DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the communication filed 15 June 2026.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of Applicant' s Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS). The IDS(es) has/have been considered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of the Species 1 (FIG. 5) embodiment in the reply filed on 15 June 2025 is acknowledged.
Regarding Applicant' s listing of claims 1-10 and 14-19 as readable on the elected species, however, the Examiner respectfully notes that claims 17 and 19 do not belong to the elected Species 1 embodiment. Claim 17 recites the limitation “a dummy metal disposed between the first inorganic sealing layer and the second inorganic sealing layer . . .” Applicant' s elected Species 1 embodiment is depicted in FIG. 5, however, which depicts the dummy metal layer in a configuration wherein the dummy metal layer is not disposed between the first inorganic sealing layer and the second inorganic sealing layer. The unelected Species 2 embodiment is depicted in FIG. 7, which shows wherein the dummy metal layer is disposed between the first inorganic sealing layer and the second inorganic sealing layer.
Accordingly, claims 11-13, 17, and 19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 claimed features:
Of claim 8: “a touch buffer layer and a touch insulation layer sequentially disposed on the sealing part”;
Of claim 18: “wherein the sensor hole area overlaps at least a part of the display area”;
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.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "181" and "182,” as well as “152” and “153,” in both instances have each been used to designate the same layer in FIG. 5. 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. 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 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.
Claims 1, 14, and 16 are 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.
“The essential inquiry pertaining to this requirement is whether the claims set out and circumscribe a particular subject matter with a reasonable degree of clarity and particularity. ‘As the statutory language of “particular[ity]” and “distinct[ness]” indicates, claims are required to be cast in clear—as opposed to ambiguous, vague, indefinite—terms. It is the claims that notify the public of what is within the protections of the patent, and what is not.' ” MPEP § 2173.02(II) (quoting In re Packard, 751 F.3d 1307, 1313, 110 USPQ2d 1785, 1788 (Fed. Cir. 2014)).
Regarding Claim 1: Claim 1 states, in relevant part, “a plurality of dams disposed in the sensor hole area and including a first dam positioned to be close to the sensor hole, and a second dam positioned to be distant from the sensor hole . . . .” This phrase renders scope of the claim unclear because the terms “close to” and “distant from” are not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining what is “close to” versus what is “distant from,” and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention based on Applicant’s chosen terminology. It is unclear whether (1) something that is “close to” something else represents a first distance, and something that is “distant from” something else represents a second distance that is greater than a first distance, or whether (2) something that is “distant from” something else represents a first distance, and something that is “close to” something else represents a second distance that is greater than a first distance. For the purposes of examination, the relevant language has been interpreted in accordance with interpretation (1).
Claims 2-10, 14, 15, and 18, which depend from claim 1, are rejected under § 112(b) for at least the same reasons as claim 1.
Regarding claim 14: Claim 14 recites the limitation "the first to third disconnection layers.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15, which depends from claim 14, are rejected under § 112(b) for at least the same reasons as claim 14.
Regarding claim 16: Claim 16 states, in relevant part, “wherein the plurality of dams includes a first dam positioned to be close to the sensor hole, and a second dam positioned to be distant from the sensor hole . . . .” This phrase renders scope of the claim unclear because the terms “close to” and “distant from” are not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining what is “close to” versus what is “distant from,” and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention based on Applicant’s chosen terminology. It is unclear whether (1) something that is “close to” something else represents a first distance, and something that is “distant from” something else represents a second distance that is greater than a first distance, or whether (2) something that is “distant from” something else represents a first distance, and something that is “close to” something else represents a second distance that is greater than a first distance. For the purposes of examination, the relevant language has been interpreted in accordance with interpretation (1).
Claim 16 further states: “wherein the dummy metal is disposed to extend from an upper portion of the first dam to at least some of the plurality of first disconnection structure.” This phrase renders scope of the claim unclear because it is unclear whether Applicant is claiming a singular first disconnection structure, or a plurality of first disconnection structures, as Applicant’s claimed limitation of “the plurality of first disconnection structure” contradicts Applicants claimed limitation of a singular “first disconnection structure.” For the purposes of examination, claim 16 has been interpreted to encompass only a singular first disconnection structure.
Applicant may cancel the claims, amend the claims, or present a sufficient showing that the claims comply with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-6, 14, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0165815 (published May 26, 2022) (hereinafter “Han”).
