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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/16/23 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 2, 6-9, 13-15 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takenaka et al., US 2023/0219114.
Regarding claim 1, Takenaka teaches a display device (see Figure 3)comprising: a lower electrode (LE3); a rib comprising a pixel aperture which overlaps the lower electrode (5); a partition which includes a lower portion provided on the rib (61), a first layer provided on the lower portion and protruding from a side surface of the lower portion (62), and a second layer provided on the first layer and having a width less than a width of the first layer (OR3b, total width is less because there is a gap); an organic layer which covers the lower electrode through the pixel aperture and emits light based on application of voltage (OR3a, [0063]); and an upper electrode which covers the organic layer and is in contact with the side surface of the lower portion (UE3a, see Figure 3).
Regarding claim 2, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches an upper surface of the first layer (OR3b, Figure 3) comprises: a first area covered with the second layer (area covered by UE3b); and a second area exposed from the second layer (middle area exposed by trench in UE3b).
Regarding claim 6, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the width of the second layer is greater than a width of the lower portion (see Figure 3, width of second layer UE3b is greater than width of lower portion 61).
Regarding claim 7, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 6 and further teaches both end portions of the second layer in a width direction of the partition protrude relative to the side surfaces of the lower portion in the width direction (see Figure 3, end portions of second layer UE3b protrude relative to rib 61).
Regarding claim 13, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches a sealing layer (Figure, 3, sealing layer 71, 72, 73) which covers a thin film including the organic layer and the upper electrode (OR3a and EU3a), wherein the rib (5) and the sealing layer (71, 72, 73) are formed of inorganic insulating materials ([0056]).
Regarding claim 14, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 13 and further teaches the thin film further includes an optical adjustment layer located between the upper electrode and the sealing layer ([0061]).
Regarding claim 15, Takenaka teaches a manufacturing method of a display device, the method including: forming a lower electrode (LE3, see Figure 3, [0048]); forming a rib comprising a pixel aperture which overlaps the lower electrode (rib 5, [0048]); forming a partition which includes a lower portion provided on the rib (lower portion 61, [0049]), a first layer provided on the lower portion and protruding from a side surface of the lower portion (first layer 62, [0049]), and a second layer provided on the first layer and having a width less than a width of the first layer (second layer OR1b, [0050]); forming an organic layer which covers the lower electrode through the pixel aperture and emits light based on application of voltage (organic layer OR3a, [0052 and 0063]); and forming an upper electrode which covers the organic layer and is in contact with the side surface of the lower portion (UE3a, [0062]).
Regarding claim 17, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 15 and further teaches forming a sealing layer ([0053]) which covers a thin film including the upper electrode and the organic layer; providing a second resist on the sealing layer; and removing, of the sealing layer and the thin film, portions exposed from the second resist ([0074]).
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 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takenaka.
Regarding claim 8, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the thickness of the first and second layer depending upon the material choice and desired characteristics.
Regarding claim 9, Takenaka teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further it is the position of the examiner that lacking criticality and unexpected results it would have been an obvious matter of design choice for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the thickness of the first and second layer to be less than half of the thickness of the rib in order to ensure the rib was tall enough to prevent cross talk.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 10-12 and 16 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: The prior art fails to teach or suggest a second area of the first layer exposed from the second layer is covered with part of the organic layer. The prior art further fails to teach or suggest the second area includes a pair of areas; the first area is located between the second areas in a width direction of the partition. The prior art further fails to teach or suggest the first or second layer is metal material.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Choung et al., US 2022/0077251 teaches a display comprising a rib having a pixel aperture and a partition which includes a lower portion and a first and second layer formed on the lower portion.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY-ELLEN BOWMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5383. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday; 7:00 am-5:00 pm.
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, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
MARY ELLEN BOWMAN
Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/MARY ELLEN BOWMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875