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 .
This is a Final office action based on application 18/447,100 in response to reply filed February 5, 2026. Claims 1-2, 4-14, 16-18 & 20-22 are currently pending and have been considered below.
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(s) 1-2, 5-6, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546).
Regarding claim 1 & 5, Cho discloses a display panel comprising:
a first substrate (Fig. 3 & 11, 160/110) having a pixel area; and
a cover layer (140), a rear surface of the first substrate being bonded to a front surface of the cover layer, wherein a linear flow path pattern (150) is formed in at least one of the rear surface of the first substrate and the front surface of the cover layer at a depth from a corresponding surface (Fig. 3).
Cho does not explicitly disclose wherein a linear flow path formed by the linear flow path pattern has a working fluid therein, the working fluid directly contacting at least one of the first substrate or the cover layer, and wherein the linear flow path has a height smaller than a thickness of the first substrate. However Waidhas discloses a cooling structure comprising:
A lower panel/cover layer (Fig. 15a-15e) including a channel/linear flow path (1504/120) bonded to an upper panel/substrate (1502) wherein the upper panel can include the same channels corresponding to the channel (1504) of the lower panel (Paragraph [0105]).
A working fluid/coolant such as water (Paragraph [0085]) within the channel directly contacting the lower panel/cover layer and/or upper panel/substrate.
The channel/linear flow path has a height smaller than a thickness of the first substrate (Fig. 15a-15e).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the linear flow path/channel having the working fluid therein directly in contact with the substrate because it will form a cooling structure having additional heat path allowing for more heat to be extracted and increasing higher device performance and have slim form factors due to low height profile (Paragraph [0026]) since the cooling fluid will be at a direct interface of the surface of the substrate and/or cover layer.
Regarding claim 2, Cho further discloses:
a linear flow path (150) formed by the linear flow path pattern has a zigzag or spiral shape, and wherein the linear flow path has a single channel in a form of a closed loop (Fig. 5; Paragraph [0053]).
Regarding claim 6, Cho further discloses:
a cross section of the linear flow path is a circular shape, an elliptical shape, or a polygonal shape (Fig.9/10).
Regarding claim 14, Cho disclose a display device comprising:
A display panel comprising a first substrate (160/110) having a pixel area;
a cover layer, a rear surface of the first substrate being bonded to a front surface of the cover layer.
A front surface of the cover layer has a linear flow path/heat pipe (150) therein.
Cho does not explicitly disclose the rear surface of the first substrate has a first linear flow path and the front surface of the cover layer has a second linear flow path corresponding to the first linear flow path, wherein a linear flow path formed by the linear flow path pattern has a working fluid therein, the working fluid directly contacting the first substrate and the cover layer, and wherein the linear flow path has a height smaller than a thickness of the first substrate. However Waidhas discloses a cooling structure comprising:
A lower panel/cover layer (Fig. 15a-15e) including a channel/linear flow path (1504/120) bonded to an upper panel/substrate (1502) wherein the upper panel can include the same channels corresponding to the channel (1504) of the lower panel (Paragraph [0105]).
A working fluid/coolant such as water (Paragraph [0085]) within the channel directly contacting the lower panel/cover layer and upper panel/substrate.
The channel/linear flow path has a height smaller than a thickness of the first substrate (Fig. 15a-15e).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the linear flow path/channel in the surface of the substrate and cover layer having the working fluid therein directly in contact with the substrate and cover layer because it will form a cooling structure having additional heat path allowing for more heat to be extracted and increasing higher device performance and have slim form factors due to low height profile (Paragraph [0026]) since the cooling fluid will be at a direct interface of the surface of the substrate and/or cover layer.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Ogata (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0135247).
