DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16th, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by Huang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0332087 A1) (hereinafter “Huang”), wherein claims 2, 4, 8-9 are alternatively rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Huang, optionally in view of Kobayashi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0152906 A1) (hereinafter “Kobayashi”).
Regarding claims 1-9, Huang teaches a composite material plate-shaped casing for an electronic display device, such as a smart phone, tablet computer, notebook computer, or e-book reader [0002-0004, 0033], meaning it is inherently arranged below at least one display panel, wherein the plate comprises a first and second fiber layers comprising long fiber material and a third fiber layer disposed therebetween, wherein the first and second layers comprise long continuous fibers that correspond to the long side or the short side of the display device [0033], and the third layer, which may comprise one or more sublayers, comprises short fibers formed by cutting long fiber segments and may have a machine or transverse direction as desired [0033, 0035, 0049], wherein the long fibers and the short fibers are preferably made from carbon fibers formed from polyacrylonitrile or pitch precursors, wherein the short fibers are preferably the opposite fiber of the fiber chosen for the long fiber, wherein each fiber may be present in a blend in all layers [0037-0038, 0040].
Furthermore, regarding claims 2, 4, and 8-9, Kobayashi makes obvious and motivates a composite comprising continuous long carbon fibers and short carbon fibers, wherein the long carbon fibers are formed from polyacrylonitrile and the short carbon fibers are pitch-based carbon fibers [0016-0018] due to the tensile strength and uniformity of the long fibers [0039, 0043-0044] and pitch short fibers due to their improved adhesion to the resin matrix [0048].
Regarding claims 10-12, the fiber area weight of the third layer is between 10 and 300 g/m2, wherein the long fiber layers would likely be within the same or smaller range to keep the material thin and lightweight [0039].
Claims 17-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang, as applied to claim 9, optionally in view of Kashif et al. (WO 2019/193578 A1) (hereinafter “Kashif”)
Regarding claims 13-15, if the long fibers are oriented along a short or long side of the display device, the machine or traverse direction oriented short fibers would extend along an intersecting, obviously perpendicular, in relation to the long or short side.
Furthermore, Kashif makes obvious and motivates forming a first inner layer(s) having fibers extending a first direction along the length of a laminate flanked by second fibers extending a second direction along the width of the laminate, which add stiffness to the major directions of the display device, which can be a notebook cover, related portable device such as a tablet [0029, 0049-0051, 0055].
Claims 17-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang in view of Mizoguchi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0146556 A1) (hereinafter “Mizoguchi”), wherein claims 20 & 22-24 are optionally in view of Kobayashi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0152906 A1) (hereinafter “Kobayashi”) and wherein claims 27-29 are optionally in further view of claims Kashif et al. (WO 2019/193578 A1) (hereinafter “Kashif”).
Regarding claims 17-24, Huang teaches a composite material plate-shaped casing for an electronic display device, such as a smart phone, tablet computer, notebook computer, or e-book reader [0002-0004, 0033], meaning it is inherently arranged below at least one display panel, wherein the plate comprises a first and second fiber layers comprising long fiber material and a third fiber layer disposed therebetween, wherein the first and second layers comprise long continuous fibers that correspond to the long side or the short side of the display device [0033], and the third layer, which may comprise one or more sublayers, comprises short fibers formed by cutting long fiber segments and may have a machine or transverse direction as desired [0033, 0035, 0049], wherein the long fibers and the short fibers are preferably made from carbon fibers formed from polyacrylonitrile or pitch precursors, wherein the short fibers are preferably the opposite fiber of the fiber chosen for the long fiber, wherein each fiber may be present in a blend in all layers [0037-0038, 0040], wherein Kobayashi makes obvious and motivates a composite comprising continuous long carbon fibers and short carbon fibers, wherein the long carbon fibers are formed from polyacrylonitrile and the short carbon fibers are pitch-based carbon fibers [0016-0018] due to the tensile strength and uniformity of the long fibers [0039, 0043-0044] and pitch short fibers due to their improved adhesion to the resin matrix [0048].
