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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/15/2024 being considered by the examiner. A copy of initialed form is attached for Applicant’s record.
Claim Objections
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim recites “…one of the first electrodes…”, however there is only one first electrode in the electro-optic assembly. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 3-6, 8-11, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by DeNolf et al. (US 20200183244 A1 hereinafter Denolf).
Regarding claim 1, DeNolf discloses an electro-optic assembly, in figure 1B, comprising:
a front substrate (32a) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a second substrate (32b) having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, the second and third surfaces facing each other to define a gap with a cell spacing;
a first electrode (26) coupled to the second surface;
a second electrode (28) coupled to the third surface;
an electro-optic medium (22) located between the first electrode (26) and the second electrode (28) and configured to activate between transmission states;
a conductor assembly (see below figure) electrically coupled to the first electrode (26) and defining at least one space (18) containing a first conductive intermediary (36 or 24); and
a seal (38) retaining the electro-optic medium in the gap.
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Regarding claim 3, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1. Denolf further discloses wherein the seal forms a distortion barrier and the cell spacing exhibits greater distortion on an outboard side of the seal than an inboard side of the seal, in the area within about 5 mm of the conductor assembly.
Regarding claim 4, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1. Denolf further discloses wherein the conductor assembly is configured to continuously bridge between the first and second electrodes.
Regarding claim 5, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1. DeNolf further discloses wherein the conductor assembly includes at least one pair of projections (14 and 16)(figure 1B) that define the at least one space (18).
Regarding claim 6, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1. DeNolf further discloses wherein the at least one pair of projections includes a first pair of projections (14 and 16) and a second pair of projections (24 and 24)(figure 1B) defining a first space (18) and a second space (18), the first conductive intermediary (36) located in the first space and a second conductive intermediary (36) located in the second space.
Regarding claim 8, DeNolf disclose the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the first conductive intermediary (36) comprises a conductive adhesive or a paste bonding the conductor assembly to at least one of the first or second electrodes (26 and 28 of figure 2B)(par.[0058]; …Electrical terminals 36 provide transfer of electricity between electrical connections along with optional bonding to the transparent electrodes 26 and 28 and electrical connection 24…).
Regarding claim 9, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the first conductive intermediary (36) comprises a material ([0058]; the electrical terminals 36 may correspond to electrical buses and may be formed of various conductive metals or conductive polymers (e.g. foils, conductive epoxies, etc.) exhibiting lower durometer characteristics than the seal ([0064]; The secondary seal 38 may form a portion or be combined with the dielectric layer).
Regarding claim 10, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductor assembly (12) extends at least partially between the first substrate (32a) and the second substrate (32b)(figure 2B).
Regarding claim 11, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductor assembly includes the first conductive intermediary (36) and a second conductive intermediary (36) that are coupled to one of a first conductive wrap or a first bus (24) and a second conductive wrap or a second bus (24), respectively.
Regarding claim 19, DeNolf discloses an electro-optic assembly, comprising:
a front substrate (32a) having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;
a second substrate (32b) having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface, the second and third surfaces facing each other to define a gap with a cell spacing;
a first electrode (26) coupled to the second surface;
a second electrode (28) coupled to the third surface;
an electro-optic medium (22) located between the first electrode (26) and the second electrode (28) and configured to activate between transmission states;
a conductor assembly (see above figure) includes a first conduction path (24) that is adhered to the first electrode (26) with a first conductive intermediary (36) and
a second conduction path (24) that is coupled to the second electrode (28) with a second conductive intermediary (36); and
a seal (38) retaining the electro-optic medium (22) in the gap.
Regarding claim 20, DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second conductive intermediary (36) comprises a material ([0058]; the electrical terminals 36 may correspond to electrical buses and may be formed of various conductive metals or conductive polymers (e.g. foils, conductive epoxies, etc.) exhibiting lower durometer characteristics than the seal ([0064]; The secondary seal 38 may form a portion or be combined with the dielectric layer).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DeNolf et al. (US 20200183244 A1 hereinafter Denolf), as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Tonar et al.(US 7324261).
DeNolf discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1 with the first substrate and the second substrate. However, DeNolf does not discloses wherein the first and second substrates define a thickness of 0.4 mm or less. Tonar et al. is in same field of endeavor and teaches wherein the first and second substrates define a thickness of 0.4 mm or less (col.55, lines 56-60). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed invention, to apply teachings of Tonar et al. to device of DeNolf for purpose of forming electro-optic device.
Allowable Subject Matter
1. Claims 13-18 are allowed.
2. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: (claim 13) a first electrode coupled to the second surface and a second electrode coupled to the third surface, at least one of the first and second electrodes includes an at least one isolation line defining at least one conductive island; a conductor assembly electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode and including at least one conductive bridge that electrically couples the at least one conductive island to the first and second electrodes opposite the at least one of the first and second electrodes that includes the at least one isolation line.
3. Claims 7 and 12 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.
4. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: (claim 7) wherein the at least one pair of projections is part of an overcoat layer substantially encasing the conductor assembly; (claim 12) wherein the first conductive wrap extends at least partially along an outer perimeter of the first substrate and at least partially around the second surface.
Conclusion
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/TUYEN TRA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872