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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: “Display Module And Segmental Members Supporting The Same”.
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.
Claims 1-16, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al (US 20230110625; “Hong” hereinafter), in view of Song et al (US 20200264660; “Song” et al).
Regarding claim 1, Hong teaches: a display device comprising:
a display module (1) including a flat portion and a bendable portion extending from the flat portion in a first direction (examination of figs. 1-4, 6-7, teaches this limitation¶[0025]);
segmental members (31, fig. 7) disposed below the display module (fig. 6, ¶[0031]), overlapping the bendable portion (figs. 5-6), and extending across an entirety of the display module in a second direction intersecting the first direction (fig. 6);
pattern parts (311, 312) connected to at least one end of the segmental members (fig. 8), respectively, and defining an etching groove (312, fig. 8); and
wherein the pattern parts are free from protrusions extending beyond the segmental members in a third direction (see annotated fig. 6, below), and wherein the pattern parts and the segmental members are integral with each other (fig. 8); and
a cover module (22, 41 and 42) defining a rail groove (openings in 41 and 42) accommodating the pattern parts ( figs. 10-11, ¶[0027], [0031]).
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Hong does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the etching groove has a concave shape extending into the pattern part in a third direction, wherein the third direction is normal to the first direction and the second direction.
However, Song teaches:
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a coupling of a guide block (232, fig. 16) and sliding rail (231 i.e. pattern part, fig. 16), whereas the sliding rail comprises an etching groove (see annotated fig. 16 below) with a concave shape extending into a pattern part.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Hong’s pattern part and rail groove with Song’s teaching, such that pattern part comprises an etching groove in a an upper and lower portion, with a concave shape that corresponds to the rail groove of figure 11 from Hong, extending into the pattern part in a third direction, wherein the third direction is normal to the first direction and the second direction, in order to prevent the pattern part from being separated from the rail groove (¶[0171]). Furthermore, such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966), MPEP §2144.04.
Regarding claim 2, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and the combination further teaches: wherein the cover module is slidingly coupled to the etching groove of each of the pattern parts (fig. 11, ¶[0032], Hong).
Regarding claim 3, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the pattern parts move along the rail groove (fig. 10, ¶[0031]).
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Regarding claim 4, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the cover module includes a first rail (see annotated figures 10-11 below) and a second rail (see annotated figures 10-11 below) which define the rail groove.
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Regarding claim 5, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 4, and Hong further teaches: wherein the first rail is spaced apart from the second rail and positioned inside the second rail (annotated figures 10-11 above, teaches this limitation).
Regarding claim 6, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 4, and the combination further teaches: wherein the etching groove is defined on an upper portion and lower portion of each of the pattern parts (via the combination of Hong and Song defined in claim 1, see annotated figs. 8 and 11 below, Hong),
the etching groove defined on the upper portion of each of the pattern parts is slidingly coupled to the second rail, (fig. 11, Hong), and
the etching groove defined on the lower portion of each of the pattern parts is slidingly coupled to the first rail (fig. 11, Hong).
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Regarding claim 7, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the cover module includes:
a first straight portion (portion where 311 and 312 are located in figs. 10-11);
a curved portion adjacent to the first straight portion (as disclosed in figs. 10-11); and
a second straight portion adjacent to the curved portion and facing the first straight portion (opposite portions to the first straight portions).
Regarding claim 8, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 7, and Hong further teaches: wherein the rail groove (openings in 41 and 42) extends from the first straight portion to the second straight portion through the curved portion (see figs. 10-11).
Regarding claim 9, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 8, and Hong further teaches: wherein a shape of the rail groove overlapping the curved portion is curved (figs. 1-2 and 9-12 teaches this limitation).
Regarding claim 10, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein a length of the cover module in the first direction is greater than or substantially equal to a length of the bendable portion in the first direction (figs. 1-5 discloses this limitation).
Regarding claim 11, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the segmental members are spaced apart from each other in a plan view (“there are gaps between the plurality of support ribs 31”, ¶[0031]).
Regarding claim 12, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the pattern parts are spaced apart from each other in a plan view (figs, 6-7, ¶[0031]).
Regarding claim 13, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and the combination further teaches: wherein the etching groove has a shape of one of a rectangle, a triangle, and a semicircle (via the combination of He and Song, where the concave shape is equivalent to a semicircle, see annotated fig. 16 below from Song).
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Regarding claim 14, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein a cross section of an end of each of the pattern parts is a rectangle (figs. 8 and 11 teaches this limitation).
Regarding claim 15, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the pattern parts do not overlap the display module (as disclosed in fig. 6).
Regarding claim 16, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches:
wherein the cover module does not overlap the display module (as disclosed upon examination of figs. 6, 9, 13-14).
Regarding claim 18, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches:
wherein the etching groove extends in the first direction (via the combination of Hong and Song, figs. 6 and 8, Hong).
Regarding claim 19, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein the pattern parts include:
first pattern parts each connected to first ends of the segmental members, respectively; and
second pattern parts connected to second ends of the segmental members, respectively, and
each of the first pattern parts and the second pattern parts defines the etching groove (as disclosed upon examination of figs. 5-12, and ¶[0031], to satisfy “For convenience, FIG. 9 shows only one side of the flexible display screen 1. Another side of the flexible display screen 1 is also arranged with a first guide rail 41 and a second guide rail 42”, ¶[0027]).
Regarding claim 20, Hong in view of Song discloses the limitation of claim 1, and Hong further teaches: wherein
the cover module includes a first cover member and a second cover member spaced apart from the first cover member in the second direction (“For convenience, FIG. 9 shows only one side of the flexible display screen 1. Another side of the flexible display screen 1 is also arranged with a first guide rail 41 and a second guide rail 42”, ¶[0027], and opposing sidewalls of 22 in figs. 5 and 12), and
each of the first cover member and the second cover member defines the rail groove accommodating the pattern parts (as disclosed upon examination of figs. 9-12).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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