Further regarding claims 17-19 and 21, Mizoguchi teaches a portable information device such as a tablet PC or smartphone that is foldable to be miniaturized while carrying [0003] comprising a foldable display (All Figs. [16]) and a chassis/casing (All Figs. [12]) arranged thereunder, the chassis comprising carbon fiber reinforced resin [0044-0045], the display panel comprising a first area at least partially surrounding a second area having a folding area disposed therein having a folding axis along a first direction (parallel to a shorter side).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a carbon fiber reinforced resin composite housing that allows for a foldable display as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to allow a portable device to be miniaturized while carrying [Mizoguchi].
Regarding claims 25-26, the fiber area weight of the third layer is between 10 and 300 g/m2, wherein the long fiber layers would likely be within the same or smaller range to keep the material thin and lightweight [0039].
Regarding claims 27-29, if the long fibers are oriented along a short or long side of the display device, the machine or traverse direction oriented short fibers would likely extend along an intersecting, likely perpendicular, in relation to the long or short side, wherein Kashif makes obvious and motivates forming a first inner layer(s) having fibers extending a first direction along the length of a laminate flanked by second fibers extending a second direction along the width of the laminate, which add stiffness to the major directions of the display device, which can be a notebook cover, related portable device such as a tablet [0029, 0049-0051, 0055].
Claims 1, 3, 5-6, 17-19, & 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Hayashi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0327737 A1) (hereinafter “Hayashi”).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 5-6, 17-19, and 21-23, Hayashi teaches an electro-optical display device, such as organic electroluminescent [0116-0117], comprising a display panel (All Figs. [18]) comprising a first area at least partially surrounding a second area having a folding area disposed therein having a folding axis along any direction that is folded (Fig. 9) having arranged therebelow a reinforcing member (All Figs. [28]) comprising at least three layers of alternating unidirectional layers of first carbon fiber layer(s) (All Figs. [h]) and second carbon fiber layer(s) (All Figs. [i]) [0025, 0055], forming multilayer structure such as in three layers comprising 0°/90°/0° degrees, four layers comprising 0°/90°/90°/0°, or six layers comprising 0°/90°/0°/0°/90°/0°, the fibers differently oriented layers crossing each other and extending parallel to the major sides of the display device along the X-axis and Y-axis directions [Fig. 1, 0156-0157, 0160-0161, 0267-0268, 0270-0272], wherein the carbon fiber can be made from polyacrylonitrile or pitch [0019-0020, 0051-0052, 0269], wherein the reinforcing member has the benefit of high thermal conductivity, high tensile strength, high Young’s (tensile) modulus and low coefficient of linear (thermal) expansion that allows for bending without going past a breaking point [0023, 0246, 0262-0264, 0313].
Claims 2, 4, 7-12, 20, & 23-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashi optionally in view of Seki, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, further in view of Nishizawa et al. (JP 2017-001264 A) (hereinafter “Nishizawa”) AND/OR Okunaka (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0009054 A1) (hereinafter “Okunaka”), wherein claims 10-12 & 25-26 are in view of Seki and optionally Downs et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0037633 A1) (hereinafter “Downs”) and/or Khokar et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0245449 A1) (hereinafter “Khokar”).
Regarding claims 2, 4, 7-9, 20, and 23-24, the reinforcing laminate comprising both pitch-based and polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers as claimed is not taught.
Nishizawa teaches a laminate for housings of electrical devices that are to be lightweight, strong, have excellent impact resistance to suppress damage such as cracks, and have small responses to thermal dimensional changes [0002, 0027], wherein the reinforced fiber laminate comprises in order A1 layer(s)/B layer(s)/A2 layer(s), wherein the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the A1 and A2 layers is higher than the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the B layer(s) [0012, 0027], wherein the fibers of the A1 and A2 layers is polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers from the viewpoint of low linear expansion and impact/crack resistance which is absorbed by the fibers having the larger breaking elongation [0026-0027] and the fibers of the B layer(s) is PAN- or pitch-based, preferably pitch-based due to the improved mechanical strength and lower linear expansion [0069].