Regarding independent claim 1, Han discloses: A display device comprising:
a substrate (FIG. 6, substrate 101, [0058]) having a display area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements is disposed (FIGS. 1-3, depicting a display area AA, in which a plurality of light emitting elements 150 are disposed, [0053], [0071]);
a sensor hole area (FIG. 1, depicting region B corresponding to a camera hole area CHA, [0080]);
a sensor hole within the sensor hole area (FIG. 1, depicting a camera hole CH disposed in the region B corresponding to a camera hole area CHA, [0080]) through which a part of the substrate is aligned (FIG. 6, depicting wherein a portion of the substrate 101 is aligned with the camera hole CH);
a plurality of dams disposed in the sensor hole area (FIG. 6, depicting a plurality of dams 301/302, [0080]) and including a first dam positioned to be close to the sensor hole (FIG. 6, dam 301, [0080]), and a second dam positioned to be distant from the sensor hole (FIG. 6, dam 302, [0080]);
a plurality of disconnection structures disposed in the sensor hole area (FIG. 6, prevention parts 210/220, [0080]) and including
a second disconnection structure positioned between the first dam and the second dam (FIG. 6, prevention part 210 positioned between the dam 301 and the dam 302, [0080]), and
a third disconnection structure positioned between the second dam and the display area (FIG. 6, prevention part 220 positioned between the dam 302 and the display area AA, [0080]); and
a sealing part disposed on the plurality of dams and the plurality of disconnection structures and including at least one of a first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 171, [0078]), a second inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 173, [0078]), and an organic sealing layer (FIG. 6, organic insulating film 172, [0078]),
and wherein the second inorganic sealing layer is disposed to be flat on the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the inorganic insulating film 173 is disposed to be flat on the inorganic insulating film 171).
The FIG. 6 embodiment of Han does not specifically disclose a first disconnection structure positioned between the first dam and the sensor hole, wherein the first disconnection structure has a top surface that is flat in a horizontal direction, and wherein the first inorganic sealing layer is disposed on the first disconnection structure.
In [0080], however, Han states: “The present disclosure has proposed two dams, but is not limited thereto, and additional dams may be further disposed according to the arrangement of the space. Referring to FIG. 4, the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220 may be disposed on the inner sides of the first dam 301 and the second dam 302. A first prevention part 210 and a second prevention part 220 may be disposed for protecting the light emitting element 150 of the display area from moisture and oxygen which may be introduced from the camera hole CH. . . . To suppress the problem, the first and second prevention parts 210 and 220 may allow the light emitting stack 152 to be partially disconnected. A detailed description thereof will be described in FIGS. 6 to 8 to be described below. In the present disclosure, two disconnection structures have been described, but it is not limited thereto.” Han further states in [0082]: “For example, the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220 may include five or more structures, respectively, and additional prevention parts may be disposed at a side (for example, the right side in FIG. 5) of the first dam 301 opposite to the first prevention part 210, a portion adjacent to the camera hole area CHA in addition to the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220. In addition to the first dam 301 and the second dam 302, additional dams may be further disposed in the non-display area NA at a side (for example, the left side in FIG. 5) of the second prevention part 220 opposite to the second dam 302.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Han by adding an additional prevention part at a right side of the dam 301 and adjacent to the camera hole area CHA in order to further prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating into the display area AA. See Han [0080], [0082].
Moreover, the addition of another prevention part to the right side of the dam 301 would result in a configuration wherein the additional prevention part is positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH, wherein the additional prevention part would have a a top surface that is flat in a horizontal direction, just as shown in FIG. 6, wherein each of the individual structures of the prevention parts 210/220 have top surfaces that are flat in a horizontal direction, and wherein the inorganic sealing layer 171 is disposed on the additional prevention part, just as shown in FIG. 6, wherein the inorganic sealing layer 171 is disposed on each of the prevention parts 210/220.
Regarding claim 2, Han further discloses wherein the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 171), the second inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 173), and the organic sealing layer (FIG. 6, organic insulating film 172) between the first inorganic sealing layer and the second inorganic sealing layer are disposed on at least one of the second disconnection structure and the third disconnection structure (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the inorganic insulating film 171, inorganic insulating film 173, and organic insulating film 172 are disposed on the separation parts 210/220).
