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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application KR 10-2022-0169680 filed in Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) on December 7, 2022 and receipt of a certified copy thereof.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 12, 17 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 4, “on the upper surface of the flexible substrate” should read --on an upper surface of the flexible substrate--.
In claim 1, line 5, “on the lower surface of the flexible substrate” should read --on a lower surface of the flexible substrate--.
In claim 12, line 7, “after forming the support film” should read --after attaching the support film--. Support can be found at least in line 6 of claim 12.
In claim 17, line 1, “The organic light-emitting display method of claim 14” should read --The method of claim 14--.
In claim 18, line 1, “The organic light-emitting display method of claim 14” should read --The method of claim 14--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 of this title, 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, 2, 4-9 and 11-18 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim KR 20210083546 (the original document and a machine-generated English translation thereof are used in rejection; Kim ‘546) in view of Kim US 2016/0064685 (Kim ‘685).
Regarding claim 1, Kim ‘546 teaches an organic light-emitting display device (e.g., Fig. 7, translation [23]-[104]; Fig. 3) including a display area, a bending area, and a pad area (e.g., DA, BA, PA, Fig. 7), the device comprising:
a flexible substrate (e.g., 120, Fig. 7);
a pixel array layer (e.g., 130, Fig. 7) disposed on the upper surface of the flexible substrate;
an adhesive layer (e.g., 162, Fig. 7) and a backplate (e.g., 163, Fig. 7) disposed on the lower surface of the flexible substrate;
a polarizing plate (e.g., 150, Fig. 7) disposed on the upper surface of the pixel array layer; and
a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., 180, Fig. 7) attached to the pad area.
Kim ‘546 does not explicitly teach wherein the backplate includes a mesh pattern inserter into an interior thereof.
Kim ‘685 teaches wherein the backplate (e.g., 120 and 125, Fig. 8; Figs. 1-4) includes a mesh pattern inserter (e.g., 140, Figs. 1-4, Fig. 8) into an interior thereof.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Kim ‘546 to include wherein the backplate includes a mesh pattern inserter into an interior thereof as suggested by Kim ‘685 for the purpose of increasing elasticity or resilience (e.g., Kim ‘685, [45], [70]), thereby enhancing the device performance for example.
Regarding claim 2, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]) has an elastic modulus higher than that of the backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]).
Regarding claim 4, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a metal material (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]).
Regarding claim 5, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 4, wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a copper material (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]).
Regarding claim 6, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern includes a plurality of patterns extending in horizontal and vertical directions of the back plate (e.g., Kim ‘685, Figs. 2-4 and 6-7)
Regarding claim 7, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 6, wherein the mesh pattern has a polygonal shape (e.g., Kim ‘685, Figs. 2-4 and 6-7; [68]).
Regarding claim 8, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern is formed close to a surface facing the flexible substrate in a cross-section of the backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 9, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern is not protruded outside the backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, Fig. 8, Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1, wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a double layer (e.g., Kim ‘685, Figs. 4, 6 and 8).
Regarding claim 12, Kim ‘546 teaches a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device (e.g., Figs. 1-7, translation [23]-[104]) the method comprising:
forming a flexible substrate (e.g., 120, Fig. 2b) on a mother substrate (e.g., 110, Fig. 2b);
forming a pixel array layer (e.g., 130, Fig. 2b) on the flexible substrate;
separating the mother substrate (e.g., Fig. 2e);
attaching a support film (e.g., 160, Fig. 2f) to the flexible substrate;
attaching, after forming the support film, a polarizing plate (e.g., 150, Fig. 2p) and a flexible printed circuit board (e.g., 180, Fig. 2p); and
bending the organic light-emitting display device (e.g. Fig. 3).
Kim ‘546 does not explicitly teach a support film comprising a mesh pattern.
Kim ‘685 teaches a support film (e.g., 100 and 115, Fig. 8; Figs. 1-4) comprising a mesh pattern (e.g., 140, Figs. 1-4, Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Kim ‘546 to include a support film comprising a mesh pattern as suggested by Kim ‘685 for the purpose of increasing elasticity or resilience (e.g., Kim ‘685, [45], [70]), thereby enhancing the device performance for example.
Regarding claim 13, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the attaching of the support film comprises attaching the support film to the flexible substrate using a roller (e.g., Kim ‘546, 880, Fig. 2f).
Regarding claim 14, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the support film (e.g., Kim ‘685, 100 and 115, Fig. 8, Figs. 1-4) comprises an adhesive layer (e.g., Kim ‘685, 115, Fig. 8, Figs. 1-4) and a backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, 120 and 125, Fig. 8, Figs. 1-4), and the mesh pattern (e.g., Kim ‘685, 140, Fig. 8, Figs. 1-4) is inserted into an interior of the backplate .
Regarding claim 15, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the mesh pattern (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]) has an elastic modulus higher than that of the backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]).
Regarding claim 16, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a cotton material or a metal material (e.g., Kim ‘685, [71]).
Regarding claim 17, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display method of claim 14, wherein the mesh pattern is formed close to a surface facing the flexible substrate in the cross-section of the backplate (e.g., Kim ‘685, Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 18, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display method of claim 14, wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a double layer (e.g., Kim ‘685, Figs. 4, 6 and 8).
Claim 3 is rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shimizu et al. US 2009/0008142.
Regarding claim 3, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1 as discussed above.
Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 does not explicitly teach wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a cotton material. It has been well known in the art that mesh pattens of supporting layers may include metals, plastics, cottons, ceramics or the like as suggested by Kim ‘685 (e.g., [71]) and Shimizu (e.g., [321], [361], [348]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the device of Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 to include wherein the mesh pattern is formed of a cotton material because metals, plastics, cottons, ceramics or the like are commonly used as supporting materials for display devices as suggested by Kim ‘685 and Shimizu, and selecting among them would have been obvious to the skilled artisan. MPEP §2143.
Claims 10 and 19 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Sim et al. US 2022/0139274.
Regarding claim 10, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the organic light-emitting display device of claim 1 as discussed above.
Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 does not explicitly teach wherein the adhesive layer comprises a light-blocking pigment.
Sim teaches wherein the adhesive layer comprises a light-blocking pigment (e.g., [21]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the device of Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 to include wherein the adhesive layer comprises a light-blocking pigment as suggested by Sim for the purpose of enhancing light shielding property, thereby enhancing the device performance for example (e.g., Sim, [171]).
Regarding claim 19, Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 teaches the method of claim 14 s discussed above.
Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 does not explicitly teach wherein the adhesive layer includes a black press sensitive adhesive (PSA).
Sim teaches wherein the adhesive layer includes a black press sensitive adhesive (PSA) (e.g., [21], [71]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method of Kim ‘546 in view of Kim ‘685 to include wherein the adhesive layer includes a black press sensitive adhesive (PSA) as suggested by Sim for the purpose of enhancing light shielding property, thereby enhancing the device performance for example (e.g., Sim, [171]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bo Bin Jang whose telephone number is (571) 270-0271. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST.
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/BO B JANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 January 7, 2026