AND/OR
Okunaka teaches a laminate usable as a member in electronic device housing that is lightweight and high strength and also having a high heat dissipation [0003, 0119-0120], wherein alternating layers of unidirectional fiber comprise carbon fiber A and carbon fiber B being pitch-based and polyacrylonitrile-based, respectively [0015-0017] which has a beneficial balance between strength, stiffness, and thermal conductivity, wherein the pitch-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher elastic/tensile modulus and a small thermal expansion and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher tensile strength such that the layers are balanced in properties of tensile strength, tensile modulus/stiffness, and thermal conductivity and improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based fibers [0044-0046, 0060, 0092] and wherein the either the pitch-based or polyacrylonitrile-based based fibers may be located on the outermost surfaces [0077].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide both polyacrylonitrile-based and pitch-based carbon fibers as claimed to laminated fiber composites. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide balanced and improved impact resistance and mechanical strength/lower linear expansion [Nishizawa] AND/OR a balance between the high tensile modulus pitch-based and the high tensile strength polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers with improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based carbon fibers and improved thermal conductivity over laminates consisting of only polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers [Okunaka].
Claims 10-12 & 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashi in view of Nishizawa and/or Okunaka, as applied to claims 9 & 24 above, further in view of Seki et al. (JP 2010-229238 A) (hereinafter “Seki”), and optionally Downs et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0037633 A1) (hereinafter “Downs”) and/or Khokar et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0245449 A1) (hereinafter “Khokar”).
Regarding claims 10-12 and 25-26, Seki teaches a carbon fiber reinforced resin sheet for electronic devices such as liquid crystal displays that allows for flexibility while still providing sufficient rigidity and supporting ability [0006, 0019] comprising aligned long or continuous carbon fibers in one direction [0029, 0049], which may require further layers on both sides of the substrate sheet to improve bending [0058], wherein the carbon fibers used may be polyacrylonitrile-based or pitch-based, but preferably pitch-based as they have a higher tensile modulus (of elasticity) and a higher thermal conductivity [0022], wherein the carbon fibers formed forming a nonwoven/unidirectional layer is preferably 20 to 500 g/m2, more preferably 100-250 g/m2 [0031], wherein to achieve a small fiber area weight can make the manufacturing process complicated and too large a fiber area weight provides poor resin impregnation [0031], wherein a total thickness can be 0.05 to 0.5 mm (50 to 500 µm) [0021], wherein an example unidirectional prepreg has a fiber area weight of 175 g/m2 and a thickness of 0.15 mm (150 µm) [0082].
However, Hayashi teaches that an exemplary thickness of the reinforcing member is approximately 100 µm, but can be in the range of 50 to 200 µm to ensure flexibility and actual strength (tenacity) [0176-0177].
Furthermore, Downs teaches substrates used for ruggedized flexible electronic displays, wherein the fiber area weight is expressed as grams per square meter [0021], wherein composite materials typically weigh between about 10 g/m2 and about 150 g/m2, such as between about 12 g/m2 and about 133 g/m2 [0040] AND/OR Khokar teaches an ultra-thin unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg sheets having a thickness of less than 100 micrometers, such as in the range of 10 to 70 micrometers [0013-0014], wherein the fiber areal weight is preferably in the range of 10 to 80 g/m2 [0040-0041], wherein laminates/stacks of ultrathin prepreg sheets comprise a thickness in the range of 0.16 to 0.32 mm (160 to 320 µm) in comparison to laminates/stacks formed of conventional thin prepregs giving thicknesses of 1 to 2 mm [0048-0049].
Also, Nishizawa further teaches that a thickness ratio of each of A1 layer and A2 layer comprising polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers are in the range of 1/10 to 2/5 of the total thickness of the laminate and the B layer comprising pitch-based carbon fibers is in the range of 1/5 to 4/5 of the total thickness of laminate, which provides good impact resistance and low linear expansion [0089-0090].
