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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s amendment filed June 29, 2026.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-3, 7-20, 23 and 26-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2021/0255367 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Kim et al. teach a display apparatus DD, comprising: a display panel DP including a variable area FA and a non-variable area NFA1/NFA2; a first adhesive member AL4 disposed on the display panel DP; and a first layer WP disposed on the first adhesive member AL4, a material of the first layer WP being different from a material of the first adhesive member AL4, wherein the first layer WP includes a photoreactive material; and the variable area FA comprises at least a portion of the first layer WP (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 2, Kim et al. teach the first layer WP formed of a shape memory material (See page 6, paragraph [0115]) in which a photoreactive material and a polymer are mixed (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 3, Wang et al. teach the photoreactive material (of WP) being a material which reacts to the visible ray (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 7, Kim et al. teach the first layer WP disposed so as to correspond to the variable area FA (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 8, Kim et al. teach the first adhesive member AL4 including one of an optically cleared adhesive, an optically cleared resin, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 9, Kim et al. teach a first cover member WIN on the first adhesive member AL4, wherein the first layer WP is disposed on the first cover member WIN (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 10, Kim et al. teach the first layer WP being a film integrally configured with the first cover member WIN (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 11, Kim et al. teach a polarization member RPL below the first cover member WIN; and a second adhesive member AL2 between the polarization member RPL and the first cover member WIN (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 12, Kim et al. teach the second adhesive member AL2 includes a material different from that of the first layer WP (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 13, Kim et al. teach the second adhesive member AL2 including one of an optically cleared adhesive, an optically cleared resin, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 14, Kim et al. teach one or more plates PLT/SUP below the display panel DP; and one or more third adhesive members AL8 between the one or more plates PLT/SUP (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 15, Kim et al. teach at least one of the one or more plates PLT/SUP further including one or more opening patterns OP/GP (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 16, Kim et al. teach the one or more opening patterns OP/GP disposed to correspond to the variable area Fa (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 17, Kim et al. teach the variable area FA being foldable with respect to a folding axis FX; and the one or more opening patterns OP/GP extend in a direction parallel to the folding axis FX and/or are configured in a discontinuous shape (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 18, Kim et al. teach the one or more opening patterns OP/GP including two or more opening patterns OP/GP, and the two or more opening patterns OP/GP are configured in different shapes or with different intervals in the variable area FA (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 19, Kim et al. teach the one or more third adhesive members AL8 including a material different from that of the first layer WP(Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 20, Kim et al. teach the one or more third adhesive members AL8 including one of an optically cleared adhesive, an optically cleared resin, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 23, Kim et al. teach the display panel DP includes a transistor part DP-CL and an emission part DP-OLED, and wherein the display apparatus DD further comprises: an encapsulation part TFE on the emission part DPOLED; and a touch part ISP on the encapsulation part TFE (Figures 6-7, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0158]).
In regard to claim 26, Kim et al. teach a display apparatus DD, comprising: a display panel DP including a variable area FA and a non-variable area NFA1/NFA2; a first layer WP disposed adjacent to the display panel DP; one or more plates PLT/SUP below the display panel DP; and a first adhesive member AL4 adjacent to the one or more plates PLT/SUP, wherein the first layer WP and the first adhesive member AL4 are configured by different materials; the first layer WP comprises a shape memory material (See page 6, paragraph [0115]) having a form memory effect; and the variable area FA comprises at least a portion of the first layer WP (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 27, Kim et al. teach the first layer WP including a material which reacts to the visible ray, and wherein the first adhesive member AL4 includes one of an optically cleared adhesive, an optically cleared resin, and a pressure sensitive adhesive (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
In regard to claim 28, Kim et al. teach the first layer WP further including a polymer (See page 6, paragraph [0115]), and wherein the material which reacts to the visible ray and the polymer configure a shape memory material (Figure 6, pages 4-8, paragraphs [0060]-[0149]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 21, 24 and 29 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 22 is objected to as being dependent upon objected claim 21. Claim 25 is objected to as being dependent upon objected claim 24.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-4, filed June 29, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 7-20, 23 and 26-28 under 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kim et al. (US 2021/0255367 A1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to display devices:
Cho et al. (US 2022/0238821 A1) Kim et al. (EP 3866205 A1)
Kim et al. (US 2021/0257582 A1) Kim et al. (KR 20210104509 A)
Kim et al. (KR 20020022926 A) Kim et al. (US 2022/0310977 A1)
Park (US 2022/0151083 A1) Park et al. (KR 20210113547 A)
Shin et al. (US 2022/0061169 A1) Shin et al. (KR 20220022939 A)
Shin et al. (KR 20220023952 A) Xin et al. (CN 114078383 A)
Yoo et al. (US 2021/0368621 A1).
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IMS
July 1, 2026
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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