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 .
The IDS has been considered by the examiner.
The specification and drawings have been accepted by the examiner.
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.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190173030) in view of Zhang (US 2019/0212840).
Referring to claim 1, Kim discloses a display device (FIG. 1, Abstract and Par. 8, “flexible display device, which has a bending area and a non-bending area”) comprising:
a display panel comprising a folding region folded based on a folding axis extended in a first direction (FIG. 1, FIG. 3A-3B, FIG. 4A. Par. 8, 20, “flexible display device includes: a display panel including a bending part which is deformable into a bent shape with respect to a bending axis”, “flexible display device having a bending area”. Par. 52, “a display surface IS, on which an image IM is displayed, is parallel to a surface defined by a first directional axis DR1”, Par. 58, “the display panel DP may include a bending portion DP-BA corresponding to the bending area BA of the flexible display device DD”, note that figure 3A depicts the display device in a closed position as the folding axis allows the two sides to close and figure 2 depicts the display device in open position), and
a first non-folding region and a second non-folding region spaced from one another and having the folding region interposed therebetween (FIG. 1, Par. 8, “a non-bending area includes: a display panel; and a window member disposed on the display panel”, note that in figure 1 the sections identified by NBA-1 and NBA-2 represent a first non-folding region and a second non-folding region and they are interposed by the folding region “BA” when the display device is in open position);
a support layer below the display panel (Par. 69, 80, 81, and FIG. 5B, “anti-scattering layer … to hold the damaged glass substrates”, “where the display panel DP is an organic light emitting display panel, the touch sensing unit (not shown) may be directly disposed on the organic light emitting display panel. In such an embodiment, the touch sensing unit (not shown) may be directly disposed on an encapsulation layer of the organic light emitting display panel”, “second bonding part AP-H connected to the first bonding part AP-F and having the higher modulus value than the first bonding part AP-F to support the glass substrates”); and a support adhesive layer below the support layer (Par. 81, “anti-scattering layer”. FIG. 8D and Par. 114, 115, “bonding layer (not shown) may include an optically clear adhesive layer or an optically clear adhesive resin”, “ the bonding layer AP may overlap the bending part DP-BA of the display panel DP, and the second bonding part AP-H of the bonding layer AP may overlap the non-bending parts DP-NBA1 and DP-NBA2 of the display panel DP”), wherein the support layer comprises: a first glass substrate comprising a first portion having a first thickness and a second portion having a second thickness (Par. 18, 20, 21, “a first glass substrate, a second glass substrate disposed opposite to the first glass substrate”, “each of the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate may have a thickness equal to or greater than about 30 micrometers (μm) and equal to or less than about 50 μm”), and overlapping the first non-folding region (Par. 20, “the first glass substrate, and a second glass substrate disposed on the bonding layer, and the bonding layer includes: a first bonding part overlapping the bending part and having a first modulus; and a second bonding part non-overlapping the bending part and having a second modulus greater than the first modulus”, note that glass substrates are on the bonding layer and the bonding layer overlaps the bending area, thus, the glass substrates would overlapping it as well);
a second glass substrate comprising a third portion having a third thickness and a fourth portion having a fourth thickness (Par. 18, 20, 21, “a first glass substrate, a second glass substrate disposed opposite to the first glass substrate”, “ each of the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate may have a thickness equal to or greater than about 30 micrometers”), spaced from the first glass substrate, and overlapping the second non-folding region (Par. 20, “the first glass substrate, and a second glass substrate disposed on the bonding layer, and the bonding layer includes: a first bonding part overlapping the bending part and having a first modulus; and a second bonding part non-overlapping the bending part and having a second modulus greater than the first modulus”, note that glass substrates are on the bonding layer and the bonding layer overlaps the bending area, thus, the glass substrates would overlapping it as well); and a resin layer between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate (Par. 21, “second bonding resins to form a bonding layer between the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate.” Note that the bonding resin forms a bonding layer between the first and second glass substrates).
Kim is not relied on for disclosing the second thickness less than the first thickness and the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness.
In an analogous art, Zhang discloses second thickness less than the first thickness and the fourth thickness is less than the third thickness (Par. 27 and claim 18, “A thickness of the second portion of the glass substrate facing the fingerprint sensor may be smaller than a thickness of the first portion of the glass substrate facing the touch sensor”, “a glass substrate, a touch sensor disposed on a first portion of the glass substrate, and a fingerprint sensor disposed on a second portion of the glass substrate, wherein a thickness of the second portion of the glass substrate facing the fingerprint sensor is smaller than a thickness of the first portion of the glass substrate facing the touch sensor”. Note that the thickness level of a first portion of glass substrate is smaller than the thickness level of the second portion, which is equivalent to second thickness less than the first thickness. Further, note that the level of thickness of two portion of the glass substrate that applies to the first glass substrate can also apply to the second glass substrate. Thus, the thickness level of a first portion of a glass substrate being smaller than the thickness level of the second portion of the glass substrate can also be used to derive that fourth portion of a second glass substrate be smaller than a fourth portion of the second glass substrate).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Kim by incorporating the teachings of Zhang so that both the first and second glass substrates of Kim would have different levels of thickness, for the purpose of having extra protection at all angles if the display device falls and hits the ground, and further to accommodate other layer of the display device. Further, this an example of use of known technique to improve similar devices, methods or products in the same way. MPEP 2143.