It would have been obvious to and motivated for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to look to the art to provide each of the fiber layers such that the total thickness of the multilayer reinforcing member is below 200 µm as desired by Hayashi with the corresponding fiber weights that would be near or within the near claimed ranges, wherein a thicker central layer and thinner outer layers provides good impact resistance and low linear expansion [Nishizawa].
Claims 16 & 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashi, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, further in view of Shin et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0209998 A1) (hereinafter “Shin”) OR La et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0044599 A1) (hereinafter “La”) OR Kishimoto et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0113824 A1) (hereinafter “Kishimoto”).
Regarding claims 16 and 30, the display can further comprise a touch panel that can be touched with a pen interface or finger [0409], but does not teach the digitizer as located below the reinforcing member.
Shin teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel/module such as an organic light emitting display panel among others [0054] having a supporter disposed thereunder, and having a digitizer module disposed under the supporter, and a case disposed under the digitizer [0105], wherein the digitizer is capable of receiving information from a pen or other positional information [0107-0108], wherein a digitizer module on the upper surface of the support or display module may increase stress and/or damage or make the display quality degrade, whereas disposed between the relatively more rigid supporter and casing will protect and prevent the digitizer from curving [0010-0011, 0150-0155].
OR
La teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel (All Figs. [DP]) having a first support plate (All Figs. [SPT1]) disposed thereunder and a digitizer module (All Figs. [DTM]) disposed under the support plate, the digitizer being for a digitizer pen [0070-0071], wherein when the digitizer is disposed between the display module and the first support plate stress increases damaging wiring lines as opposed to when it is between the first support plate and a second support plate having a larger radius of curvature and to support the digitizer [0072, 0135-0136].
OR
Kishimoto teaches a foldable display device, such as an organic light-emitting display panel [0064], comprising a digitizer for an electronic pen [0005, 0079], wherein a display panel (All Figs. [100]) having a rigid member (All Figs. [600]) disposed thereunder, the rigid member having a thickness of 100 to 300 µm [0072] and including a polymer containing carbon fibers [0071] in the form of alternately stacked prepregs first prepregs having carbon fibers extending parallel to the folding axis and second prepregs having carbon fibers extending perpendicularly to the folding axis [0074], a digitizer (All Figs. [700]) disposed below the rigid member and a shield member (All Figs. [800]) and casing (All Figs. [800]) disposed under the digitizer [0018, 0075-0082] such that the digitizer is prevented from being visible to the user [0005-0006, 0086, 0142].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a digitizer below a display supporting member/rigid member including carbon fibers. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to allow the use of an electronic pen/stylus [Shin or LA or Kishimoto] while also preventing stress and/or damage to the digitizer such that the display quality degrades [Shin] OR increase radius of curvature to decrease stress and better support the digitizer [La] OR preventing the digitizer from being visible to the user [Kishimoto].
Claims 1, 3, 5-6, 17-19, & 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Mizoguchi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0146556 A1) (hereinafter “Mizoguchi”).
Regarding claims 1, 3, 5-6, 17-19, and 21-22, Mizoguchi teaches a portable information device such as a tablet PC or smartphone that is foldable to be miniaturized while carrying [0003] comprising a foldable display (All Figs. [16]), the display panel comprising a first area at least partially surrounding a second area having a folding area disposed therein having a folding axis along a first direction (parallel to a shorter side), and a support plate (All Figs. [18]) arranged under the display panel, the support plate comprising multilayer/stacked carbon fiber reinforced resin prepregs [0055-0056, 0101-0102], comprising a first/outer carbon layer (Fig. 14A [70a]) and a third/outer carbon fiber layer (Fig. 14A [70c]) having a second/intermediate carbon layer disposed therebetween (Fig. 14A [70b]), wherein the carbon fibers are pitch-based carbon fibers and the first and third carbon fibers comprise the same orientation direction and the second layer being orthogonal to the first and third layers [0101-0102].
Claims 2, 4, 7-9, 13-15, 20, 23-24, & 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, in view of Nishizawa et al. (JP 2017-001264 A) (hereinafter “Nishizawa”) AND/OR Okunaka (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0009054 A1) (hereinafter “Okunaka”), wherein claims 13-15 and 27-29 are optionally further in view of Kashif et al. (WO 2019/193578 A1) (hereinafter “Kashif”).