Regarding claim 3, Han further discloses wherein the first inorganic sealing layer disposed on the first disconnection structure is in contact with the second inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the inorganic insulating film 171 contacts the inorganic insulating film 173), wherein the first inorganic sealing layer disposed on the second disconnection structure or the third disconnection structure is separated from the second inorganic sealing layer with the organic sealing layer interposed therebetween (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the organic insulating film 172 separates the inorganic insulating film 171 and the inorganic insulating film 173), and wherein a top surface of the organic sealing layer is formed to be flat (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the organic insulating film 172 has a top surface that is flat).
Regarding claim 4, Han further discloses wherein the first disconnection structure comprises a plurality of first disconnection parts (FIG. 6, depicting wherein, modified as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, the additional prevention part that is positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH would further include a plurality of structures forming the additional prevention part as disclosed in [0080] and [0082]), wherein a first groove is formed between the first disconnection structure and the first dam (FIG. 6, depicting wherein, modified as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, the additional prevention part would have a first groove formed between the additional prevention part and the dam 301, just as, e.g., the prevention part 210 includes a groove formed between the prevention part 210 and the dam 302), and a second groove is formed between the adjacent first disconnection parts (FIG. 6, depicting wherein, modified as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, the structures of the additional prevention part would include a second groove formed between the structures of the additional prevention part, just as, e.g., the prevention part 210 includes a groove formed between the structures 211-214).
Regarding claim 5, Han further discloses wherein the first groove defined by the first disconnection structure and the first dam is filled with the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein, modified as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, the additional prevention part would have a first groove formed between the additional prevention part and the dam 301, just as, e.g., the prevention part 210 includes a groove formed between the prevention part 210 and the dam 302, and further wherein that first groove would be filled with the inorganic insulating film 171, just as the groove formed between the prevention part 210 and the dam 302 is filled with the inorganic insulating film 171), and the second inorganic sealing layer is disposed to be flat on the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the inorganic insulating film 173 is disposed to be flat on the inorganic insulating film 171).
Regarding claim 6, Han further discloses wherein the second groove defined by the adjacent first disconnection parts is filled with the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein, modified as disclosed in the rejection of claim 1, the structures of the additional prevention part would include a second groove formed between the structures of the additional prevention part, just as, e.g., the prevention part 210 includes a groove formed between the structures 211-214, and further wherein that second groove would be filled with the inorganic insulating film 171, just as the groove formed between the structures 211-214 is filled with the inorganic insulating film 171), and the second inorganic sealing layer is disposed to be flat on the first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the inorganic insulating film 173 is disposed to be flat on the inorganic insulating film 171).
Regarding claim 14, Han further discloses wherein at least one of the first to third disconnection structures is formed to have a structure in which the first to third disconnection layers are sequentially stacked (FIG. 6, depicting wherein each of the separation parts 210/220 and additional separation part are formed from a gate insulating layer 137, a lower portion 211b, and an upper portion 211a which are sequentially stacked, [0064], [0085]).
Regarding claim 15, Han further discloses wherein the second disconnection layer (FIG. 6, e.g., lower portion 211b) of the first disconnection structure has a smaller width than the first disconnection layer and the third disconnection layer (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the lower portion 211b has a smaller width than the gate insulating layer 137 and the upper portion 211a).
Regarding claim 18, Han further discloses wherein the sensor hole area overlaps at least a part of the display area (FIGS. 4/6, depicting wherein a portion of the camera hole area CHA overlaps at least a part of the display area AA).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0115477 (filed Dec. 21, 2021) (hereinafter “Park”).
Regarding claim 7, Han further discloses wherein a length of the first disconnection part is 2.5 μm to 3.0 μm in a part where the first disconnection part is present (FIG. 6; [0082]: “The first to eighth structures 211, 212, 213, 214, 221, 222, 223, and 224 included in the first and second prevention parts 210, 220 may have line widths of about 3 to 10 μm, but are not limited thereto.”).
Han does not specifically disclose wherein a distance between the adjacent first disconnection parts is 2.0 μm to 2.5 μm in a part where the first disconnection part is not present.
