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 .
Response to Request for Reconsideration
Withdrawn Rejections
The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection of claims 1-24 is withdrawn due to Applicant’s clarification in the response filed on January 2, 2026 that the organic layer, the resin layer and the organic auxiliary layers are spatially different in the display panel, and hence have different functions, thus confirming that the materials can be the same.
New Rejections
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 6, 10-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 2015/0043174) in view of Hasegawa (US 2012/0301635), as evidenced by Massingill (US 2013/0209682).
Regarding claim 1, Han teaches a display device (display apparatus 1000 [0046], Fig. 1) comprising: a display panel (touch panel 200+display panel 100 [0046], Fig. 1); a layer 360 (first area 360 of base substrate 310 [0078] of window panel 300a [0076] of Fig. 7, 300 [0046] of Fig. 1) disposed on the display panel 200+100 and including a spaced region (second area 370 [0078]); and a resin layer (soft material of … second area 370 [0078] may be … silicon-based resin, optically clear resin [0060]) disposed on the spaced region 370 of the layer 360 (Fig. 7), wherein an elastic modulus of the resin layer 370 is lower than an elastic modulus of the layer 360 (the soft material of area 370 has a lower elastic modulus than the rigid material of the area 360 [0078]). Han fails to teach that an organic layer is disposed on a surface of the display panel 200+100, such that the layer 360 is disposed on the organic layer.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches that an organic layer (transparent adhesive layer [0020] comprises an acrylic adhesive agent [0015]) is disposed on a surface of a display panel ([0020]) to secure a transparent protective member (plate [0020]) through a layer (gas-barrier layer of the transparent protective plate faces the surface of the display panel [0020]) that is disposed on the organic layer (stuck thereto by using a transparent adhesive agent [0020]), for the purpose of providing the desired strength of laminate adhesion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have disposed an organic layer on the surface of the display panel of the display device of Han, such that the layer 360 is disposed on the organic layer, to secure the layer 360 and hence the window panel 300a/300, to the surface of the display panel 200+100, in order to obtain the desired improvement in laminate adhesion.
In addition, Han fails to teach that the layer 360 (Fig. 7) is a polysilazane layer.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is formed of a rigid material (the rigid material and the soft material of the first and second areas 360 and 370 alternately arrange [0078]) and is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches that a layer of a display member that is disposed on a display panel, to provide the display panel with the desired protection (transparent protective plate [0001]), comprises a layer of polysilazane, for the purpose of providing the desired gas barrier properties ([0031]) aside from the desired structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
Massingill teaches that polysilazane is a rigid material ([0032]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided a polysilazane layer as the layer 360 that is formed of a rigid material, that is disposed on the organic layer on the surface of the display panel of the display device of Han, as modified by Hasegawa, in order to obtain the desired combination of gas-barrier properties, as taught by Hasegawa, and structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
Regarding claim 2, Hasegawa teaches that the polysilazane layer includes an inorganic polysilazane (perhydropolysilazane without organic group [0049]) or an organic polysilazane (polysilazane in which an alkyl group is bonded to a silicon atom or a nitrogen atom [0049]), for the purpose of providing the desired combination of gas-barrier properties and structural rigidity, as described above.
Regarding claim 6, modified Han teaches that the layer 360 is formed of rigid material (the rigid material and the soft material of the first and second areas 360 and 370 alternately arrange [0078] first area 360 includes the rigid material [0073]), and hence can have a thickness that is equal to or smaller than about 100 µm ([0066]), for the purpose of providing the rigid material with some flexibility ([0066]), such that a thickness of the polysilazane layer (modified layer 360) is equal to or smaller than about 100 µm, which contains the claimed range of about 5 µm to about 100 µm.
