DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the application No. 18/420,341 filed on January 23, 2024.
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 without traverse of Invention I, corresponding to claims 1-14, in the reply filed on April 7, 2026, is acknowledged. Claims 15-20 are withdrawn from consideration.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the at least one plate is disposed at a position corresponding to a gentle curvature portion of the flexible display panel, excluding the curved portion of the flexible display panel, the set bracket structure contacts the at least one plate corresponding to the flat surface or gentle curvature portion of the flexible display panel, excluding the curved portion of the flexible display panel, and the flexible display panel is a J-curved display panel must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 7 and 9 recite units of “um” which should be changed to -- µm --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites a “J-curved display panel”, rendering the claim indefinite since it is unclear what is specifically required or excluded by “J-curved”. Applicant provided no definitions regarding a J-curved state of the display panel. Applicant‘s figures do not show anything having the shape of a “J”. It is unclear if this simply means the display is foldable and there is a curve at the bent/folded region, or if this means the display must have one flat side much longer than the other flat side, e.g. having the shape of a “J” rather than a “U” having both flat sides equal in length. For the purpose of examination this will be treated as having any curved region regardless of the lengths of the two flat sides.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Song et al. (US 2021/0036259).
(Re Claim 1) Song teaches a display apparatus comprising (see Figs. 1-4 and corresponding text):
a flexible display panel having a curved portion (see Fig. 4);
a cover member attached to a display surface of the flexible display panel (cover 210 or 220, display surface at 100); and a flexible plate adhered to a rear surface of the flexible display panel, wherein the flexible plate comprises a flexible thin sheet and at least one plate (flexible plate 300, flexible thin sheet any or all of 310, 351, and 352, plate 320).
(Re Claim 2) wherein the flexible thin sheet comprises a material configured to dissipate heat; and wherein the at least one plate comprises a material configured to dissipate heat (all solid materials can dissipate heat, all layers of 300 will dissipate heat, also see ¶¶91-95).
(Re Claim 3) wherein the at least one plate is disposed at a position corresponding to a flat surface or a gentle curvature portion of the flexible display panel, excluding the curved portion of the flexible display panel (see Figs. 3-4).
(Re Claim 5) wherein the flexible thin sheet is adhered to the rear surface of the flexible display panel including a rear surface of the curved portion (Figs. 3-4, 300 bonded to 100 at bonding member 351).
(Re Claim 6) wherein the material configured to dissipate heat in the at least one plate comprises at least one of copper and aluminum (¶93).
(Re Claim 9) wherein the flexible thin sheet has a thickness of about 100 um or less (¶99).
(Re Claim 10) wherein the at least one plate includes a plurality of plates separated and spaced apart from each other, and wherein the plurality of plates are disposed on the flexible thin sheet (Figs. 3-4).
(Re Claim 11) wherein the flexible display panel further includes a plurality of flat surfaces with the curved portion disposed between the plurality of flat surfaces, and wherein the plurality of plates are adhered correspondingly to the plurality of flat surfaces of the display panel (Figs. 3-4).
(Re Claim 12) further comprising: an optical film provided between the flexible display panel and the cover member, wherein the optical film and the cover member are adhered to each other via an optically clear adhesive (optical film 230, adhesive 252).
(Re Claim 13) further comprising a support member (310) provided between the flexible display panel and the flexible plate.
(Re Claim 14, as best understood, see §112 above) wherein the flexible display panel is a J-curved display panel (Fig. 4).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song et al. as applied above, and further in view of Bok (US 2022/0399511).
(Re Claim 4) further comprising; a set bracket structure disposed at a rear surface of the flexible plate, wherein the set bracket structure contacts the at least one plate corresponding to the flat surface or gentle curvature portion of the flexible display panel, excluding the curved portion of the flexible display panel.
Song is silent regarding a set bracket. A PHOSITA would recognize Song’s display in Figs. 3-4 is incomplete as it lacks a bracket/housing to enclose and protect the display. A PHOSITA would be motivated to look to related art to teach additional details of a completed/packaged display device. Related art from Bok teaches in addition to the display layers, a “set bracket” (Fig. 6A: LC: LC1, LC2, AL1) is used to house, protect, and provide mechanical integrity for the display. The bracket contacts the metal heat dissipation plates (BP1/HL1 and BP2/HL2) on the backside of the flexible display which improves heat dissipation. A PHOSITA would find it obvious to further include a bracket on Song’s display panel to house, protect, and provide mechanical integrity for the display.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song et al. as applied above, and further in view of Kwon et al. (US 2023/0232659).
(Re Claim 7) wherein the at least one plate has a thickness of about 200 µm or more.
Song is silent regarding the thickness of the plate. A PHOSITA desiring to make and use Song’s display would be motivated to look to related art to teach a suitable thickness for the plate. Related art from Kwon teaches a suitable plate thickness TH0 may be up to 500 µm thick (¶100). Thus a thickness of 200 µm or more would be obvious in view of Kwon. The thickness is also deemed obvious to optimize and ascertainable through routine experimentation. Making the plate too thick unnecessarily adds weight, cost, and additional thickness to the display, while making the plate too thin reduces its ability to effectively act as a heat sink.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song et al. as applied above, and further in view of Yamazaki et al. (US 2004/0079941).
(Re Claim 8) wherein the material configured to dissipate heat in the flexible thin sheet
Song is silent regarding the material in the flexible thin sheet comprises at least one of graphite, copper, and aluminum. A PHOSITA would recognize that since Song’s metal plates 320 are for heat dissipation, the adhesive layer attaching the plate to the display should also be highly thermally conductive in order to conduct as much heat through and away from the display as possible. Related art from Yamzaki discloses adding aluminum powder to an adhesive layer in order to increase its thermal conductivity (¶¶23, 92, 109). A PHOSITA would find it obvious to add aluminum metal powder to Song’s adhesive/bonding layer(s) 351/352 in order to increase the thermal conductivity through the layers thereby improving heat dissipation through and out of the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The additional cited art teaches curved/flexible displays having metal plates for heat dissipation.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIK T. K. PETERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-3997. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-5 pm (CST).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at 571-272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIK T. K. PETERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
Prosecution Insights