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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/6/2026 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 11 discloses “the direction,” which lacks antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. For the purpose of examination, “the direction” is treated as “a direction.”
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Seo et al. (US 20140240906 A1).
Re claim 1: Seo discloses a display apparatus (100 in fig 1) comprising:
a display panel (display panel 12 in fig 5 and paragraph 61) including a back cover (support member 14 in fig 5) attached to a back surface thereof and configured to (i.e., functional language) be bent or curved with a predetermined amount of elasticity (see paragraphs 64-65);
a first tilting unit (left end portion of 30 in figs 7a-7b; see annotated fig 7a below) positioned at (i.e., near) a left end of the back surface of the back cover;
a second tilting unit (right end portion of 30 in figs 7a-7b; see annotated fig 7a below) positioned at (i.e., near) a right end of the back surface of the back cover, the first and second tilting units allowing the display panel to switch between a flat state (see 12 in fig 7a) and a curved state (see 12 in fig 7b);
a curved bar (variable member 20 in fig 3 and paragraphs 79, 84-85) extended over the back surface of the back cover with a predetermined curvature and coupled between the first and second tilting units (see figs 7a-7b; herein, a center of the variable member 20 is positioned between the left end portion of 30 and the right end portion of 30); and
a support unit (first frames 16 in fig 3 and paragraphs 69-76) connected to the first and second tilting units to support (i.e., functional language) the display panel (see paragraph 76),
wherein the curved bar has a curvature in a direction (i.e., direction from the front of the display panel to the rear of the display panel) in which the first and second tilting units press the support unit (see paragraphs 74-76; herein, each first frame 16 includes protruded fastening section 16b to fasten the rear cover 30, and the bent fastening section 16c to fasten the support member 14. Accordingly, when the shape of the display panel 12 is varied, the support member 14 and rear cover 30 may be varied in shape simultaneously with the display panel 12 in the form of an integrated structure. In other words, since each first frame 16 is fixed to the rear cover 30, movement of the rear cover 30 in the direction from the front of the display panel to the rear of the display panel results in movement of each of the first frames 16 in the same direction).
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Re claim 2: Seo discloses the display apparatus, wherein the curved bar extends on both sides with a same curvature with respect to a center of a back surface of the curved bar (see 20 in figs 7a-7b).
Re claim 9: Seo discloses the display apparatus, wherein the first and second tilting units are positioned at (i.e., near) the center of the total vertical length of the back cover when viewed from the rear (see fig 2).
Re claim 16: Seo discloses the display apparatus, wherein the support unit moves together with the first and second tilting units when the display panel is switched between the flat state and the curved state (see paragraph 75).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8 and 13-15 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.
The best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display apparatus including, along with other limitations, the back cover is provided with a magnet inducing, in response to the display panel switching from the flat state to the curved state, an attachment of the curved bar by magnetic force as set forth in the claim.
Claims 10-12 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.
The best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display apparatus including, along with other limitations, each of the first and second tilting units comprises: a tilting unit body forming the overall appearance; a groove formed on the inner upper surface and inner lower surface of the tilting unit body, facing each other and extending in a predetermined depth and length in one direction; and a tilting arm connected at one end thereof to a sliding pin, which is inserted at both ends thereof into the groove, in a rotatable manner and extends toward the rear of the tilting unit at the other end as set forth in the claim.
Claims 17-18 are allowed.
The best prior art of record, taken alone or in combination thereof, fails to teach a display apparatus including, along with other limitations, a magnet provided on the back surface of the back cover; and an auxiliary magnet provided on one side of the curved bar to be selectively attached to or detached from the magnet as set forth in the claim.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 4/6/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the applicant’s arguments that Seo fails to disclose that the curved bar has a curvature in the direction in which the first and second tilting units press the support unit, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
In the device of Seo, the curved bar (20) has a curvature in a direction from the front of the display panel to the rear of the display panel. According to the written description of Seo (paragraphs 74-76), each first frame 16 includes protruded fastening section 16b to fasten the rear cover 30, and the bent fastening section 16c to fasten the support member 14. Accordingly, when the shape of the display panel 12 is varied, the support member 14 and rear cover 30 may be varied in shape simultaneously with the display panel 12 in the form of an integrated structure. In other words, since each first frame 16 is fixed to the rear cover 30 (i.e., tilting unit), movement of the rear cover 30 in the direction from the front of the display panel to the rear of the display panel results in movement of each of the first frames 16 in the same direction.
The applicant further argues that Seo is completely silent with regards to the curvature of the variable member 20 having any relationship with a direction in which the alleged first and second tilting units 30 press the alleged support unit 16, much less in the manner claimed. For example, the curvature of the alleged curved bar 20 of Seo is formed in a lateral direction or in “back” direction of the display module, rather than a direction in which the alleged first and second tilting units 30 press the alleged support unit 16, such as in a gravity direction. (See, for example, FIG. 6 of the application; see also FIG. 7 of Seo). The examiner herein notes that it is not claimed that the first and second tilting units press the support unit in a gravity direction. The examiner further notes that the applicant is arguing about a subject matter that is not claimed.
Therefore, the arguments remain non-persuasive and the rejection remains unchanged.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached at 571-270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NIDHI THAKER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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