In the same field of endeavor, Park discloses a display device including a plurality of disconnection structures (FIG. 9A, multilayered structure ML, [0159]) and grooves between the disconnection structures (FIG. 9A, groove G, [0159]). Regarding the grooves G, in [0169], Park states: “Like the first functional layer 222 a and/or the second functional layer 222 c, the opposite electrode 223 formed by a thermal deposition method may be disconnected by the groove G.” Park further states in [0159]-[0160]: “In one or more embodiments, it is shown in FIG. 9A that a first hole 210 h formed in the metal layer 210 and a second hole 209 h formed in the first organic insulating layer 209 overlap each other and constitute the groove G. Ends of the metal layer 210 that define the first hole 210 h may protrude further toward a center of the groove G than an inner lateral surface of the first organic insulating layer 209 arranged below the metal layer 210. For example, a first width W1 of the first hole 210 h may have a value less than that of a second width W2 of the second hole 209 h. Here, the second width W2 of the second hole 209 h may be measured at a portion of the first organic insulating layer 209 right under the ends of the metal layer 210 that define the first hole 210 h. The ends of the metal layer 210 that protrude toward the center of the groove G and/or the first hole 210 h may constitute a pair of eaves (or a pair of protruding tips, or tips PT). A protruding length dl of each tip PT may be less than a depth h1 of the second hole 209 h described below. For example, the protruding length d1 of each tip PT may be less than 2 μm. For example, the length d1 of each tip PT may be less than 2.0 μm. In one or more embodiments, the protruding length d1 may be about 1 μm to about 1.5 μm.” Thus, noted in Park, the parameters of the groove, including the width between adjacent portions of the multi-layered structure, is a result-effective variable for achieving an effective disconnection between various desired layers of the display device.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the width between adjacent structures of the additional prevention part, identified by Park as a result-effective variable. One of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a width ranging from 2.0 μm to 2.5 μm in order to achieve disconnection of various layers of the device, including the various layers of the light emitting stack of Han, as disclosed in Park in [0159]-[0160] and [0169]. See MPEP § 2144.05 (“[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation.”) (quoting In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456 (C.C.P.A. 1955)).
Claims 8-10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0126390 (effectively filed Oct. 18, 2022) (hereinafter “Eom”).
Regarding claim 8, Han further discloses a touch buffer layer (FIG. 6, e.g., touch planarization layer 181, [0079]) and a touch insulation layer (FIG. 6, e.g., touch planarization layer 183, [0079]) sequentially disposed on the sealing part (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the touch planarization layers 181/183 are sequentially disposed on the inorganic insulating film 171, inorganic insulating layer 173, and organic insulating film 172).
Han in view of Park does not specifically disclose a dummy metal disposed on the touch insulation layer.
In the same field of endeavor, Eom discloses a display device including a dummy metal disposed (FIG. 14, metal layer 470, [0181]) on a touch insulation layer (FIG. 14, e.g., touch insulating layer 430, [0177]). Regarding the metal layer 470, in [0181], Eom states: “In addition, the metal layer 470 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the opening 10H by a preset interval d. This, not only reduces the amount of heat transferred to the inside of the display panel 10 due to a laser beam used while the opening 10H is formed, but also reduces the amount of energy that is consumed.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Han by adding the metal layer 470 in order to reduce the amount of heat transferred to the display device and to reduce the amount of energy consumed in producing the display device. See Eom [0181].
Regarding claim 9, Han in view of Eom further discloses wherein the dummy metal is disposed to extend from an upper portion of the first dam to an upper portion of the first disconnection structure (Eom FIG. 14; Han FIG. 6, depicting wherein the metal layer 470 would be disposed to extend from the first dam 301 to the additional prevention part positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH of Han, just as the metal layer 470 extends from the partition wall PW1 to the opening 10H of Eom).
Regarding claim 10, Han in view of Eom further discloses wherein the dummy metal is disposed to cover a side surface of the first dam positioned between the first dam and the first disconnection structure (Eom FIG. 14; Han FIG. 6, depicting wherein the dam 301 is shaped such that the metal layer 470 would cover a side surface of the dam 301 positioned between the dam 301 and the additional prevention part positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH).
