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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-19 in the reply filed on April 6, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 16 does not define where the predetermined cutting line is located.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "transition side edge" in line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10-12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN111647846A using the Machine Generated English Translation cited in the IDS dated July 25, 2023 provided herewith held to Gongzheng Zang et al.
Regarding claim 1. Gongzheng Zang et al teaches a support strip 20, comprising: a support segment (support region 21), the support segment comprising a support body (main body 211) and at least one covering portion, the support body extending in a length direction, the at least one covering portion (protrusions 212 see [0026] and Fig.4) being located at a first side of the support body, a second side of the support body being opposite to the first side in a width direction perpendicular to the length direction; a predetermined cutting segment, the predetermined cutting segment comprising an offset-compensating portion (clamping region 22), a first side edge of the offset-compensating portion extending in the length direction, a second side edge of the offset-compensating portion being inclined from the second side to the first side to gradually decrease a width of at least part of the offset-compensating portion from the support body to a free end see [0043] and the discussion of L1, L2 Fig. 4 and 5, wherein each of two ends of the support segment is connected with one corresponding predetermined cutting segment in the length direction of the support strip. See [0029] of Gongzheng Zang et al.
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Regarding claim 2. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein the second side edge of the offset-compensating portion is a straight-line side edge; or the second side edge of the offset-compensating portion is an arc-line side edge. See [0036], [0049], [0056] of Gongzheng Zang et al where it is stated that arc shape is known.
Regarding claim 3. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein the second side edge of the offset-compensating portion comprises at least two straight-line segments. See Figs 1-7 of Gongzheng Zang et al.
Regarding claim 4. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein a maximum width L1 of the offset-compensating portion and a minimum width L2 of the offset-compensating portion satisfy Relation 1 as follows:
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Relation 1.
See [0040] – [0044] of Gongzheng Zang et al. Note especially that L2 according to Fig. 5 is zero. See also [0032] that describes that by setting the position of the clamp portion, the second central axis 223 of the clamp portion is offset to the side where the first central axis 2111 faces the first centroid main axis 214, and the distance between the action line of the axial force P and the first centroid main axis 215 is reduced axis 214 is reduced, thereby reducing the distance between the action line of the axial force P and the second centroid main axis (not shown) of the entire support bar 20". When L2 = 0, the second center axis 223 of the clamp portion cannot be located between the first center axis 2111 and the first centroid main axis 214, which makes it impossible to achieve the purpose of the invention of "reducing the amount of deviation in the non-extending direction of the support bar 20 (the width direction of the support bar 20), increasing the shielding effect of the support bar 20, and thus increasing the display effect of the panel after vapor deposition"
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Regarding claim 5. The support strip according to claim 4, wherein the maximum width L1 of the offset-compensating portion and the minimum width L2 of the offset-compensating portion satisfy Relation 2 as follows:
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Relation 2.
See [0040], [0043], and [0044] of Gongzheng Zang et al.
Regarding claim 6. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein the support segment (support region 21) is arranged adjacent to the predetermined cutting segment (first center axis 2111) in the length direction, a predetermined cutting line (third centra axis 2112) is arranged between the support segment and the predetermined cutting segment, and the support segment and the predetermined cutting segment are divided by the predetermined cutting line.
Regarding claim 7. The support strip according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of covering portions(protrusions 212), the plurality of covering portions are arranged at the first side of the support body and distributed to be spaced apart from one another in the length direction, the support body further comprises a welding groove (recesses 213 and see the discussion of welding in [0029]), and the welding groove is located between the predetermined cutting line and the covering portion close to the predetermined cutting segment.
Regarding claim 8. The support strip according to claim 6, wherein in the length direction, the predetermined cutting segment (first center axis 2111) further comprises: a buffer portion, located between the support segment 21 and the offset-compensating portion 22, wherein the buffer portion comprises a transition side edge 2152, the transition side edge extends along a straight line from the second side of the support body to the second side edge, and an extending direction of the first side edge and an extending direction of the transition side edge are parallel to each other. See Fig 7 below.
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Regarding claim 10. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined cutting segment (first center axis 2111) further comprises: a counterweight portion 2151, arranged at a same side as the covering portion (protrusions 212), wherein the counterweight portion is arranged at and protrudes from the first side edge. See Figs. 4 and 6.
Regarding claim 11. The support strip according to claim 10, wherein a shape of the counterweight portion 2151 is same as a shape of the covering portion 212.
Regarding claim 12. The support strip according to claim 11, wherein the counterweight portion 2151 is a quasi-rectangular sheet-like structure, a rounded chamfer is formed at a connecting place between the counterweight portion and the first side edge, and the counterweight portion comprises a rounded corner. See Fig. 7
Regarding claim 14. The support strip according to claim 12, wherein in the width direction, the counterweight portion 2151 comprises a straight side parallel to the width direction, and the straight side is located between the rounded chamfer and the corner. See Fig. 7
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 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
CN111647846A held to Gongzheng Zang et al using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith in view of CN109585696 held to Sang-Hoon Kimsing the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith.
