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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 10, 11, 12, 16, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (KR 10-2018-0038093 A).
INDEPENDENT CLAIM 1:
Regarding claim 1, Park et al. teach an apparatus for manufacturing a display device (Paragraph 0101), the apparatus comprising: a deposition source (Paragraph 0101 – 700); and a mask assembly (Paragraph 0101 – 1010) disposed between a substrate (Paragraph 0101 – substrate 600) and the deposition source (Paragraph 0101 – 700), wherein the mask assembly comprises: a mask frame having an opening area (Fig. 13. – 340; Fig. 17 – 350); a first support frame disposed across the opening area in a first direction, and having both ends disposed on the mask frame (Fig. 13. – 240; Fig. 17 – 150, 250); and a second support frame disposed across the opening area in a second direction, and having both ends disposed on the mask frame (Fig. 13 – 140; Fig. 17 – 150, 250), the first support frame and the second support frame intersect each other (Fig. 13 – 140, 240; Fig. 17 – 150, 250), one of the first support frame and the second support frame comprises an accommodation portion (Fig. 13 – 140g; Fig. 17 – 150g, 250g), and the other of the first support frame and the second support frame is inserted into the accommodation portion (Fig. 13 – 240; Fig. 17 – 150g, 250 g).
DEPENDENT CLAIM 2:
Regarding claim 2, Park et al. teach wherein a surface of the first support frame and a surface of the second support frame, both facing the substrate, are disposed on a flat surface. (Fig. 21 – flat surface of substrate)
DEPENDENT CLAIM 6:
Regarding claim 6, Park et al. teach wherein a side surface of the other of the first support from and the second support frame inserted into the accommodation portion has a substantially step shape. (Figs. 17 – 250g)
DEPENDENT CLAIM 10:
Regarding claim 10, Park et al. teach wherein an upper surface of the mask frame has a substantially step shape. (See Fig. 3 – item 310 frame having “a substantially step shape” 311)
INDEPENDENT CLAIM 11:
Regarding claim 11, Park et al. teach a method of manufacturing a display device (Paragraph 0101), the method comprising: disposing a substrate and a mask assembly (Paragraph 0101; Fig. 21); and depositing a deposition material on the substrate by passing the deposition material through the mask assembly (Paragraph 0101), wherein the mask assembly comprises: a mask frame having an opening area (Fig. 13. – 340; Fig. 17 – 350); a first support frame disposed across the opening area in a first direction, and having both ends disposed on the mask frame (Fig. 13. – 240; Fig. 17 – 150, 250); and a second support frame disposed across the opening area in a second direction, and having both ends disposed on the mask frame (Fig. 13 – 140; Fig. 17 – 150, 250), the first support frame and the second support frame intersect each other (Fig. 13 – 140, 240; Fig. 17 – 150, 250), one of the first support frame and the second support frame comprises an accommodation portion (Fig. 13 – 140g; Fig. 17 – 150g, 250g), and the other of the first support frame and the second support frame is inserted into the accommodation portion (Fig. 13 – 240; Fig. 17 – 150g, 250 g).
DEPENDENT CLAIM 12:
Regarding claim 12, Park et al. teach wherein a surface of the first support frame and a surface of the second support frame, both facing the substrate, are disposed on a flat surface. (Fig. 21 – flat surface of substrate)
DEPENDENT CLAIM 16:
Regarding claim 16, Park et al. teach wherein a side surface of the other of the first support from and the second support frame inserted into the accommodation portion has a substantially step shape. (Figs. 17 – 250g)
DEPENDENT CLAIM 20:
Regarding claim 20, Park et al. teach wherein an upper surface of the mask frame has a substantially step shape. (See Fig. 3 – item 310 frame having “a substantially step shape” 311)
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (KR 10-2018-0038093 A) in view of Kim (U.S. PGUB. 2022/0181595 A1).
DEPENDENT CLAIMS 3, 13:
The difference not yet discussed is wherein the other of the first support frame and the second support frame is inserted into the accommodation portion comprises a welding recess.
Regarding claims 3, 13, Kim teach utilizing welding recess 125 to join masks. (Fig. 7; Paragraph 0127)
The motivation for utilizing the features of Kim is that it allows for improving mechanical strength. (Paragraph 0016)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified Park et al. by utilizing the recess for welding as taught by Kim because it allows for improving mechanical strength.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 4, 5, 14, 15 are indicated as being allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach the claimed subject matter including wherein the accommodation portion comprises: a first accommodation portion; and a second accommodation portion disposed below the first accommodation portion, and having a width less than a width of the first accommodation portion.
Claims 7, 8, 17, 18 are indicated as being allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach the claimed subject matter including wherein one of the first support frame and the second support frame comprises a through portion disposed in the one of the first support frame and the second support frame to be connected to the accommodation portion.
Claims 9, 19 are indicated as being allowable over the prior art of record because the prior art of record does not teach the claimed subject matter including wherein a cross-section of at least one of the first support frame and the second support frame has a substantially trapezoidal shape, and the cross-section of the at least one of the first support frame and the second support frame is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RODNEY GLENN MCDONALD whose telephone number is (571)272-1340. The examiner can normally be reached Hoteling: M-Th every Fri off..
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/RODNEY G MCDONALD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1794
RM
January 30, 2026