Regarding claims 2, 4, 7-9, 20, and 23-24, the inclusion of polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers and pitch-based carbon fibers as claimed is not taught.
Nishizawa teaches a laminate for housings of electrical devices that are to be lightweight, strong, have excellent impact resistance to suppress damage such as cracks, and have small responses to thermal dimensional changes [0002, 0027], wherein the reinforced fiber laminate comprises in order A1 layer(s)/B layer(s)/A2 layer(s), wherein the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the A1 and A2 layers is higher than the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the B layer(s) [0012, 0027], wherein the fibers of the A1 and A2 layers is polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers from the viewpoint of low linear expansion and impact/crack resistance which is absorbed by the fibers having the larger breaking elongation [0026-0027] and the fibers of the B layer(s) is PAN- or pitch-based, preferably pitch-based due to the improved mechanical strength and lower linear expansion [0069].
AND/OR
Okunaka teaches a laminate usable as a member in electronic device housing that is lightweight and high strength and also having a high heat dissipation [0003, 0119-0120], wherein alternating layers of unidirectional fiber comprise carbon fiber A and carbon fiber B being pitch-based and polyacrylonitrile-based, respectively [0015-0017] which has a beneficial balance between strength, stiffness, and thermal conductivity, wherein the pitch-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher elastic/tensile modulus and a small thermal expansion and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher tensile strength such that the layers are balanced in properties of tensile strength, tensile modulus/stiffness, and thermal conductivity and improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based fibers [0044-0046, 0060, 0092] and wherein the either the pitch-based or polyacrylonitrile-based based fibers may be located on the outermost surfaces [0077].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide both polyacrylonitrile-based and pitch-based carbon fibers as claimed to laminated fiber composites. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide balanced and improved impact resistance and mechanical strength/lower linear expansion [Nishizawa] AND/OR a balance between the high tensile modulus pitch-based and the high tensile strength polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers with improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based carbon fibers and improved thermal conductivity over laminates consisting of only polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers [Okunaka].
Regarding claims 13-15 and 27-29, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the perpendicularly aligned fibers as extending in parallel to the major long and short sides of the display device, wherein Kashif makes obvious and motivates forming a first inner layer(s) having fibers extending a first direction along the length of a laminate flanked by second fibers extending a second direction along the width of the laminate, which add stiffness to the major directions of the display device, which can be a notebook cover, related portable device such as a tablet [0029, 0049-0051, 0055].
Claims 16 & 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, in view of Shin et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0209998 A1) (hereinafter “Shin”) OR La et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0044599 A1) (hereinafter “La”) OR Kishimoto et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0113824 A1) (hereinafter “Kishimoto”).
Regarding claims 16 and 30, Mizoguchi does not teach the digitizer as located below the support plate.
Shin teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel/module such as an organic light emitting display panel among others [0054] having a supporter disposed thereunder, and having a digitizer module disposed under the supporter, and a case disposed under the digitizer [0105], wherein the digitizer is capable of receiving information from a pen or other positional information [0107-0108], wherein a digitizer module on the upper surface of the support or display module may increase stress and/or damage or make the display quality degrade, whereas disposed between the relatively more rigid supporter and casing will protect and prevent the digitizer from curving [0010-0011, 0150-0155].
OR
La teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel (All Figs. [DP]) having a first support plate (All Figs. [SPT1]) disposed thereunder and a digitizer module (All Figs. [DTM]) disposed under the support plate, the digitizer being for a digitizer pen [0070-0071], wherein when the digitizer is disposed between the display module and the first support plate stress increases damaging wiring lines as opposed to when it is between the first support plate and a second support plate having a larger radius of curvature and to support the digitizer [0072, 0135-0136].
