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 Non-Final office action based on application 18/569,342 filed December 12, 2023. Claims 1-6 are currently pending and have been considered below.
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) 1-2 & 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kato (Pre-Grant Publication 2021/0265432).
Regarding claim 1, Kato discloses an organic EL device comprising:
a first insulating layer (Fig. 21. 419);
a first conductive layer (418G) provided in an opening of the first insulating layer;
a first EL layer (417G) over the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer (414G) which is in contact with a side surface of the first EL layer and a top surface of the first insulating layer; and
a second conductive layer (416) over the first EL layer and the second insulating layer.
Regarding claim 2, Kato further discloses:
A filling layer such as (113 of Fig. 1) is formed between adjacent each organic EL device to seal wherein the filling material can be a resin material (Paragraph [0080] See Fig. below) over the second insulating layer (414G).
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The second insulating layer (414G) comprises a first region sandwiched between the side surface of the first EL layer (417G) and the first resin layer, and a second region sandwiched between the top surface of the first insulating layer (419) and the first resin layer, and wherein the second conductive layer (416) is in contact with a top surface of the first EL layer and a top surface of the first resin layer.
Regarding Claim 4, Kato disclose an organic EL device comprising:
a first light-emitting element (Fig. 21, 410G);
a second light-emitting element (410B) arranged to be adjacent to the first light-emitting element;
a first insulating layer (419); and
a second insulating layer (414G/414B),
wherein the first light-emitting element comprises a first conductive layer (418G) provided in a first opening of the first insulating layer, a first EL layer (417G) over the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and a common electrode (416) over the first EL layer,
wherein the second light-emitting element comprises a second conductive layer (418B) provided in a second opening of the first insulating layer, a second EL layer (417B) over the second conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and the common electrode (416) over the second EL layer, wherein the second insulating layer (414G/414B) is in contact with a side surface of the first EL layer, a side surface of the second EL layer, and a top surface of the first insulating layer, and
wherein the common electrode (416) is provided over the second insulating layer and comprises a third region overlapping with the second insulating layer (Fig. 21).
Regarding claim 5, Kato further discloses:
A filling layer such as (113 of Fig. 1) is formed between adjacent each organic EL device to seal wherein the filling material can be a resin material (Paragraph [0080] See Fig. below) over the second insulating layer (414G).
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The first resin layer is provided in a fourth region between the first EL layer and the second EL layer (Fig. 21), and wherein the common electrode (416) is in contact with a top surface of the first EL layer, a top surface of the second EL layer, and a top surface of the first resin layer.
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) 3 & 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato (Pre-Grant Publication 2021/0265432) in view of Park (Korean Publication KR 20210086000).
Regarding claim 3, Kato disclose all of the limitations of claim 1 (addressed above). Kato further discloses:
a first resin layer wherein the first resin layer is provided over the second insulating layer (414G), wherein the second insulating layer comprises a first region between a side surface of the first EL layer (417G) and the first resin layer, and a second region between a top surface of the first insulating layer (419) and the first resin layer.
Kato does not explicitly disclose a first layer containing a material with a high electron injection property in contact with the first EL layer and the second conductive layer is in contact with the first layer. However Park disclose an EL display device comprising:
A plurality of light emitting elements (Fig.11, OLER, OLEG, OLEB) including a second conductive layer (CAT) extending over the light emitting elements wherein the second conductive layer can also include a functional layer such as an electron injection layer between the second conductive layer and a light emitting layer extending entirely over the substrate as a commonly shared layer (Paragraph [0101]).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form a first layer containing an electron injecting property on a surface of the first EL layer and a top of the resin layer because an electron injection layer is a commonly used material in a LED device to enhance movement of electrons from an electrode to the emitting layer during operation and it will allow for an electron injection layer to be commonly shared between EL elements simplifying manufacturing.
Regarding claim 6, Kato discloses all of the limitations of claim 1 (addressed above). Kato further discloses:
a first resin layer wherein the first resin layer is provided over the first insulating layer (419), wherein the first resin layer is provided in a fourth region between the first EL layer (417G) and the second EL layer (417B).
Kato does not explicitly disclose a common layer contains a material with a high electron-injection property wherein the common layer is in contact with a top surface of the first EL layer, a top surface of the second EL layer, and a top surface of the first resin layer, and wherein the common electrode is in contact with a top surface of the common layer. However Park disclose an EL display device comprising:
A plurality of light emitting elements (Fig.11, OLER, OLEG, OLEB) including a second conductive layer (CAT) extending over the light emitting elements wherein the second conductive layer can also include a functional layer such as an electron injection layer between the second conductive layer and a light emitting layers of the light emitting elements extending entirely over the substrate as a commonly shared layer (Paragraph [0101]).
It would have been obvious to those having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form a common layer containing an electron injecting property on a surface of the first EL layer and a top of the resin layer because an electron injection layer is a commonly used material in a LED device to enhance movement of electrons from an electrode to the emitting layer during operation and it will allow for an electron injection layer to be commonly shared between EL elements simplifying manufacturing.
Conclusion
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