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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 4-14 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Han et al. (US PGPub 2015/0043174; hereinafter “Han”).
Re claim 1: Han teaches (e.g. figs. 1, 5, 8 and augmented fig. 8 below) a window member (300b) comprising: a resin layer (rigid resin film 320,330; e.g. paragraph 55; hereinafter “RL”) overlapping a non-folding region (regions of 320 and 330; hereinafter “NFR”); and an adhesive layer (soft layers 380 which has an adhesive property and layers of rigid portions 310 and soft material 370 within region of folding part 350; e.g. paragraphs 77 and 58; hereinafter “AL”; paragraph 80 describes how fig. 8 shows two base substrates and two soft layers but the number of each element should not be limited thereto, therefore Examiner envisions the disclosure would encompass the modified fig. 8 below with four pairs of each element) overlapping a foldable region (region of folding part 350; e.g. paragraph 97; hereinafter “FR”), the foldable region (FR) being adjacent the non-folding region (NFR), and the adhesive layer (AL) comprising, in a thickness direction of the window member (300b), a first resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310b; hereinafter “1RP”), a second resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310a”; hereinafter “2RP”) on the first resin pattern (1RP), and a third resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310b”; hereinafter “3RP”) on the second resin pattern (2RP), and a second adhesive layer (soft layer 380b) between the first resin pattern (1RP) and the second resin pattern (2RP) and/or a third adhesive layer (soft layer 380a”) between the second resin pattern (2RP) and the third resin pattern (3RP).
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Re claim 21: Han teaches the window member of claim 1, wherein, in the thickness direction of the window member (300b), the adhesive layer (AL) comprises a first adhesive layer (380a) below the first resin pattern (1RP), the second adhesive layer (380b) between the first resin pattern (1RP) and the second resin pattern (2RP), the third adhesive layer (380a”) between the second resin pattern (2RP) and the third resin pattern (3RP), a fourth adhesive layer (380b”) on the third resin pattern (3RP).
Re claim 4: Han teaches (e.g. figs. 1, 5, 8 and augmented fig. 8 above) a display device (1000) comprising: a display panel (OLED display module 100; e.g. paragraph 48) comprising a non-folding region (regions of 320 and 330; hereinafter “NFR”) and a foldable region (region of folding part 350; e.g. paragraph 97; hereinafter “FR”) adjacent the non-folding region (NFR); and a window member (300b) on the display panel (100) and comprising a resin layer (rigid resin film 320,330; e.g. paragraph 55; hereinafter “RL”) overlapping the non-folding region (NFR), and an adhesive layer (soft layers 380 which has an adhesive property and layers of rigid portions 310 and soft material 370 within region of folding part 350; e.g. paragraphs 77 and 58; hereinafter “AL”; paragraph 80 describes how fig. 8 shows two base substrates and two soft layers but the number of each element should not be limited thereto, therefore Examiner envisions the disclosure would encompass the modified fig. 8 below with four pairs of each element) comprising, in a thickness direction of the display device (1000), a first resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310b; hereinafter “1RP”) overlapping the foldable region (FR) and a second resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310a”; hereinafter “2RP”) on the first resin pattern (1RP), and a second adhesive layer (soft layer 380b) between the first resin pattern (1RP) and the second resin pattern (2RP).
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) 2 and 5-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han as applied to claims 1 and 4 above, respectively, and further in view of Yoo et al. (US PGPub 2021/0192984; hereinafter “Yoo”).
Re claim 2: Han teaches substantially the entire device of claim 1 except explicitly teaching the window member, wherein the first resin pattern comprises a plurality of first patterns repeatedly arranged with each other in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction, the second resin pattern comprises a plurality of second patterns repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction and the second direction, and the third resin pattern comprises a plurality of third patterns repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction and the second direction.
