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
Claims 1-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/29/25.
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(s) 11-12, 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho (KR 1020180086715 A).
Claims 11, 15-16:
Cho teaches a method for manufacturing an oled display device (Background Art) wherein during the deposition the substrate carrier, mask assembly, and evaporation source are tilted with respect to the vertical (Fig. 3). The mask is supported by a plurality of clamping members (pg. 26). The common understanding of a clamping member provides support on both sides of the object. Further, Fig. 3 does illustrate supporting at least two surfaces of the mask assembly.
Claim 12:
Mask frame with opening 112 and mask sheet 111.
Claim 14:
Support 110.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR 1020180086715 A) in view of White (US 2016/0043319).
Cho is discussed above but does not teach supporting members. However, White teaches a mask frame where the interior portion of the mask frame is partitioned by cross supporting members (Fig. 1B). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to practice the method of Cho and incorporate cross members in order to enhance support of the mask.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR 1020180086715 A) in view of Hofmann (WO 2021/197621 A1).
Cho does not teach the details of the deposition source. However, Hofmann teaches an evaporation deposition system that includes nozzles for spraying [0028]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to practice the method of Cho and incorporate the nozzle deposition system of Hofmann to enable directed deposition.
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR 1020180086715 A) in view of Chiba (US 5161177).
Cho is discussed above but does not teach a magnetic force generator. However, Chiba teaches a magnetic chucking system where magnet 11 is located in a rear surface of the carrier body (Fig. 4A). It is not currently clear how the rear surface differs from the side surface, but it is clear that based on the arrangement of Cho that the magnet would need to be located either on a rear surface or a side surface to enable magnetic chucking. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to practice the method of Cho and incorporate a magnet on a surface of the carrier body in order to enable magnetic chucking.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Claim 11 requires (in part):
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As an initial matter, the claim does not define which surface is the rear surface and which surface is the lower surface. That is, so long as any two surfaces of the mask assembly are supported, then the claim limitation is met.
Cho meets this limitation because clamping member 211 can be said to be supporting a rear surface and claiming member 212 can be said to be supporting a lower surface of the mask assembly since these are two surfaces of the mask assembly.
Additionally, if mask 111,112 is taken to be the mask assembly and mask carrier 110 is taken to be a support structure, then mask carrier 110 also does support the mask on a rear surface and a lower surface of the mask assembly (specifically surfaces of mask frame 112).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX A ROLLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-5355. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Curtis Mayes can be reached at 5712721234. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEX A ROLLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759