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 .
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).
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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 1/7/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the applicants’ arguments that Seo fails to disclose that the curved bar is coupled between the first and second tilting units, the examiner respectfully disagrees. In the device of Seo, a center of the variable member 20 is positioned between the left end portion of 30 (i.e., first tilting unit) and the right end portion of 30 (i.e., second tilting unit) as shown in figs 7a-7b. See annotated fig 7a of Seo above.
The applicants further argue that Seo fails to disclose “a curved bar…coupled between the first and second tilting units” at least because the variable member 20 of Seo overlaps the divided regions 34 positioned at opposing ends of the alleged back cover 14, the examiner again notes that a center of the variable member 20 is positioned between the left end portion of 30 (i.e., first tilting unit) and the right end portion of 30 (i.e., second tilting unit) as shown in annotated fig 7a above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Nidhi Thaker whose telephone number is (571)270-3408. The examiner can normally be reached M, TH, F 10am-6pm.
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/NIDHI THAKER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841