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 .
In the amendment filed on 03/02/2026, applicants have amended claims 1-2, 6, and 9. Amended claims 1, 7-8 have been rejected under Dong et al (US 2021/0359210A1) in view of KR 20210142840A and JP 3678199B2 for the following reasons.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: In claim 1, lines 7 and 19, the word “portion” is misspelled as “potion”. 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, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Dong et al (US 2021/0359210A1) in view of KR 20210142840A (see English Translation pages 1-9).
Regarding claim 1, Dong et al teaches (see Figs 10, 14 and 17, para [0003] and
Abstract) a mask-support assembly for use in a process of forming organic light emitting diode (OLED) pixels on a semiconductor wafer, the mask-support assembly (see Fig 12b for a plurality of mask arranged in a matrix) comprising: a support (130) including an edge portion (130, see Fig 10) and a grid portion (see Fig 11b, 12b); a mask (shadow mask 110) connected onto the support and including a plurality of cell portions with mask patterns formed therein, a connection potion (adhesion layer 120, spacer 121) interposed between the support and the mask (110), connecting the support (130) and the mask (110), wherein at least a part of the mask (110) is disposed in a trench portion recessed in the support (see Figs 10 and 17), wherein the support (130) is formed from a silicon wafer (see [0086]), the mask is formed on the silicon wafer (see para [0037], and wherein the connection potion (adhesion layer 120, spacer 121) comprises components of the support and the mask (see Figs 2a-2d for multiple regions of the shadow mask and support). Dong et al further teaches (see Figs 11a, 11b and 12b) the grid portion includes a plurality of first grid portions extending in a first direction and having both ends connected to the edge portion (see Fig 11b and 12b); and a plurality of second grid portions extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, intersecting with the first grid portions, and having both ends connected to the edge portion (see Fig 11b showing a plurality of first grid portions and a plurality of second grid portions for each mask 110 within apertures 111b having both ends connected edge portions 111c, or Fig 12b also shows a plurality of first grid portions and a plurality of second grid portions for a plurality masks within masks 110 having both ends connected to edge portion 130, wherein the plurality of first grid portions and the plurality second portions extending perpendicular to each other and intersecting each other). Dong et al lacks teaching the mask is formed on the silicon wafer by electroforming method of manufacturing a deposition mask. However, KR'840 teaches in a method of manufacturing a deposition mask formed by electroforming process (see English translation on page 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the mask with a method manufacturing a mask formed by electroforming process to prevent sagging of the deposition mask as taught by KR'840 (see English translation on page 5).
As to claim 7, Dong et al teaches the components including Fe, Ni and Si (see
para [0086]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dong et al
(US 2021/0359210A1) in view of KR 20210142840A (see English Translation pages 1-9) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of JP 3678199B2 (pages 1-15 and Fig 10).
Dong et al teaches components of the mask and the support (see Figs 2a-2d for
multiple regions of the shadow mask and support), but lacks teaching an auxiliary
connection portion including at least one of Ni, Cu, Ti, Au, Ag, Al, Sn, In, Bi, Zn, Sb, Ge,
or Cd is further interposed between the connection portion and the mask. However,
JP'199 teaches membrane layer 12 with antistatic film of Ag and AU formed between
the connection portion and the mask (see para [0018] and [0023]); and a thickness of
the membrane layer is about 100nm equals to O. 1micro meter (see para [0020] for the
thickness of membrane layer 12 within the range of 0.01-0.2 micro meter). It would have
been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the
claimed invention to include an auxiliary connection portion including one of the claimed
elements in Dong et al to use material resistant to the etching solution as taught by
JP'199 (see para [0023]). With respect to the thickness of the connection portion, it
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date
of the claimed invention to include a connection portion having a thickness in the range of 0.01-0.2 micro meter in Dong et al considering the strength of the membrane layer and the mask region as taught by JP'199 (see para [0020]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 and 9 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Dong et al teaches a shadow mask for patterning vapor deposition of an organic material having a rectangular shape mask support assembly (see Figs 11a, 11b and 12b, and claim 7), wherein the shadow mask having rigid carrier 130 window with aperture patterns showing grid portions (see Figs 11b and 12b). JP2022175723A teaches a vapor deposition mask having a circular shape but the mask assembly is not disposed in a trench portion recessed in the support as shown by Dong et al. Prior art of record does not disclose or suggest a mask-support assembly comprising, among others, a support including an edge portion and a grid portion; a mask connected onto the support and including a plurality of cell portions with mask patterns formed therein, and a connection portion interposed between the support and the mask connecting the support and the mask, wherein at least a part of the mask is disposed in a trench portion recessed in the support, the grid portion includes a plurality of first grid portions extending in a first direction and having both ends connected to the edge portion; and a plurality of second grid portions extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, intersecting with the first grid portions, and having both ends connected to the edge portion, wherein the support and the mask have a circular shape .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 03/02/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicants argue “Dong does not disclose a grid structure integrated with an edge portion and including a plurality of elongated grid members extending across an
interior region. In particular, Dong's rigid carrier 130 is a plate-like support body
and is not described as including a plurality of beam-like grid portions extending in
a first direction and connected at both ends to an edge portion. The claimed
invention requires that each first grid portion span between opposite sides of the
edge portion so as to form a frame-integrated grid structure defining interior
regions. No such spanning grid members are disclosed or suggested in Dong”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with applicants’ argument because Dong et al’s Figs 11b and 12b feature grid members of the mask assembly (see annotated Fig. 11b).
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Regarding to applicants’ argument that “The claimed invention requires that each first grid portion span between opposite sides of the edge portion so as to form a frame-integrated grid structure defining interior regions, it is noted that applicants’ claim 1 is not required to have interior regions defined by the grid portions. In any event, Dong et al teaches a perforated apertures 111b defined within a frame-integrated grid structure (or masks 110 arranged withing the frame portion carrier 130), in similar manner as applicants’ Fig 4 and par [0063] teach empty spaces (CR). For at least the reasons described above the examiner maintains the rejection of amended claims 1 and 7-8.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 YEWEBDAR T TADESSE whose telephone number is (571)272-1238. The examiner can normally be reached 7.00-3:30 PM.
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YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/