OR
Kishimoto teaches a foldable display device, such as an organic light-emitting display panel [0064], comprising a digitizer for an electronic pen [0005, 0079], wherein a display panel (All Figs. [100]) having a rigid member (All Figs. [600]) disposed thereunder, the rigid member having a thickness of 100 to 300 µm [0072] and including a polymer containing carbon fibers [0071] in the form of alternately stacked prepregs first prepregs having carbon fibers extending parallel to the folding axis and second prepregs having carbon fibers extending perpendicularly to the folding axis [0074], a digitizer (All Figs. [700]) disposed below the rigid member and a shield member (All Figs. [800]) and casing (All Figs. [800]) disposed under the digitizer [0018, 0075-0082] such that the digitizer is prevented from being visible to the user [0005-0006, 0086, 0142].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a digitizer below a display supporting member/rigid member including carbon fibers. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to allow the use of an electronic pen/stylus [Shin or LA or Kishimoto] while also preventing stress and/or damage to the digitizer such that the display quality degrades [Shin] OR increase radius of curvature to decrease stress and better support the digitizer [La] OR preventing the digitizer from being visible to the user [Kishimoto].
Claims 1-9 & 17-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2023/0010332 A1) (hereinafter “Gong”) in view of Mirdehghan (Engineered Polymeric Fibrous Materials: Chapter 1) (hereinafter “Mirdehghan”), and optionally Nishizawa et al. (JP 2017-001264 A) (hereinafter “Nishizawa”) OR Okunaka (U.S. Pub. No. 2016/0009054 A1) (hereinafter “Okunaka”).
Regarding claims 1-9 and 17-24, Gong teaches a foldable display device comprising a display support plate/sheet (All Figs. [602/30]) disposed under a display panel (All Figs. [601/301]), the display panel comprising a first area at least partially surrounding a second area having a folding area (Figs. 3-4 & 14-15 [dotted line]) disposed therein having a folding axis along a first direction (parallel to a shorter side), wherein the display support sheet comprises a multilayer sheet comprising first outer unidirectional layer(s) and third outer unidirectional layer(s) having first carbon fibers in a first direction with a second intermediate unidirectional layer disposed between the first and third having second carbon fibers in a second direction angled to the first direction, such as substantially perpendicular, wherein the intermediate layer can be the same thickness [Fig. 10] or thicker [Fig. 11] than the outer layers, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a higher tensile modulus and the outer layers comprising a higher tensile strength [0050-0053].
However, each of the carbon fibers named for the first and third carbon fiber layers (T700) and the second carbon fiber layers (M40) each comprise polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers, wherein pitch-based carbon fibers are not taught.
Mirdehghan teaches T700 and M40 fibers among others, wherein it is known that a high modulus fiber is any fiber between 350 and 450 GPa and ultra-high modulus being up to 700 GPa and high tension fibers having a tensile modulus of 200-250 GPa, wherein the tensile strength and modulus of T700 [high tension fibers] and M40 [high modulus] fibers match that as set forth in Gong, wherein a strain to failure comprises 2.1% and 0.6%, respectively, wherein pitch-based carbon fibers (P55, P75, P100, CN60) being high modulus or ultra-high modulus having relatively similar strain to failure with higher tensile modulus, if that is desired.
Furthermore, Nishizawa teaches a laminate for housings of electrical devices that are to be lightweight, strong, have excellent impact resistance to suppress damage such as cracks, and have small responses to thermal dimensional changes [0002, 0027], wherein the reinforced fiber laminate comprises in order A1 layer(s)/B layer(s)/A2 layer(s), wherein the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the A1 and A2 layers, greater than 0.8% and less than 2.5%, is higher than the breaking elongation of the reinforcing fibers in the B layer(s), about 0.3% to 0.7%, for a difference of about 1.0% to 2.0% [0012, 0027, 0069-0070], wherein the fibers of the A1 and A2 layers is polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers from the viewpoint of low linear expansion and impact/crack resistance which is absorbed by the fibers having the larger breaking elongation [0026-0027] and the fibers of the B layer(s) is PAN- or pitch-based, preferably pitch-based due to the improved mechanical strength and lower linear expansion [0069].