Regarding claim 4, Cho and Waidhas disclose all of the limitations of claim 2 (addressed above). Neither reference explicitly disclose a volume of the working fluid in the range of 30-60%. However Ogata discloses a heat transfer device comprising:
A heat transfer device including a heat pipe (Fig. 1, 1) wherein a working fluid such as water is enclosed in a flow path and fills about 50% of the volume of the flow path (Paragraph [0057]).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the working fluid of water and fills the flow path to volume of about 50% because it will reduce thermal resistance and improve performance of the heat transfer device.
Claim(s) 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Wu (Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0036772).
Regarding claim 7-10, Cho further discloses:
an end of the linear flow path overlapping with the driving circuit acts as an evaporator and an opposite end of the linear flow path acts as a condenser (Fig. 5/6) wherein the working fluid is configured to absorbs heat dissipated from the driving circuit and to transfer the absorbed heat to an area away from the driving circuit along the linear flow path.
the linear flow path comprises a horizontal portion extended in a first direction and a plurality of vertical portions extended in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the horizontal portion is in the condenser (Fig. 5).
Cho does not disclose a flexible film attached to a front surface of the first substrate and bent toward a rear surface of the cover layer; and a driving circuit on the flexible film and arranged along one side of the rear surface of the cover layer. However Wu discloses a display device comprising:
A flexible film (Fig. 4, 1301) attached to a front surface of a first substrate (110) and bent towards a rear surface of cover layer/heat dissipation sheet (140) and a driving circuit (130) on the flexible film and arranged along one side of the rear surface of the cover layer.
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention at the time of invention to form the flexible film having driving circuit bent toward a rear surface of the cover layer because it will serve to dissipate heat from the circuitry to the cover layer (Paragraph [0053]).
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jiang (WO 2022/184473).
Regarding claims 11-12, Cho and Waidhas discloses all of the limitations of claim 1 (addressed above). Neither reference disclose protrusion are formed on at least a part of an inner circumferential surface of the linear flow path and are extended along a longitudinal direction of the linear flow path. However Jiang discloses a heat exchanger comprising:
A heat exchanger (Fig. 1 & 2, 1) having flow pipes (8) wherein the inner circumferential surface of the pipe has protrusion (16).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time to form the pipe having protrusions around the surface because it will serve to form a flow path having larger heat transfer coefficient (Page 15, Lines 28-32 & Pages 16, Lines 1-16).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Leng (Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0344433).
Regarding claim 13, Cho and Waidhas discloses all of the limitations of claim 1 (addressed above). Neither reference explicitly disclose the display panel further comprises a thin-film transistor layer, an emission material layer, and an encapsulation layer on the first substrate, and wherein a light conversion layer and/or a color filter layer is on the encapsulation layer. However Leng discloses a display panel comprising:
a thin-film transistor layer (Fig. 19, 70; Paragraph [0042]), an emission material layer (212), and an encapsulation layer (40) on the first substrate, and wherein a light conversion layer and/or a color filter layer (32) is on the encapsulation layer.
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the display panel including a thin-film transistor layer, an emission material layer, and an encapsulation layer, and wherein a light conversion layer and/or a color filter layer because those layers are common components to form a light emitting device/display panel having improved uniformity (Paragraph [0005]).
Claim(s) 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Jiang (WO 2022/184473).
Regarding claims 16-17, Cho and Waidhas discloses all of the limitations of claim 14 (addressed above). Neither reference discloses protrusion are formed on at least a part of an inner circumferential surface of the linear flow path and are extended along a longitudinal direction of the linear flow path. However Jiang discloses a heat exchanger comprising:
A heat exchanger (Fig. 1 & 2, 1) having flow pipes (8) wherein the inner circumferential surface of the pipe has protrusion (16).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time to form the pipe having protrusions around the surface because it will serve to form a flow path having larger heat transfer coefficient (Page 15, Lines 28-32 & Pages 16, Lines 1-16).
Claim(s) 18, 20-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) and Wu (Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0036772).
Regarding claim 18, 20-21, Cho disclose a display device comprising:
A display panel comprising a first substrate (Fig. 3/11, 160/110) having a pixel area;
A cover layer (140) facing a rear surface of the first substrate and bonded thereto; wherein rear surface of the first substrate and the front substrate of the cover layer face each other and are bonded to each other.