Regarding claim 10, Han teaches that the resin layer 370 is provided in plural (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 11, Han teaches that the display device 1000 includes a folding part (350 [0078]) and a folding periphery (rigid parts 320 and 330 are not folded, and only the folding part 350 is folded, Fig. 5 [0070]), and the resin layer 370 is disposed on the folding part 350 (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 12, Han teaches that a shape of the resin layer 370 in a cross-sectional view is a trapezoidal shape which is a species of a trapezoidal shape (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 13, modified Han teaches an organic auxiliary layer (soft layer 380 [0076]) disposed on a surface of each of the polysilazane layer (modified area 360, Fig. 7) and the resin layer 370 (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 14, Han teaches that the organic auxiliary layer (soft layer 380 includes the soft material [0076] which) includes an optically clear resin adhesive, for the purpose of providing the desired flexibility ([0060]).
Hasegawa teaches that the organic layer also comprises an optically clear resin adhesive (transparent adhesive layer [0020] comprises an acrylic adhesive agent [0015]).
Accordingly, the organic auxiliary layer and the organic layer include a same material.
Regarding claim 15, Han teaches a manufacturing method of a display device comprising: preparing a substrate (mother substrate 305 [0087]); forming a resin layer 370 on an area of the substrate 305 (filling the second area 370 [0086] with soft material [0078] which is a silicon-based resin, an optically clear resin [0060], Fig. 10C); forming a layer 360 on another area of the substrate 305 (providing the rigid material [0087], Fig. 10B); forming a display panel (touch panel 200+display panel 100 [0046], Fig. 1) on the resin layer 370 and the layer 360 (of base substrate 310 [0078] of window panel 300a [0076] of Fig. 7, 300 [0046] of Fig. 1); and removing the substrate 305 (separating a mother substrate [0087]). Han fails to teach a step of forming an organic layer on the resin layer 370 and the layer 360, such that the step of forming the display panel 200+100 is done on the organic layer instead of the resin layer 370 and the layer 360.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches a step of forming an organic layer (transparent adhesive layer [0020] comprises an acrylic adhesive agent [0015]) on a surface of a display panel ([0020]) to secure a transparent protective member (plate [0020]) to the display panel through a layer of the transparent protective member (gas-barrier layer of the transparent protective plate faces the surface of the display panel, stuck thereto by using a transparent adhesive agent [0020]), for the purpose of providing the desired strength of laminate adhesion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have added a step of forming an organic layer on the resin layer 370 and the layer 360, such that the step of forming the display panel 200+100 is done on the organic layer, instead of the resin layer 370 and the layer 360, in the manufacturing method of a display device of Han, to secure the resin layer 370 and the layer 360, and hence the window panel 300a/300, to the surface of the display panel 200+100, in order to obtain the desired strength of laminate adhesion, as taught by Hasegawa.
In addition, Han fails to teach that the layer 360 (Fig. 7) is a polysilazane layer.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is formed of a rigid material (the rigid material and the soft material of the first and second areas 360 and 370 alternately arrange [0078]) and is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches that a layer of a display member that is disposed on a display panel, to provide the display panel with the desired protection (transparent protective plate [0001]), comprises a layer of polysilazane, for the purpose of providing the desired gas barrier properties ([0031]) aside from the desired structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
Massingill teaches that polysilazane is a rigid material ([0032]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided a polysilazane layer as the layer 360 that is formed of a rigid material, that is disposed on the organic layer on the surface of the display panel 200+100 in the manufacturing method of a display device of Han, in order to obtain the desired combination of gas-barrier properties, as taught by Hasegawa, and structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
In addition, modified Hans teaches that an elastic modulus of the resin layer 370 is lower than an elastic modulus of the layer 360 (the soft material of area 370 has a lower elastic modulus than the rigid material of the area 360 [0078]), such that the elastic modulus of the resin layer 370 is lower than the elastic modulus of the polysilazane layer (modified layer 360).
Regarding claim 16, although Han is silent regarding a material of the substrate 305, the substrate 305 is a supporting substrate (mother substrate 305 [0087]) which is conventionally a glass substrate, for the purpose of providing the desired rigidity ([0018]) and resistance to processing temperatures, as was already a well-known processing tool in the art at the time.