AND/OR
Okunaka teaches a laminate usable as a member in electronic device housing that is lightweight and high strength and also having a high heat dissipation [0003, 0119-0120], wherein alternating layers of unidirectional fiber comprise carbon fiber A and carbon fiber B being pitch-based and polyacrylonitrile-based, respectively [0015-0017] which has a beneficial balance between strength, stiffness, and thermal conductivity, wherein the pitch-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher elastic/tensile modulus and a small thermal expansion and the polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers have a relatively higher tensile strength such that the layers are balanced in properties of tensile strength, tensile modulus/stiffness, and thermal conductivity and improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based fibers [0044-0046, 0060, 0092] and wherein the either the pitch-based or polyacrylonitrile-based based fibers may be located on the outermost surfaces [0077].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide both polyacrylonitrile-based and pitch-based carbon fibers as claimed to laminated fiber composites. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide similar fibers with a relatively lower tensile strength but with a higher tensile modulus [Mirdehghan], wherein balanced and improved impact resistance and mechanical strength/lower linear expansion [Nishizawa] AND/OR a balance between the high tensile modulus pitch-based and the high tensile strength polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers with improved compressive strength and maximum compressive strain over laminates consisting only of pitch-based carbon fibers and improved thermal conductivity over laminates consisting of only polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers [Okunaka].
Claims 10-12 & 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong in view of Mirdehghan and optionally Nishizawa OR Okunak, as applied to claims 9 & 24, further in view of Kawabe (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0135227 A1) (hereinafter “Kawabe”) and/or Khokar et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0245449 A1) (hereinafter “Khokar”).
Regarding claims 10-12 and 25-26, Gong also teaches each of the first, second, and third layers comprise three sublayers each or a single sublayer each for total multilayer thicknesses of 0.15 mm (150 µm) or 0.010 mm (10 µm), respectively [0057], wherein the first and third sublayers have a thickness of 0.025 mm (25 µm) and the second sublayers have a thickness of 0.05 mm (50 µm) [0053], wherein an exemplary thickness for the support sheet/screen is 0.10-0.12 mm (100 to 120 µm). However, a fiber area weight has not been taught.
Kawabe teaches unidirectional carbon fiber sheets for laminating in multiple directions [0002], wherein the fiber spread width, number of filaments (tow number), a fiber fineness, and thickness are all result effective variables with the fiber area weight, wherein a thickness of 0.04 mm or less (40 µm) can be set to approximately 30 g/m2, with an exemplary embodiment comprising a fiber area weight 30 g/m2 and a thickness of 0.034 mm (34 µm) [0190-0191], and a thickness of 0.2 mm (200 µm) is approximately 80-100 g/m2 [0155-0156], with an exemplary embodiment comprising 83 g/m2 and a thickness of 0.081-0.102 [0220-0221].
AND/OR
Khokar teaches an ultra-thin unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg sheets having a thickness of less than 100 micrometers, such as in the range of 10 to 70 micrometers [0013-0014], wherein the fiber areal weight is preferably in the range of 10 to 80 g/m2 [0040-0041], wherein laminates/stacks of ultrathin prepreg sheets comprise a thickness in the range of 0.16 to 0.32 mm (160 to 320 µm) in comparison to laminates/stacks formed of conventional thin prepregs giving thicknesses of 1 to 2 mm [0048-0049].
Furthermore, Nishizawa further teaches that a thickness ratio of each of A1 layer and A2 layer comprising polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers are in the range of 1/10 to 2/5 of the total thickness of the laminate and the B layer comprising pitch-based carbon fibers is in the range of 1/5 to 4/5 of the total thickness of laminate, which provides good impact resistance and low linear expansion [0089-0090].
It would have been obvious to and motivated for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to look to the art to provide each of the fiber layers such that the total thickness of the multilayer reinforcing member is below 200 µm as desired by Gong with the corresponding fiber weights that would be near or within the near claimed ranges, wherein a thicker central layer and thinner outer layers provides good impact resistance and low linear expansion [Nishizawa].
