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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species 1 in the reply filed on 5/7/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the grounds that no serious search burden would be present when examining all identified species. This is not found persuasive because a showing of serious burden was presented in the restriction requirement mailed 3/9/2026.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 8, 14, and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 5/7/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 10-13, 16-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US patent publications US 20220208049 A1 (Oh et al hereinafter Oh) in view of US 20230061333 A1 (Cho et al hereinafter Cho).
Regarding claim 1, Oh discloses a display apparatus (FIGS. 1-3C, display device 100 ¶ [0022-0027, 0048]) comprising: a first substrate (FIG. 3A, support member 120 ¶ [0048]); a display layer (FIG. 3A, display panel 110 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the first substrate and comprising a plurality of pixels (FIG. 1, display area DA of the display panel includes pixels/subpixels, ¶ [0049-0050] and claim 1); a second substrate (FIG. 3A, lower half of touch panel 130 is on display panel 110 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the display layer; a first adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, adhesive member 141 is under support member 120 ¶ [0079]) disposed under the first substrate; a main flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, first printed circuit board PCB1 and first flexible circuit film FF1 form a main flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) having an end portion (FIG. 3A, upper end of film FF1 indirectly fixed to support member 120) fixed to the first substrate and a side (FIG. 3A, right side of board PCB1 fixed to adhesive 141) fixed to the first adhesive layer; a second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, conductive fiber tape 150 functions as an adhesive ¶ [0081]); and a touch flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, second printed circuit board PCB2 and second flexible circuit film FF2 form a touch flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) having an end portion fixed to the second substrate (FIG. 3A, upper end portion of film FF2 is fixed to lower half of touch panel 130) and a side fixed to the second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, lower left sides of second printed circuit board PCB2 and second flexible circuit film FF2 are fixed to tape 150).
Oh does not further disclose a plate portion disposed below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer; the second adhesive layer being disposed below the plate portion, wherein the first adhesive layer comprises an exposed region exposed from the main flexible circuit board, and the plate portion overlaps the exposed region.
However, Cho discloses a display device (the device of FIGS. 7-8A ¶ [0165]) which comprises a plate portion (FIG. 8A, ground pattern JP ¶ [0162]) disposed below a first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, adhesive layer CT ¶ [0172]) and fixed to the first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, indirectly fixed through resin layer CR ¶ [0171]), wherein the first adhesive layer comprises an exposed region (FIG. 8A, portion of adhesive CT overlapping opening portion JD) exposed from the main flexible circuit board (FIG. 8A, flexible circuit board FCB/FPCB includes an opening where adhesive CT is exposed below ¶ [0165]), and the plate portion overlaps the exposed region (JP overlaps the exposed region as it is in opening portion JD). Cho also teaches that static electricity introduced to the device may be routed away from the circuit board by the plate portion, protecting the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge (¶ [0173]).
Oh and Cho both pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Oh in view of Cho to include a plate portion disposed below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer; wherein the first adhesive layer comprises an exposed region exposed from the main flexible circuit board, and the plate portion overlaps the exposed region, in order to include the plate portion ground pattern of Cho to protect the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge. Regarding the limitation “the second adhesive layer being disposed below the plate portion”, since the second adhesive layer (tape 150 of Oh FIG. 3A) includes a portion that extends below both printed circuit boards (PCB1 and PCB2) it follows that the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion, since the plate portion of Cho (ground pattern JP of Cho FIG. 8A) does not extend below or above the flexible circuit board (Cho FIG. 8A, FPBC) that it is proximate to.
Regarding claim 2, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and they further disclose that in a plan view, a size of the exposed region is greater than a size of the plate portion (Choi FIG. 8A, the exposed opening JD has a larger area than the grounding pattern JP).
Regarding claim 4, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above. Additionally, the upper half of touch panel 130 of Oh FIG. 3A may be considered as part of the claimed touch flexible circuit board for consideration of the present claim. Therefore, Oh in view of Cho further discloses that in a plan view, the touch flexible circuit board covers the plate portion (Oh FIG. 3A, touch panel 130 overlaps all of adhesive 141, and Cho FIG. 8A illustrates that claimed plate pattern JP is overlapped by adhesive CT; when the plate of Cho is applied to the device of Oh, touch panel 130 therefore covers plate JP of Cho in a plan view).
