig. 1) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 29);
a common electrode (a cathode 114) disposed on the light-emitting layer within the opening of the partition layer (the cathode 114 is shown on top of the OLED material 112 in Fig. 2);
a capping layer (an encapsulation layer 116) disposed on the common electrode and the partition layer, and surrounding a side surface of the opening of the partition layer (the encapsulation layer 116 on the cathode 114 and PDL structure 126 in Fig. 2) (Fig 2 and paragraph 34); and
a color conversion pattern (a plug 122) disposed on the capping layer within the opening of the partition layer (a plug 122 may be a color filter and is disposed on the encapsulation layer 116) (Fig. 1B and paragraph 37).
In regard to claim 5, Choung teaches a pixel defining layer (inorganic overhang structures 110 ) disposed on the partition layer and overlapping with the partition layer (the inorganic overhang structures 110 is shown overlapping the PDL structure 126 as shown in Fig. 1B) (Fig. 1B and paragraph 30).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL whose telephone number is (571)270-0078. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sue Purvis can be reached at (571) 272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893