Referring to claim 2, the combination of Kim/Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the support layer is directly below the display panel (Kim, Par. 81, “anti-scattering layer (not shown) may be disposed between the display panel DP and the window member WP”. Note the anti-scattering layer is equivalent to the support layer and it is below the display panel directly).
Referring to claim 3, the combination of Kim/Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the first glass substrate and the second glass substrate do not overlap the folding region (Kim, FIG. 2 and Par. 74, “the first glass substrate HW-1 and the second glass substrate HW-2. The bonding layer AP may serve to couple the first glass substrate HW-1 and the second glass substrate HW-2 to each other”, note that according to figure 2, the first glass substrate HW-1 and second glass substrate WH-2 do not overlap the folding region and there is no mention of overlapping of glass substrates in the descriptions of Kim).
Referring to claim 13, the combination of Kim/Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the support adhesive layer does not comprise a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) (Kim, Par. 75, “The bonding layer AP may include or be made of a polyurethane resin”, note that bonding layer which is one of the support layers is made of a polyurethane resin substance for adhesive reasons or bonding reasons and it is not a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) type bonding substance).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190173030) in view of Zhang (US 2019/0212840) and further in view of Takahashi (US 20240091998).
Referring to claim 11, the combination of Kim/Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, but is silent on wherein the resin layer comprises a thermosetting resin or a photo-curable resin.
In an analogous art, Takahashi discloses resin layer comprises a thermosetting resin or a photo-curable resin (Par. 216, “formed resin layer comprises, for example, a thermosetting resin”).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of combination by incorporating the teachings of Takahashi, for the purpose of providing a stronger display device that would survive falls. Further, this an example of use of known technique to improve similar devices, methods or products in the same way. MPEP 2143.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 20190173030) in view of Zhang (US 2019/0212840) and further in view of McGregor (US 2023/0096465).
Referring to claim 17, the combination of Kim/Zhang discloses the display device of claim 1, but is silent on wherein the support adhesive layer comprises a base portion and an adhesive portion above the base portion.
In an analogous art, McGregor discloses the support adhesive layer comprises a base portion and an adhesive portion above the base portion (Par. 45, “the adhesive layer may be patterned. For example, the adhesive layer may include non-adhesive portions between the adjacent adhesive portions. The plurality of release liners may not be detachably attached to the adhesive layer at the non-adhesive portions”, note that the adhesive layer being patterned to include adhesive and non-adhesive reads on adhesive portion above the base portion and with regard to adhesive being above base, it is noted that in a patterned format, the non-adhesive and adhesive can be derived from McGregor to be in a format where the adhesive is above base).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of combination by incorporating the teachings of McGregor, for the purpose of allowing the non-adhesive portions to facilitate easier removal of the adhesive portion. Further, this an example of use of known technique to improve similar devices, methods or products in the same way. MPEP 2143.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 4-10, 12, 14-16 and 18-20 is/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 the examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 4:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein: the first glass substrate further comprises a fifth portion between the first portion and the second portion and having a first inclined surface; and the second glass substrate further comprises a sixth portion between the third portion and the fourth portion and having a second inclined surface”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 5:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein the resin layer comprises a first resin portion overlapping the folding region, a second resin portion overlapping the first non-folding region, and a third resin portion overlapping the second non-folding region”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 12:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein at a temperature of 25 °C, the Young’s modulus of the resin layer is 100 MPa or less”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 14:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein the support adhesive layer comprises a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer spaced from each other in a second direction crossing the first direction”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 15:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein the support adhesive layer comprises: a first region overlapping the first glass substrate or the second glass substrate, and not overlapping the resin layer; and a second region overlapping the resin layer”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 18:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “wherein the support adhesive layer further comprises a sub-adhesive portion below the base portion”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 19:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “further comprising a metal layer below the support adhesive layer and not overlapping the folding region”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Regarding claim 20:
The prior art fails to disclose or suggest the limitations “further comprising a polymer film overlapping the folding region, the first non-folding region, and the second non-folding region, and directly below the support adhesive layer”, along with the other limitations of the intermediate and/or base claims.
Claims 6-10 and 16 depend on allowable subject matter of claims 5 and 15, thus, they are allowable for being dependent upon allowable claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRED A CASCA whose telephone number is (571)272-7918. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 9 to 5. 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, Kathy Wang-Hurst, can be reached at (571) 270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/FRED A CASCA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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