Regarding claim 17, although Han is silent regarding the step of forming the resin layer 370 being performed by an inkjet process, such a process was already a well-known resin layer forming process in the art at the time.
Regarding claim 18, although Han is silent regarding the step of removing of the substrate 305 being performed by an etching process, such a process was already a well-known material removing process in the art at the time. The substrate 305 is a supporting substrate (mother substrate 305 [0087]) which is conventionally a glass substrate, for the purpose of providing the desired rigidity ([0018]) and resistance to processing temperatures, as was already a well-known processing tool in the art at the time. Han teaches that an etching process is used to remove rigid material ([0087]) such as glass ([0018]).
Regarding claim 19, Han teaches a step of forming an organic auxiliary layer 380 on the substrate 305 after the step of preparing of the substrate 305 (forming the soft layer 380 … and separating a mother substrate 305 [0087]). Although Han fails to teach that the step of forming the organic auxiliary layer 380, is before the step of forming of the resin layer 370, the step of forming the resin layer 370 can be made alternately by first forming the organic auxiliary layer 380 in excess, on the layer 360, then forming spaced regions 370 in the layer 360 by etching with a laser beam irradiated ([0091]) through the mother substrate 305, and then melting the organic auxiliary layer 380 such that the spaced regions 370 are then filled ([0095]) with the excess of the organic auxiliary layer 380, in the absence of a clear showing to the contrary.
Regarding claim 20, although Han is silent regarding the step of removing of the substrate 305 being performed by an etching process, such a process was already a well-known material removing process in the art at the time. The substrate 305 is a supporting substrate (mother substrate 305 [0087]) which is conventionally a glass substrate, for the purpose of providing the desired rigidity ([0018]) and resistance to processing temperatures, as was already a well-known processing tool in the art at the time. Han teaches that an etching process is used to remove rigid material ([0087]) such as glass ([0018]) and is performed by laser irradiation ([0091]), such that the step of removing the substrate 305 can be done by an etching process that is performed by laser irradiation.
Regarding claim 21, Han teaches an electronic device (display apparatus 1000 [0046], Fig. 1) comprising: a display panel (touch panel 200+display panel 100 [0046], Fig. 1); a layer (first area 360 of base substrate 310 [0078] of window panel 300a [0076] of Fig. 7, 300 [0046] of Fig. 1) disposed on the display panel 200+100 and including a spaced region (second area 370 [0078]); and a resin layer (soft material of … second area 370 [0078] may be … silicon-based resin, optically clear resin [0060]) disposed on the spaced region 370 of the layer 360 (Fig. 7), wherein an elastic modulus of the resin layer 370 is lower than an elastic modulus of the layer 360 (the soft material of area 370 has a lower elastic modulus than the rigid material of the area 360 [0078]). Han fails to teach that an organic layer is disposed on a surface of the display panel 200+100, such that the layer 360 is disposed on the organic layer.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches that an organic layer (transparent adhesive layer [0020] comprises an acrylic adhesive agent [0015]) is disposed on a surface of a display panel ([0020]) to secure a transparent protective member (plate [0020]) through a layer of the transparent protective member (gas-barrier layer of the transparent protective plate faces the surface of the display panel, stuck thereto by using a transparent adhesive agent [0020]), for the purpose of providing the desired strength of laminate adhesion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have disposed an organic layer on the surface of the display panel of the display device of Han, such that the layer 360 is disposed on the organic layer, to secure the layer 360 and hence the window panel 300a/300, to the surface of the display panel 200+100, in order to obtain the desired improvement in laminate adhesion.
In addition, Han fails to teach that the layer 360 (Fig. 7) is a polysilazane layer.
However, Han teaches that the layer 360 is formed of a rigid material (the rigid material and the soft material of the first and second areas 360 and 370 alternately arrange [0078]) and is part of a window panel 300a/300 which is a transparent protective member that is disposed on the display panel 200+100 (Fig. 1), for the purpose of providing the display panel with the desired protection ([0054]).