The teachings of Gongzheng Zang et al were discussed above.
The prior art of Gongzheng Zang et al fails to teach:
Regarding claim 9. The support strip according to claim 8, wherein in the length direction, a value range of a length of the transition side edge is 20mm-25mm.
The prior art of Sang-Hoon Kim teaches a mask assembly with a support rod (support strip) arranged between the mask frame and the mask. According to Sang-Hoon Kim the support strip comprises a first clamping part (P1) and a second clamping part (P2). The length of the short edge of the clamping part along the first direction D1 can be 10-50mm. Barring a showing of the criticality the dimensions of the support strip are interpreted as a matter of design choice and optimization which would be determined without undue routine experimentation to ensure that the dimensions amply support the mask to ensure desired evaporation of the coating material onto the wafer. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the present invention to design the support strip of Gongzheng Zang et al to ensure the length direction, a value range of a length of the transition side edge is 20mm-25mm as suggested by the prior art of Sang-Hoon Kim
Claims 13 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
CN111647846A held to Gongzheng Zang et al using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith in view of CN110284107A held to Zhen-zhen Lu ited in the IDS dated July 25, 2023using the Machine Generated English Translation provided herewith.
The teachings of Gongzheng Zang et al were discussed above.
The prior art of Gongzheng Zang et al fails to teach:
Regarding claim 13. The support strip according to claim 12, wherein a value range of a radius R1 of the rounded chamfer is 2.0 mm-2.5 mm; a value range of a radius R2 of the corner is 1.0 mm-1.5 mm;
Regarding claim 15. The support strip according to claim 14, wherein a value range of a length L of the straight side is 1.0 mm-1.2 mm.
Regarding claim 16. The support strip according to claim 10, wherein in the length direction, a value range of a shortest distance d2 between a predetermined cutting line and the counterweight portion is 4 mm-5 mm.
Regarding claim 17. The support strip according to claim 10, wherein in the length direction, a ratio of a length d1 of the transition side edge to a shortest distance d2 between a predetermined cutting line and the counterweight portion is 1:6-1:5.
The prior art of Zhen-zhen teaches the supporting bar used for display panel and supporting device. See Fig. 4 and the description of Fig. where Zhen-zhen teaches the balancing structure 6 and a position balancing part 9. Therein the position of balance parts 9 on the first direction of the width is a L1, ≤ 0.1mm ≤ 3mm L1. the minimum value of L1 is set to 0.1mm, which can ensure the balance of the position 9 has enough width sufficient to balance the shielding part 2 of the weight, the maximum value L1 is set to 3mm, in order to avoid a position balancing part 9 too wide to avoid supported on the support bars 100 of the mask film 4 shielding, influence the forming precision. Barring a showing of the criticality the dimensions of the support strip are interpreted as a matter of design choice and optimization which would be determined without undue routine experimentation to ensure that the dimensions amply support the mask to ensure desired evaporation of the coating material onto the wafer. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the present invention to design the support strip of Gongzheng Zang et al including the radius of the rounded chamber, radius of the corner, length of the straight side, length of the shortest distance, and length of the transition side edge will amply support the mask to ensure the desired evaporation of material onto the wafer.
The teachings of Gongzheng Zang et al were discussed above.
The prior art of Gongzheng Zang et al fails to teach:
Regarding claim 18. The support strip according to claim 1, wherein a shielding strip engaging portion is arranged on the support body of the support segment 21, and the shielding strip engaging portion is arranged between two adjacent covering portions.
Regarding claim 19. The support strip according to claim 18, wherein the shielding strip engaging portion extends in the width direction, and a width of the shielding strip engaging portion is greater than a width of the support body.
The prior art of Zhen-zhen teaches the supporting bar used for display panel and supporting device. See Fig. 9 and the discussion of Fig. 9 wherein support bars 100 (support strips) further include tensile ribs 18 (shielding strip engaging portion) which are located between two adjacent covering portions 16 (corner occlusion subunit/shielding subunit) and 17 (trench occlusion subunit/groove shieling subunits). The motivation to modify the prior art of Gongzheng Zang et al to provide a shieling strip engaging portion is that the shielding strip engaging portions to stretch the “W” deformation of the substrate strip in the opposite direction, so that the extending direction of the support strip 100 will be horizontal and the net deformation of the support strip is small which will improve the evaporation of the source material which will enhance the coating accuracy. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify the prior art of Gongzheng Zang et al to provide a shieling strip engaging portion as suggested by Zhen-Zhen.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2019/0144987 teaches a mask assembly see Figs. 5-7 where protruding portion is arranged at a designated position on each irregular sub-mask. The protruding portion is designed as a variety of shapes trapezoidal with curved edges, triangle with curved sides.
US2018/0155818 see Figs. 5-8 where strip plates are provided with structures with various shaped sides.
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/SYLVIA MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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