Regarding claim 5, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and they further disclose that the touch flexible circuit board overlaps the main flexible circuit board (Oh FIG. 3A, touch board formed of film FF2 and board PCB2 overlaps main board formed of film FF1 and board PCB1 along a horizontal direction).
Regarding claim 10, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and they further disclose a touch sensing layer (FIG. 3A, upper half of touch panel 130 is on lower half of touch panel 130 ¶ [0048, 0068]) disposed on the second substrate, wherein the end portion of the touch flexible circuit board is fixed to the touch sensing layer (FIG. 3A, the upper end portion of film FF2 is fixed directly to the upper half of touch panel 130).
Regarding claim 11, Oh discloses a display apparatus (FIGS. 1-3C, display device 100 ¶ [0022-0027, 0048]) comprising: a first substrate (FIG. 3A, support member 120 ¶ [0048]); a display layer (FIG. 3A, display panel 110 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the first substrate and comprising a plurality of pixels (FIG. 1, display area DA of the display panel includes pixels/subpixels, ¶ [0049-0050] and claim 1); a second substrate (FIG. 3A, lower half of touch panel 130 is on display panel 110 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the display layer; a first adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, adhesive member 141 is under support member 120 ¶ [0079]) disposed under the first substrate; a main flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, first printed circuit board PCB1 and first flexible circuit film FF1 form a main flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) having an end portion (FIG. 3A, upper end of film FF1 indirectly fixed to support member 120) fixed to the first substrate and a side (FIG. 3A, right side of board PCB1 fixed to adhesive 141) fixed to the first adhesive layer; a second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, conductive fiber tape 150 functions as an adhesive ¶ [0081]); and a touch flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, second printed circuit board PCB2 and second flexible circuit film FF2 form a touch flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) having an end portion fixed to the second substrate (FIG. 3A, upper end portion of film FF2 is fixed to lower half of touch panel 130) and a side fixed to the second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, lower left sides of second printed circuit board PCB2 and second flexible circuit film FF2 are fixed to tape 150).
Oh does not further disclose the main flexible circuit board having a first opening exposing a portion of the first adhesive layer; a plate portion disposed below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer, and having at least a portion accommodated in the first opening, or that the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion.
However, Cho discloses a display device (the device of FIGS. 7-8A ¶ [0165]) which comprises a plate portion (FIG. 8A, ground pattern JP ¶ [0162]) disposed below a first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, adhesive layer CT ¶ [0172]) and fixed to the first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, indirectly fixed through resin layer CR ¶ [0171]), the main flexible circuit board (FIG. 8A, flexible circuit board FCB/FPCB ¶ [0165]) having a first opening (FIG. 8A, opening portion JD ¶ [0169]) exposing a portion of the first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, portion of adhesive CT overlapping opening portion JD is exposed from inside the opening), having at least a portion (of the plate portion) accommodated in the opening, (FIG. 8A, grounding pattern JP is accommodated in opening JD ¶ [0165]). Cho also teaches that static electricity introduced to the device may be routed away from the circuit board by the plate portion, protecting the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge (¶ [0173]).
Oh and Cho both pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Oh in view of Cho to include the main flexible circuit board having a first opening exposing a portion of the first adhesive layer; a plate portion disposed below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer, and having at least a portion accommodated in the first opening, in order to include the plate portion ground pattern of Cho to protect the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge. Regarding the limitation “the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion”, since the second adhesive layer (tape 150 of Oh FIG. 3A) includes a portion that extends below both printed circuit boards (PCB1 and PCB2) it follows that the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion, since the plate portion of Cho (ground pattern JP of Cho FIG. 8A) does not extend below or above the flexible circuit board (Cho FIG. 8A, FPBC) that it is proximate to.
