DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicants’ submission, filed on 05/07/2026, in response to claims 1-3 and 6-11 rejection from the non-final office action (02/10/2026), by amending claims 1 and 7 is entered and will be addressed below.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 4-5 remain withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species B2,B3, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 7, and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IKEHARA (JP 2010090415, from IDS, hereafter ‘415), in view of Kim et al. (US 6611089, hereafter ‘089).
‘415 teaches some limitations of:
Claim: As shown in FIG. 1A, the vapor deposition mask 1 includes a frame body 10 and a plurality of mask pieces 11 … The welded portion 13 is a portion where the mask piece 11 and the frame-like body 10 are joined by spot welding. The mask piece 11 has a plurality of opening areas 12, and a large number of mask openings 121 are provided in the opening area 12 (English translation, middle of P4, includes the claimed “A mask assembly, comprising: a frame extending in a first direction and a second direction intersecting each other, the frame including a frame opening; and a mask sheet coupled to the frame,” and as shown in Figs. 1a-1b. Note Figs. 1(a), note labels “12” and “13” were mistakenly exchanged, and Fig. 1(b) labels “13” and “131” should be “12” and “121”, see Figs. 3, 5-6 for openings “121”);
The mask pieces 11A and 11B of the present embodiment are thinned by removing a predetermined thickness by etching (half etching) at a portion that becomes the peripheral portion 112 in the base metal thin plate (P5, last complete paragraph), a large number of mask openings 121 are provided in the opening area 12 (middle of P4), As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the peripheral edge 112 of one mask piece 11A of the pair of mask pieces is thinned from the back surface 115 side of the contact surface 111. In the other mask piece 11B of the pair of mask pieces, the peripheral edge 112 is thinned from the contact surface 111 side (P5, 2nd last complete paragraph, includes the claimed “the mask sheet including: a first mask that includes: a first body part having: at least one first deposition opening corresponding to the frame opening; and at least one first coupling portion, each of which protrudes from at least one first side of the first body part, which overlaps the frame opening; and a second mask that includes: a second body part having: at least one second deposition opening corresponding to the frame opening; and at least one second coupling portion, each of which protrudes from at least one first side of the second body part, which overlaps the frame opening, wherein
the at least one first side of the first mask and the at least one first side of the second mask face each other in the frame opening, the at least one first coupling portion overlap the at least one second coupling portion, in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, respectively”),
the peripheral portion 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B is thinned to a plate thickness of about 25 μm by removing a thickness portion of about 25 μm from a thin metal plate having a plate thickness of about 50 μm. That is, the plate thicknesses at the peripheral portions 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B are substantially the same, and the total thickness (about 50 μm) at the peripheral portions 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B is the plate at the central portion of the mask pieces 11A and 11B (P5, bottom paragraph, includes the claimed “and a sum of respective thicknesses of the at least one first coupling portion and the at least one second coupling portion, which overlap each other, is equal to at least one of the thickness of the first body part and the thickness of the second body part“ and as shown in Fig. 2(b)).
‘415 does not expressly teach the other limitations of:
Claim 1: wherein each of the at least one first coupling portion and the at least one second coupling portion is provided in plurality.
‘415 also teaches that A plurality of welds 114 are provided on the peripheral edge 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B. The welded portion 114 is a portion where the peripheral portions 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B are spot-welded to each other (2nd complete paragraph, P6).
It would have been obvious to re-arrange each of the welded portion 114/112 with a plurality of welding points into a plurality of coupling portions each has one welding point is merely a separation of parts. It has been held that rearranging parts of an invention only involves routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Furthermore, ‘089 is analogous art in the field of Tension Mask Assembly For Color CRT Having At Least Two Divided Portions (title). ’089 teaches that Referring to the FIG. 6A, the divided portions 60a and 60b are overlapped with each other such that bridges 65a and 65b extending from each of separation short side portions 64a and 64b of the divided portions 60a and 60b at both sides can form slots 67. Here, the bridges 65a and 65b extending from the separation short side portions 64a and 64b can be freely extended within a range of not covering other slots 68. Further, the contact between the divided portions 60a and 60b must be formed such that the width of slot 67 made by the separation short side portions 64a and 64b can be the same as the width of the slot 68 of the non separation portion (col. 7, lines 22-35).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have welded portion 114/112 of ‘415 with a plurality of bridges/welded portions, as taught by ‘089, for its suitability with predictable results. The selection of something based on its known suitability for its intended use has been held to support a prima facie case of obviousness. MPEP 2144.07.
‘415 further teaches the limitations of:
Claim 2: the peripheral portion 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B is thinned to a plate thickness of about 25 μm by removing a thickness portion of about 25 μm from a thin metal plate having a plate thickness of about 50 μm. That is, the plate thicknesses at the peripheral portions 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B are substantially the same, and the total thickness (about 50 μm) at the peripheral portions 112 of the mask pieces 11A and 11B is the plate at the central portion of the mask pieces 11A and 11B (P5, bottom paragraph, includes the claimed “wherein a thickness of the at least one first coupling portion is less than a thickness of the first body part, a thickness of the at least one second coupling portion is less than a thickness of the second body part”, note claim 2 is tighter than the previously amended portion of claim 1).