Claims 13-15 & 27-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong in view of Mirdehghan and optionally Nishizawa OR Okunak, as applied to claims 9 & 24, optionally further in view of Liu et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2023/00069471 A1) (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claims 13-15 and 27-28, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the perpendicularly aligned fibers as extending in parallel to the major long and short sides of the display device.
Alternatively, Liu teaches a support member for a display panel comprising first unidirectional carbon fibers (Figs. 1-2 & 5-6 [4-1]) extending in a first direction in first and third outer layers (Figs. 1-2 & 5-6 [1]) and second unidirectional carbon fibers (Figs. 1-2 & 5-6 [4-2]) extending in a second direction in a second intermediate layer (Figs. 1-2 & 5-6 [2]) disposed between the first and third layers, wherein the first direction is at a first angle, θ1, to the bending axis and the second direction is at a second angle, θ2, to the bending axis, wherein θ1≠θ2 [0047-0048], wherein when θ1=0° and θ2 is an acute angle or θ2=90°, which can reduce the possibility of brittle fracture of the first fibers in both scenarios and the acute angle can reduce the possibility of brittle fracture of the second fibers or the orthogonal angle can improve the overall supportability of the support member [0053-0055, 0077-0079], wherein the thickness of the first layer is smaller than or equal to the second layer, wherein the larger the angle of the fibers in the second layer are with respect to the bending axis, the more beneficial increasing the thickness of the second layer can be to improving the resistance to tension and compression, thereby improving the strength of the support member and reducing defects such as cracks [0057]
Claims 16 & 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong in view of Mirdehghan and optionally Nishizawa OR Okunak, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, further in view of Shin et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0209998 A1) (hereinafter “Shin”) OR La et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0044599 A1) (hereinafter “La”) OR Kishimoto et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0113824 A1) (hereinafter “Kishimoto”).
Regarding claims 16 and 30, Gong does not teach the digitizer as located below the support plate.
Shin teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel/module such as an organic light emitting display panel among others [0054] having a supporter disposed thereunder, and having a digitizer module disposed under the supporter, and a case disposed under the digitizer [0105], wherein the digitizer is capable of receiving information from a pen or other positional information [0107-0108], wherein a digitizer module on the upper surface of the support or display module may increase stress and/or damage or make the display quality degrade, whereas disposed between the relatively more rigid supporter and casing will protect and prevent the digitizer from curving [0010-0011, 0150-0155].
OR
La teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel (All Figs. [DP]) having a first support plate (All Figs. [SPT1]) disposed thereunder and a digitizer module (All Figs. [DTM]) disposed under the support plate, the digitizer being for a digitizer pen [0070-0071], wherein when the digitizer is disposed between the display module and the first support plate stress increases damaging wiring lines as opposed to when it is between the first support plate and a second support plate having a larger radius of curvature and to support the digitizer [0072, 0135-0136].
OR
Kishimoto teaches a foldable display device, such as an organic light-emitting display panel [0064], comprising a digitizer for an electronic pen [0005, 0079], wherein a display panel (All Figs. [100]) having a rigid member (All Figs. [600]) disposed thereunder, the rigid member having a thickness of 100 to 300 µm [0072] and including a polymer containing carbon fibers [0071] in the form of alternately stacked prepregs first prepregs having carbon fibers extending parallel to the folding axis and second prepregs having carbon fibers extending perpendicularly to the folding axis [0074], a digitizer (All Figs. [700]) disposed below the rigid member and a shield member (All Figs. [800]) and casing (All Figs. [800]) disposed under the digitizer [0018, 0075-0082] such that the digitizer is prevented from being visible to the user [0005-0006, 0086, 0142].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a digitizer below a display supporting member/rigid member including carbon fibers. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to allow the use of an electronic pen/stylus [Shin or LA or Kishimoto] while also preventing stress and/or damage to the digitizer such that the display quality degrades [Shin] OR increase radius of curvature to decrease stress and better support the digitizer [La] OR preventing the digitizer from being visible to the user [Kishimoto].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to JEFFREY A VONCH whose telephone number is (571)270-1134. The Examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Frank J Vineis can be reached at (571)270-1547. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFREY A VONCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 February 25th, 2026