Regarding claim 12, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 11 as detailed above. Additionally, the upper half of touch panel 130 of Oh FIG. 3A may be considered as part of the claimed touch flexible circuit board for consideration of the present claim. Therefore, Oh in view of Cho further discloses that in a plan view, the touch flexible circuit board covers the plate portion (Oh FIG. 3A, touch panel 130 overlaps all of adhesive 141, and Cho FIG. 8A illustrates that claimed plate pattern JP is overlapped by adhesive CT; when the plate of Cho is applied to the device of Oh, touch panel 130 therefore covers plate JP of Cho in a plan view).
Regarding claim 13, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 11 as detailed above. Oh in view of Cho discloses the claimed invention except for in a plan view, the first opening has a notch shape. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have in a plan view, the first opening has a notch shape, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art (In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70). Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to adjust the location of the opening depending on the desired connections in the device and layout of circuit elements in the main flexible circuit board, and arrive at a configuration wherein the opening is located at an edge of the main flexible circuit board.
Regarding claim 16, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 11 as detailed above, and they further disclose a touch sensing layer (FIG. 3A, upper half of touch panel 130 is on lower half of touch panel 130 ¶ [0048, 0068]) disposed on the second substrate, wherein the end portion of the touch flexible circuit board is fixed to the touch sensing layer (FIG. 3A, the upper end portion of film FF2 is fixed directly to the upper half of touch panel 130).
Regarding claim 17, Oh discloses a display apparatus (FIGS. 1-3C, display device 100 ¶ [0022-0027, 0048]) comprising: a first substrate (FIG. 3A, support member 120 ¶ [0048]); a display layer (FIG. 3A, display panel 110 on support member 120 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the first substrate; a second substrate (FIG. 3A, lower half of touch panel 130 is on display panel 110 ¶ [0048]) disposed on the display layer; a first adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, adhesive member 141 is under support member 120 ¶ [0079]) disposed under the first substrate; a main flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, first printed circuit board PCB1 and first flexible circuit film FF1 form a main flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) comprising a first side surface (FIG. 3A, the upper surface of board PCB1 is indirectly fixed to support member 120) fixed to the first substrate and fixed to the first adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, the upper surface of board PCB1 is directly fixed to adhesive 141); a second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, conductive fiber tape 150 functions as an adhesive ¶ [0081]); and a touch flexible circuit board (FIG. 3A, second printed circuit board PCB2 and second flexible circuit film FF2 form a touch flexible printed circuit board ¶ [0048]) having a first side surface (FIG. 3A, inner surface of film FF2 is indirectly fixed to lower half of touch panel 130) fixed to the second substrate and fixed to the second adhesive layer (FIG. 3A, inner surface of FF2 is indirectly fixed to tape 150).
Oh does not further disclose a first opening exposing the first adhesive layer; a plate portion disposed in the first opening and below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer in the first opening, or that the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion.
However, Cho discloses a display device (the device of FIGS. 7-8A ¶ [0165]) which comprises a first opening (FIG. 8A, opening portion JD ¶ [0169]) exposing a portion of the first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, portion of adhesive CT overlapping opening portion JD is exposed from inside the opening); a plate portion (FIG. 8A, ground pattern JP ¶ [0162]) disposed in the first opening (FIG. 8A, ground pattern JP is in opening portion JD) and below a first adhesive layer (FIG. 8A, adhesive layer CT ¶ [0172]) and fixed to the first adhesive layer in the first opening (FIG. 8A, ground pattern JP is indirectly fixed to adhesive layer CT). Cho also teaches that static electricity introduced to the device may be routed away from the circuit board by the plate portion, protecting the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge (¶ [0173]).
Oh and Cho both pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Oh in view of Cho to include a first opening exposing the first adhesive layer; a plate portion disposed in the first opening and below the first adhesive layer and fixed to the first adhesive layer in the first opening, in order to include the plate portion ground pattern of Cho to protect the device against short-circuiting or damage from electrostatic discharge. Regarding the limitation “the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion”, since the second adhesive layer (tape 150 of Oh FIG. 3A) includes a portion that extends below both printed circuit boards (PCB1 and PCB2) it follows that the second adhesive layer is disposed below the plate portion, since the plate portion of Cho (ground pattern JP of Cho FIG. 8A) does not extend below or above the flexible circuit board (Cho FIG. 8A, FPBC) that it is proximate to.