A linear flow path/heat pipe (150) having a working fluid therein (Paragraph [0053]) wherein one end of the flow path acts as an evaporator configured to absorb heat and transfer to an opposite end that acts as a condenser along the flow path (Fig. 5 & 6).
Cho does not disclose a flexible film adhered to a front surface of the first substrate and bent toward a rear surface of the cover layer; and a plurality of driving circuits on the flexible film and arranged in a first direction along one side of the rear surface of the cover layer or wherein the rear surface of the first substrate has a first linear flow path pattern. However Wu discloses a display device comprising:
A flexible film (Fig. 4, 1301) attached to a front surface of a first substrate (110) and bent towards a rear surface of cover layer/heat dissipation sheet (140) and a driving circuit (130) on the flexible film and arranged along one side of the rear surface of the cover layer.
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention at the time of invention to form the flexible film having driving circuit bent toward a rear surface of the cover layer because it will serve to dissipate heat from the circuitry to the cover layer (Paragraph [0053]).
Waidhas discloses a cooling structure comprising:
A lower panel/cover layer (Fig. 15a-15e) including a channel/linear flow path (1504/120) bonded to an upper panel/substrate (1502) wherein the upper panel can include the same channels corresponding to the channel (1504) of the lower panel (Paragraph [0105]).
A working fluid/coolant such as water (Paragraph [0085]) within the channel directly contacting the lower panel/cover layer and upper panel/substrate.
The channel/linear flow path has a height smaller than a thickness of the first substrate (Fig. 15a-15e).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the linear flow path/channel in the surface of the substrate and cover layer having the working fluid therein directly in contact with the substrate and cover layer because it will form a cooling structure having additional heat path allowing for more heat to be extracted and increasing higher device performance and have slim form factors due to low height profile (Paragraph [0026]) since the cooling fluid will be at a direct interface of the surface of the substrate and/or cover layer.
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0102137) in view of Waidhas (Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0282546) and Wu (Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0036772) as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Jiang (WO 2022/184473).
Regarding claims 22, Cho, Wu, and Waidhas discloses all of the limitations of claim 21 (addressed above). Neither reference discloses protrusion are formed on at least a part of an inner circumferential surface of the linear flow path and are extended along a longitudinal direction of the linear flow path. However Jiang discloses a heat exchanger comprising:
A heat exchanger (Fig. 1 & 2, 1) having flow pipes (8) wherein the inner circumferential surface of the pipe has protrusion (16).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time to form the pipe having protrusions around the surface because it will serve to form a flow path having larger heat transfer coefficient (Page 15, Lines 28-32 & Pages 16, Lines 1-16).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 5, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argument of one would not been motivated to combine the teachings Cho and Waidhas because an electronic component (102) would be formed adjacent to redistribution layers (110) and not on the panels (1502/1512) is not considered persuasive because although the redistribution layer is formed between the component and substrate/cover layer, applicant structure also has layer of materials (conductive and insulative, such as the buffer layer, etc) above the surface of the substrate. Also applicant argument that the redistribution layers (RDL) will serve to dissipate heat is not considered persuasive because although some heat can be conducted through the RDL, the coolant formed in the channels will further increase and improve the heat dissipation of a IC on the substrate/cover layer. Further Waidhas is reliable upon for the teaching a channel/linear flow path formed in a surface of both the lower panel/cover layer and upper panel/substrate and a working fluid within the channel in contact with the lower panel/cover layer and/or upper panel/substrate for the advantages of having additional heat path allowing for more heat to be extracted and increasing higher device performance and have slim form factors due to low height profile (Paragraph [0026]) since the cooling fluid will be at a direct interface of the surface of the substrate and/or cover layer.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON C FOX whose telephone number is (571)270-5016. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-6:00PM.
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/BRANDON C FOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/DAVID VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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