Yoo teaches (e.g. figs. 15, 14) the window member of claim 1, wherein the first resin pattern (1RP of Han) comprises a plurality of first patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 1RP of Han) repeatedly arranged with each other in a first direction (DR1) and a second direction (DR2) intersecting the first direction (DR1), the second resin pattern (2RP of Han) comprises a plurality of second patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 2RP of Han) repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction (DR1) and the second direction (DR2), and the third resin pattern (3RP of Han) comprises a plurality of third patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 3RP of Han) repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction (DR1) and the second direction (DR2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, absent unexpected results, to use the plural segments for the resin pattern as taught by Yoo for the extended long resin patterns of Han in order to have the predictable result of improving folding characteristics of the display device (see paragraph 169 of Yoo).
Re claim 5: Han teaches substantially the entire device as claimed in claim 4 except explicitly teaching the display device, wherein the first resin pattern comprises a plurality of first patterns repeatedly arranged with each other in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction while being spaced apart from each other.
Yoo teaches (e.g. figs. 15, 14) the display device of claim 4, wherein the first resin pattern (1RP of Han) comprises a plurality of first patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 1RP of Han; hereinafter “1P”) repeatedly arranged with each other in a first direction (DR1) and a second direction (DR2) intersecting the first direction (DR1) while being spaced apart from each other.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, absent unexpected results, to use the plural segments for the resin pattern as taught by Yoo for the extended long resin patterns of Han in order to have the predictable result of improving folding characteristics of the display device (see paragraph 169 of Yoo).
Re claim 6: Han in view of Yoo teaches the display device of claim 5, wherein the second resin pattern (2RP) comprises a plurality of second patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 2RP of Han; hereinafter “2P”) repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction (DR1) and the second direction (DR2) while being spaced apart from each other.
Re claim 7: Han teaches the display device of claim 6, wherein the adhesive layer (AL) further comprises a third resin pattern (pattern of 370 in 310b”; hereinafter “3RP”) on the second resin pattern (2RP).
Re claim 8: Han teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein the second resin pattern (2RP) is spaced apart from the first resin pattern (3RP) in a third direction (vertical direction coming out of the page of fig. 3; hereinafter “3D”) that is normal to a plane defined by the first direction (1D) and the second direction (2D), and the third resin pattern (3RP) is spaced apart from the second resin pattern (2RP) in the third direction (3D).
Re claim 9: Han in view of Yoo teaches the display device of claim 7, wherein the third resin pattern (3RP) comprises a plurality of third patterns (groove segments 221-x of Yoo applied to 3RP of Han; hereinafter “3P”) repeatedly arranged with each other in the first direction (DR1) and the second direction (DR2) while being spaced apart from each other.
Re claim 10: Han in view of Yoo teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein each of the first patterns (1P), the second patterns (2P), and the third patterns (3P) has a polygonal shape (fig. 15 of Yoo shows the patterns each being rectangular) when viewed in a plan view.
Re claim 11: Han in view of Yoo teaches the display device of claim 10, wherein each of the first patterns(1P), the second patterns (2P), and the third patterns (3P) has a rectangular shape (fig. 15 of Yoo shows the patterns each being rectangular) when viewed in the plan view.
Re claim 12: Han in view of Yoo teaches the display device of claim 11, wherein the resin layer, the first resin pattern (1P), the second pattern (2P), and the third pattern (3P) include substantially the same material (Han discusses the soft material 370 filling the openings 371 are silicon-based resins; e.g. paragraph 60).
Re claim 13: Han teaches the display device of claim 12, wherein each of the resin layer (RL), the first resin pattern (1RP), the second resin pattern (2RP), and the third resin pattern (3RP) comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a siloxane-based resin, an epoxy-based resin, an acryl-based resin, a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, a polyacrylic acid, polyacrylimide, and a methylolated melamine resin (soft material 370 comprises a polymer resin; e.g. paragraphs 17 and 60).
Re claim 14: Han teaches the display device of claim 13, further comprising a protective layer (380b”) on the window member (300b), wherein the protective layer (380b”) comprises substantially the same material () as the resin layer (RL).
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 JESSE Y MIYOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-1629. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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/JESSE Y MIYOSHI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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