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 .
DETAILED ACTION
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/23/2026 has been entered.
Applicants' arguments have been fully considered. Rejections and/or objections not reiterated from previous office actions are hereby withdrawn due to Applicant's amendments and/or arguments. The following rejections and/or objections are either reiterated or newly applied.
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.
Claims 1, 3-12, and 14-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20160204377 A1 to Jeong et al. in view of US 20140287213 A1 to Lee et al. and further in view of JP JP2010137400A to Masato et al.
Re claims 1-9, 12-17 and 19, Jeong essentially teaches the claimed invention (Fig. 2 and associated text) display device with a cover window, base film layer and hard coating layer on the base [0014], [54]. A polarizer 80 is taught in [82], Jeong (per claim 19). Re claims 20-21, [25], Jeong passivation is on the back (back plate).
Jeong fails to disclose hexagonal patterns as claimed. However, Jeong teaches patterns [47-48]. The opaque unit 212 may include a logo of a product or an ornamental pattern.
Lee teaches the plurality of patterns [26-30, 96-99] forms the openings for a bendable cover and may have width and interval openings that are similar or equal and have a matrix form. See Fig. 9 (matrix shape not shown but described).
Masato teaches a hexagonal pattern decoration by injection molding as shown below placed as claimed (see Figs. 3-4 and associated text, pp. 3-6) for prevention of cracks in LCDs (see further Abstract, and claims).
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Thus, given that the prior art accounts for various patterns, including hexagon taught by Masato and the spacing therebetween to form the openings in the coating taught by Lee the ranges instantly claimed are obvious design choice and optimizable for providing functionality for injection molding to the sheet superior in scratch resistance.
Re claims 10-11, 18, see [65-71] and [48].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new reference applied above. See the new grounds of rejection above.
Conclusion
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TAMRA L. DICUS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1787
/TAMRA L. DICUS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787
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