Claim 3: Fig. 2(b) shows the claimed “wherein the at least one first coupling portion are each in contact with the at least one first side of the second body part, and the at least one second coupling portion are each in contact with the at least one first side of the first body part”).
Claim 7: Fig. 1(a) and 2(a) show the claimed “wherein the first tension portions and the first coupling portions do not overlap the at least one first deposition opening in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and
the second tension portions and the second coupling portions do not overlap the at least one second deposition opening, in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction”.
Claims 10 and 11: Fig. 1(a) shows the claimed “wherein the at least one first deposition opening includes a plurality of first deposition openings, the at least one second deposition opening includes a plurality of second deposition openings, and the plurality of first deposition openings are disposed in the same shape as the plurality of second deposition openings” of claim 10 and “wherein the plurality of first deposition openings are disposed apart from each other in the first direction” of claim 11).
Claims 6 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘415 and ‘089, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, in view of NAKAMURA et al. (US 20190378984, hereafter ‘984).
The combination of ‘415 and ‘089 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 6: wherein the first mask further comprises first tension portions which protrude from at least one second side of the first body part, and each of which has at least a portion overlapping the frame, and
the second mask further comprises second tension portions which protrude from at least one second side of the second body part, and each of which has at least a portion overlapping the frame.
Claim 8: wherein the first mask further comprises first sub-tension portions which protrude from the at least one second side of the first body part, each of which is disposed between two of the first tension portions, and
the second mask further comprises second sub-tension portions which protrude from the at least one second side of the second body part, each of which is disposed between two of the second tension portions.
‘984 is analogous art in the field of DEPOSITION MASK DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING DEPOSITION MASK DEVICE (title). ’984 teaches that A joint piece 44 is formed between two adjacent notches 42. In other words, the joint piece 44 is located between the two adjacent notches 42. The vapor deposition mask 20 is joined to the frame 15 at the joint piece 44. That is, the joint piece 44 and the frame 15 are fixed to each other via the joint portion 60 (Fig. 3, [0084], see also Fig. 1), for the purpose of suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles and deformation in the vapor deposition mask ([0014]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have added joint pieces 44 of ‘984 to the mask pieces 11A and 11B that overlaps with frame 10 of ‘415, and then combined with ‘089, for the purpose of suppressing the occurrence of wrinkles and deformation in the vapor deposition mask, as taught by ‘984 ([0014]).
Note ‘984 also teaches a plurality of joint pieces 44 at each edge of the mask vertically overlapping the frame 80 (see also Fig. 27 or 29).
Note the combination of ‘415 and ‘984 also teaches the limitations of:
Claim 7: Fig. 1(a) and 2(a) of ‘415 show that the coupling portion 112 does not overlap with the opening area 12, and ‘984 shows the joint pieces 44 do not overlap with through holes 25 (includes the claimed “the first tension portions and the first coupling portions do not overlap the at least one first deposition opening in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and the second tension portions and the second coupling portions do not overlap the at least one second deposition opening, in a direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction”).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ‘415 and ‘089, as being applied to claim 1 rejection above, in view of White et al. (US 20160043319, hereafter ‘319).
‘415 teaches some limitations of:
Claim 9: The mask piece 11 of the present embodiment is made of a thin metal plate having a thickness of about 50 μm, and the material of the thin metal plate is preferably a material having a small thermal expansion coefficient such as invar, super invar, or stainless invar (top of page 5, includes the claimed “wherein the first mask, and the second mask each comprise at least one of invar and stainless steel”).
‘415 does not teach the limitations of:
Claim 9: wherein the frame, (the first mask, and the second mask) each comprise at least one of invar and stainless steel.
‘319 is analogous art in the field of FINE METAL MASK (title). ’319 teaches that the frame 112 is composed of INVAR (Fig. 1A-1B, [0028], 2nd last sentence), Suitable materials for the fine metal mask 106 or components thereof include, but are not limited to INVAR (64FeNi), ASTM Grade 5 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V), titanium, aluminum, molybdenum, copper, 440 stainless steel, HASTELLOY® alloy C-276, nickel, chrome-molybdenum steel, 304 stainless steel, other iron containing compositions, or combinations thereof (2nd half of [0027]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have adopted invar as the material for mask frame of ‘415, as taught by ‘319, for the purpose of matching thermal expansion.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/07/2026 have been fully considered but they are not convincing in light of the new grounds of rejection above.
In regarding to 112(b) rejection of claim 7,see the bottom of page 8, Applicants’ amendment overcomes the rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20130040047 is cited for multiple support members 601 that falls into depressions 603 of mask 103 (Fig. 7).
US 20140069331 is cited for “a sum of respective thicknesses of the at least one first coupling portion and the at least one second coupling portion, which overlap each other, is equal to at least one of the thickness of the first body part and the thickness of the second body part” (Fig. 2) and “each of the at least one first coupling portion and the at least one second coupling portion is provided in plurality” (Fig. 4).
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 KEATH T CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1870. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00 pm.
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/KEATH T CHEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1716
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