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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/17/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the first action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, and 9-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh et al, US 20170125719 A1 and further in view of MASUI; Kensuke, US 20100301315 A1.
Noh teaches:
a pixel electrode (p) above a substrate (105);
an insulating layer (120) covering an edge of the pixel electrode and including an opening exposing a central portion of the pixel electrode; (figure 2)
a first functional layer (130) disposed on the pixel electrode exposed by the opening and including a convex upper surface; (para 56)
a second functional layer (140) disposed on the first functional layer and including a planarized upper surface; (para 59 and 60)
an organic emission layer (160) disposed on the second functional layer; and an opposite electrode (190) disposed on the organic emission layer.
Noh fails to teach:
wherein a molecular weight of the first functional layer is greater than a molecular weight of the second functional layer.
Masui teaches:
[0059] The hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer each have a function of receiving holes from the anode or the anode side and transporting to the cathode side. The hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer may be of a monolayer structure, or a laminate structure containing a plurality of layers each formed of identical or different compositions.
[0060] The hole-injection material or hole-transport material used for these layers may be a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound.
[0061] The hole-injection material or the hole-transport material may be suitably selected depending on the intended purpose without any restriction. Examples thereof include pyrrole derivatives, carbazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, oxadiazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, polyarylalkane derivatives, pyrazoline derivatives, pyrazolone derivatives, phenylenediamine derivatives, arylamine derivatives, amino-substituted chalcone derivatives, styrylanthracene derivatives, fluorenone derivatives, hydrazone derivatives, stilbene derivatives, silazane derivatives, aromatic tertiary amine compounds, styrylamine compounds, aromatic dimethylidine compounds, phthalocyanine compounds, porphyrin compounds, thiophene derivatives, organosilane derivatives and carbon. These may be used independently or in combination.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Masui, with the primary reference of Noh, because [t]he hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer may be of a monolayer structure, or a laminate structure containing a plurality of layers each formed of identical or different compositions. Masui para 59
Noh further teaches:
2. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first functional layer includes a hole injection function. (para 56)
3. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second functional layer includes a hole injection function. (para 59 and 60)
4. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first functional layer and the second functional layer comprise a curable material. (para 57)
5. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a bottom surface of the second functional layer is concave. (figure 6)
6. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 5, wherein a thickness of the second functional layer is least at a center thereof and gradually increases toward the insulating layer. (figure 6) (para 92)
9. The organic light-emitting display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first functional layer and the second functional layer comprise a same material as each other or different materials from each other. (para 57)
10. A method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display apparatus, the method comprising:
forming a pixel electrode (p) above a substrate (105);
forming an insulating layer (120) covering an edge of the pixel electrode and including an opening exposing a central portion of the pixel electrode;
forming a first functional layer (130) on the pixel electrode exposed by the opening, the first functional layer including a convex upper surface; (para 56) Figure 2
forming a second functional layer (140) on the first functional layer, the second functional layer including a planarized upper surface; Para 59,60 Figure 2
forming an organic emission layer (160) on the second functional layer; and forming an opposite electrode (190) on the organic emission layer.
Noh fails to teach:
wherein a molecular weight of the first functional layer is greater than a molecular weight of the second functional layer.
Masui teaches:
[0059] The hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer each have a function of receiving holes from the anode or the anode side and transporting to the cathode side. The hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer may be of a monolayer structure, or a laminate structure containing a plurality of layers each formed of identical or different compositions.
[0060] The hole-injection material or hole-transport material used for these layers may be a low-molecular-weight compound or a high-molecular-weight compound.
[0061] The hole-injection material or the hole-transport material may be suitably selected depending on the intended purpose without any restriction. Examples thereof include pyrrole derivatives, carbazole derivatives, triazole derivatives, oxazole derivatives, oxadiazole derivatives, imidazole derivatives, polyarylalkane derivatives, pyrazoline derivatives, pyrazolone derivatives, phenylenediamine derivatives, arylamine derivatives, amino-substituted chalcone derivatives, styrylanthracene derivatives, fluorenone derivatives, hydrazone derivatives, stilbene derivatives, silazane derivatives, aromatic tertiary amine compounds, styrylamine compounds, aromatic dimethylidine compounds, phthalocyanine compounds, porphyrin compounds, thiophene derivatives, organosilane derivatives and carbon. These may be used independently or in combination.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of Masui, with the primary reference of Noh, because [t]he hole-injection layer and the hole-transport layer may be of a monolayer structure, or a laminate structure containing a plurality of layers each formed of identical or different compositions. Masui para 59
Noh further teaches:
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming of the first functional layer comprises:
setting a temperature in a chamber to a first temperature; (para 52) reducing pressure in the chamber to a first pressure (para 60); and drying the first functional layer under conditions of the first temperature and the first pressure. (para 55)
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the forming of the second functional layer comprises: setting the temperature in the chamber to a second temperature that is lower than the first temperature; (para 59)
controlling the pressure in the chamber to a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure; and (para 60)
drying the second functional layer under conditions of the second temperature and the second pressure. (para 60 and 98)
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first temperature is about 50 °C or greater (para 52), and the second temperature is less than about 50 °C. (para 60)
Noh and Masui fail to teach:
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the second pressure is maintained at about 0.01 Torr or greater.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first pressure is about 1x10° Torr or less.
In regards to these values, the values would have been optimized through routine experimentation and would not lend themselves to patentability in the instant application, without displaying unexpected results. (in re Aller)
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the second functional layer is formed after the first functional layer is cured. (para 55-60)
17. The method of claim 10, wherein the first functional layer and the second functional layer include a hole injection function. (para 55,56)
18. The method of claim 10, wherein the first functional layer and the second functional layer comprise a curable material. (para 55)
19. The method of claim 10, wherein a bottom surface of the second functional layer is concave. Figure 6 para 92
20. The method of claim 19, wherein a thickness of the second functional layer is least at a center thereof and gradually increases toward the insulating layer. Figure 6 and para 92.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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MICHAEL . LEBENTRITT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2893
/MICHAEL LEBENTRITT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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