Regarding independent claim 16, Han discloses: A display device comprising:
a substrate (FIG. 6, substrate 101, [0058]) having a display area in which a plurality of light-emitting elements is disposed (FIGS. 1-3, depicting a display area AA, in which a plurality of light emitting elements 150 are disposed, [0053], [0071])
a sensor hole area (FIG. 1, depicting region B corresponding to a camera hole area CHA, [0080]) including a sensor hole (FIG. 1, depicting a camera hole CH disposed in the region B corresponding to a camera hole area CHA, [0080]) through which a part of the substrate is aligned(FIG. 6, depicting wherein a portion of the substrate 101 is aligned with the camera hole CH);
a plurality of dams (FIG. 6, depicting a plurality of dams 301/302, [0080]) and a plurality of disconnection structures (FIG. 6, prevention parts 210/220, [0080]) disposed in the sensor hole area (FIG. 6, depicting wherein the dams 301/302 and the prevention parts 210/220 are disposed in the camera hole area CHA);
a sealing part disposed on the plurality of dams and the plurality of disconnection structures and including at least one of a first inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 171, [0078]), a second inorganic sealing layer (FIG. 6, inorganic insulating film 173, [0078]), and an organic sealing layer (FIG. 6, organic insulating film 172, [0078]); and
wherein the plurality of dams includes a first dam positioned to be close to the sensor hole (FIG. 6, dam 301, [0080]), and
a second dam positioned to be distant from the sensor hole (FIG. 6, dam 302, [0080]),
wherein the plurality of disconnection structures include
a second disconnection structure positioned between the first dam and the second dam (FIG. 6, prevention part 210 positioned between the dam 301 and the dam 302, [0080]).
The FIG. 6 embodiment of Han does not specifically disclose a first disconnection structure positioned between the first dam and the sensor hole.
In [0080], however, Han states: “The present disclosure has proposed two dams, but is not limited thereto, and additional dams may be further disposed according to the arrangement of the space. Referring to FIG. 4, the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220 may be disposed on the inner sides of the first dam 301 and the second dam 302. A first prevention part 210 and a second prevention part 220 may be disposed for protecting the light emitting element 150 of the display area from moisture and oxygen which may be introduced from the camera hole CH. . . . To suppress the problem, the first and second prevention parts 210 and 220 may allow the light emitting stack 152 to be partially disconnected. A detailed description thereof will be described in FIGS. 6 to 8 to be described below. In the present disclosure, two disconnection structures have been described, but it is not limited thereto.” Han further states in [0082]: “For example, the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220 may include five or more structures, respectively, and additional prevention parts may be disposed at a side (for example, the right side in FIG. 5) of the first dam 301 opposite to the first prevention part 210, a portion adjacent to the camera hole area CHA in addition to the first prevention part 210 and the second prevention part 220. In addition to the first dam 301 and the second dam 302, additional dams may be further disposed in the non-display area NA at a side (for example, the left side in FIG. 5) of the second prevention part 220 opposite to the second dam 302.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Park by adding an additional prevention part at a right side of the dam 301 and adjacent to the camera hole area CHA in order to further prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating into the display area AA. See Han [0080], [0082].
Moreover, the addition of another prevention part to the right side of the dam 301 would result in a configuration wherein the additional prevention part is positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH, just as the metal layer 470 extends from, e.g., the partition wall PW1 to the opening 10H of Eom.
Han does not specifically disclose a dummy metal disposed on the sealing part, wherein the dummy metal is disposed to extend from an upper portion of the first dam to at least some of the plurality of first disconnection structure.
In the same field of endeavor, Eom discloses a display device including a dummy metal disposed (FIG. 14, metal layer 470, [0181]) on a touch insulation layer (FIG. 14, e.g., touch insulating layer 430, [0177]). Regarding the metal layer 470, in [0181], Eom states: “In addition, the metal layer 470 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the opening 10H by a preset interval d. This, not only reduces the amount of heat transferred to the inside of the display panel 10 due to a laser beam used while the opening 10H is formed, but also reduces the amount of energy that is consumed.”
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the disclosed display device of Han by adding the metal layer 470 in order to reduce the amount of heat transferred to the display device and to reduce the amount of energy consumed in producing the display device. See Eom [0181].
Moreover, the addition of the metal layer 470 would result in a configuration wherein the metal layer 470 is disposed to extend from the first dam 301 to the additional prevention part positioned between the dam 301 and the camera hole CH.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Publication Nos.: 2024/0260409 (filed June 22, 2021) (disclosing a plurality of structures similar to those disconnection structures disclosed by Applicant); 2020/0313102 (filed Mar. 11, 2020) (disclosing a plurality of structures similar to those dam structures disclosed by Applicant); 2020/0194714 (published June 18, 2020) (disclosing a plurality of structures similar to those disconnection structures disclosed by Applicant); 2025/0081831 (filed Oct. 11, 2022) (disclosing a plurality of structures similar to those disconnection structures disclosed by Applicant).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM D WEILAND whose telephone number is (703)756-4760. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am-5pm.
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, Steven Gauthier can be reached at (571)270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADAM D WEILAND/Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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