Hasegawa teaches that a layer of a display member that is disposed on a display panel, to provide the display panel with the desired protection (transparent protective plate [0001]), comprises a layer of polysilazane, for the purpose of providing the desired gas barrier properties ([0031]) aside from the desired structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
Massingill teaches that polysilazane is a rigid material ([0032]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided a polysilazane layer as the layer 360 that is formed of a rigid material, that is disposed on the organic layer on the surface of the display panel of the display device of Han, as modified by Hasegawa, in order to obtain the desired combination of gas-barrier properties, as taught by Hasegawa, and structural rigidity, as evidenced by Massingill.
In addition, Han teaches that the display device has as a folding part (350 [0078]). Accordingly, the display device of Han is a foldable display device.
Regarding claim 22, Han teaches that the foldable electronic device is a mobile phone ([00476]).
Regarding claim 23, Han teaches that the foldable electronic device comprises
A folding part (350 [0078]) and a folding periphery (rigid parts 320 and 330 are not folded, and only the folding part 350 is folded, Fig. 5 [0070]), wherein the resin layer 370 is disposed on the folding part 350 (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 24, modified Han teaches that the polysilazane layer (modified layer 360 of folding part 350, Fig. 7) is disposed on the folding periphery 320/330 (Fig. 5).
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, as applied to claims 1-2, 6, 10-24 above, and further in view of Arimura (US 2020/0165397).
Han, as modified by Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, teaches the display device comprising the polysilazane layer, as described above.
Han, as modified by Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, is silent regarding inorganic nanoparticles in the polysilazane layer.
However, Arimura teaches that about 10 wt% of inorganic particles are added to a polysilazane layer (3rd para of page 5) which is within the claimed range of about 5 wt% to about 30 wt%, for the purpose of providing the desired combination of water-repellency and hardness (last 4 para of page 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided the polysilazane layer of the display device of Han, as modified by Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, with a content of inorganic nanoparticles that is within a range of about 5 wt% to about 30 wt%, in order to obtain the desired combination of water-repellency and hardness, as taught by Arimura.
Claims 7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, as applied to claims 1-2, 6, 10-24 above, and further in view of Claims 7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, as applied to claims 1-2, 6, 10-24 above, and further in view of Kee (US 2015/0201487).
Han, as modified by Hasegawa, as evidenced by Massingill, teaches the display device, as described above.
Regarding claim 7, Han teaches that the display device is flexible ([0007]), but is silent regarding a value of an elastic modulus of the display device.
However, Kee teaches that a flexible display device has an elastic modulus that is within a range of from about 1 GPa to about 10 GPa (flexible display panel [0011]) which contains the claimed range of about 5 GPa to about 10 GPa, for the purpose of providing the desired flexibility ([0011]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided the flexible display device of Han, with an elastic modulus that within a range of about 5 GPa to about 10 GPa, in order to obtain the desired flexibility, as taught by Kee.
Regarding claim 9, Han teaches that the display device is flexible ([0007]), but is silent regarding a value of an elastic modulus of the resin layer 370.
However, Han teaches that the resin layer 370 is formed of (soft material of … second area 370 [0078] optically clear resin adhesive [0060]),
Kee teaches that an elastic modulus of the adhesive layer of the flexible display device is 1/1000 of an elastic modulus of the flexible display device ([0009]), for the purpose of providing the desired stress decoupling ([0013]). When the elastic modulus of the flexible display device is 10 GPa, the elastic modulus of the adhesive layer is about 10 MPa (0.01 GPa = 10 GPa/1000), which is within the claimed range of about 10 MPa to about 1 GPa.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time, to have provided the resin layer 370 of the flexible display device of Han, with an elastic modulus that is within a range of about 10 MPa to about 1 GPa, in order to obtain the desired stress decoupling, as taught by Kee.
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to Sow-Fun Hon whose telephone number is (571)272-1492. The examiner is on a flexible schedule but can usually be reached during a regular workweek between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Aaron Austin, can be reached at (571)272-8935. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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/Sophie Hon/
Sow-Fun Hon
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1782
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