Regarding claim 19, Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 17 as detailed above. Additionally, the upper half of touch panel 130 of Oh FIG. 3A may be considered as part of the claimed touch flexible circuit board for consideration of the present claim. Therefore, Oh in view of Cho further discloses that in a plan view, the touch flexible circuit board covers the plate portion (Oh FIG. 3A, touch panel 130 overlaps all of adhesive 141, and Cho FIG. 8A illustrates that claimed plate pattern JP is overlapped by adhesive CT; when the plate of Cho is applied to the device of Oh, touch panel 130 therefore covers plate JP of Cho in a plan view).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Cho as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US patent publication US 20230104812 A1 (Wang et al hereinafter Wang).
Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, but do not further disclose a cushion layer disposed between the first substrate and the first adhesive layer, wherein the side of the main flexible circuit board is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer.
However, Wang discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 2 having cushion layer 07 of FIG. 3 ¶ [0081]) which comprises a cushion layer (FIG. 3, PET substrate 071 is a cushion layer ¶ [0081]) disposed between a first substrate (FIG. 2, cover plate 05 may function as a substate ¶ [0073]) and a first adhesive layer (FIG. 3, second adhesive 073 ¶ [0081]), wherein a side of a flexible circuit board (FIG. 2, TPFC 04 ¶ [0075]) is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer (FIGS. 2-3, TPFC 04 first portion 041 is fixed to PET substrate 071 by adhesive 073). Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious that the inclusion of the cushion layer would protect the device against damage from sudden impacts, and the cushion layer of Wang’s configuration includes adhesives which improve the stability of the flexible printed circuit board (¶ [0081]).
Oh, Cho, and Wang all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Oh in view of Cho further in view of Wang to include a cushion layer disposed between the first substrate and the first adhesive layer, wherein the side of the main flexible circuit board is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer as demonstrated by Wang, in order to protect the device against damage from sudden impacts and improve the stability of the flexible printed circuit board.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh in view of Cho as applied to claim 11 above, and further in view of Wang.
Oh in view of Cho discloses the limitations of claim 11 as detailed above, but do not further disclose a cushion layer disposed between the first substrate and the first adhesive layer, wherein the first adhesive layer is disposed between the side of the main flexible circuit board and the cushion layer, wherein the side of the main flexible circuit board is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer.
However, Wang discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 2 having cushion layer 07 of FIG. 3 ¶ [0081]) which comprises a cushion layer (FIG. 3, PET substrate 071 is a cushion layer ¶ [0081]) disposed between a first substrate (FIG. 2, cover plate 05 may function as a substate ¶ [0073]) and a first adhesive layer (FIG. 3, second adhesive 073 ¶ [0081]), wherein a side of a flexible circuit board (FIG. 2, TPFC 04 ¶ [0075]) is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer (FIGS. 2-3, TPFC 04 first portion 041 is fixed to PET substrate 071 by adhesive 073), wherein the first adhesive layer is disposed between the side of the flexible circuit board and the cushion layer (FIGS. 2-3, second adhesive 073 is between TFPC 04 first portion 041 and PET substrate 071). Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious that the inclusion of the cushion layer would protect the device against damage from sudden impacts, and the cushion layer of Wang’s configuration includes adhesives which improve the stability of the flexible printed circuit board (¶ [0081]).
Oh, Cho, and Wang all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Oh in view of Cho further in view of Wang to include a cushion layer disposed between the first substrate and the first adhesive layer, wherein the first adhesive layer is disposed between the side of the main flexible circuit board and the cushion layer, wherein the side of the main flexible circuit board is fixed to the cushion layer by the first adhesive layer, in order to protect the device against damage from sudden impacts and improve the stability of the flexible printed circuit board.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6-7, and 18 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.
Cited Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US patent publications US 20240373731 A1, US 20200185641 A1, US 20180197933 A1, and US 20140125884 A1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD RHETT CHEEK whose telephone number is (571)272-3461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:30am - 5pm, Every other Friday 8:30am - 5pm.
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/E.R.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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