DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Applicant's amendment filed June 18th, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1 and 17 have been amended.
The Section 102/103 rejections over Huang (in view of Kobayashi) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has/have been made.
The Section 102/103 rejections over Huang (optionally in view of Kobayashi) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has/have been made.
The Section 103 rejections over Huang optionally in view of Kashif (and Kobayashi) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has/have been made.
The Section 103 rejections over Huang in view of Mizoguchi (and optionally Kobayashi/Kashif) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been maintained and have been reapplied below and updated to reflect Applicant’s amendments.
The Section 102/103 rejections over Hayashi (as the primary reference) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment.
The Section 102/103 rejections over Mizoguchi (as the primary reference) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has/have been made.
The Section 102/103 rejections over Gong (as the primary reference) made in the Office action mailed March 18th, 2026 have been withdrawn due to Applicant’s amendment. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has/have been made.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, regarding Huang in view of Mizoguchi filed June 18th, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that both a protection member and a support member are not taught as claimed with regarding to Huang in view of Mizoguichi.
The plate of Huang is in reference to a housing part, which may form any housing/support part of a mobile device, but within the context of Mizoguchi, the plate is referring to the housing/chassis (All Figs. [12]) [0056], wherein the display module (All Figs. [16]) has disposed therebelow, between the display and the housing/chassis/plate, a flexible sheet-like member (All Figs. [30]) comprising a thin (polymer) resin film (or a metallic foil, being an obvious choice between two embodiments), which functions as a protection member/covering the bending portion [0058], the flexible sheet-like member having disposed therebelow, between the protection member and the plate, a support plate (All Figs. [18 & 28A/28B]) comprising a fiber-reinforced (polymer) resin [0101].
Therefore, the rejection over Huang in view of Mizoguichi has been maintained.
Claim Interpretation
The terms “protection” and “support” are considered as modifying of the term “member”, wherein none of these terms are explicitly defined by the specification. Therefore, each term wherein member will be interpreted broadly.
The term member will be considered as any layer, sub-layer, or portion thereof having the structure (i.e. position/location) and/or composition (i.e. polymer resin) as claimed. The terms modifying members are seen as any layer that provides any protective function to an underlying or overlying member/module/plate (i.e. covering thereof and/or providing functional absorption thereto) and any layer that provides any supporting function to an underlying or overlying member/module/plate (i.e. enabling functionality thereof and/or providing reinforcement thereto).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0332087 A1) (hereinafter “Huang”) in view of Park et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2018/0352664 A1) (hereinafter “Park 2018”), wherein claims 2, 4, & 8-9 are optionally further in view of Kobayashi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0152906 A1) (hereinafter “Kobayashi”), and wherein claims 13-15 are optionally further in view of Kashif et al. (WO 2019/193578 A1) (hereinafter “Kashif”).
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].
However, a protection member between the display module and the plate and a support member between the display module and the protection member, each including a polymeric resin is not taught.
Kim teaches a display member for a portable electronic device, the display member comprising therebelow a base layer (protection member) (All Figs. [410]) and a cushion layer (support member) (All Figs. [420]), the base layer comprising an insulating material with a high glass transition temperature such as polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene naphthalate [0081-0083] and located on the bottom surface of the base layer and the cushion layer comprising an elasticity and including a resin foam [0084-0086], wherein the order of the layers may be reversed [0049-0050].
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].
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 1-15 & 17-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0332087 A1) (hereinafter “Huang”) in view of Mizoguchi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0146556 A1) (hereinafter “Mizoguchi”), wherein claims 2, 4, 8-9, 20, & 23-24 are optionally further in view of Kobayashi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2008/0152906 A1) (hereinafter “Kobayashi”), and wherein claims 13-15 & 27-29 are optionally further in view of 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].
However, a foldable display comprising a folding axis as claimed and a protection member between the display module and the plate and a support member between the display module and the protection member, each including a polymeric resin is not taught.
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), wherein the display module (All Figs. [16]) has disposed therebelow, between the display and the housing/chassis/plate, a flexible sheet-like member (All Figs. [30]) comprising a thin (polymer) resin film (protection member), which functions as a protection member/covering the bending portion [0058], the flexible sheet-like member having disposed therebelow, between the protection member and the plate, a support (member) plate (All Figs. [18 & 28A/28B]) comprising a fiber-reinforced (polymer) resin [0101].
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, including a resin thin film (protection member) and a fiber-reinforced support plate (support member) as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to allow a portable device to be miniaturized while carrying, wherein the display would be protected and supported [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, & 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mizoguchi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0146556 A1) (hereinafter “Mizoguchi”) in view of Kim et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0319672 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”).
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 conductive support plate (All Figs. [18]) arranged under the display panel, the support plate comprising a thin resin film (protection or support member) or thin steel foil and a 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], wherein the chassis members may be further connected to a ground structure [0083-0084, 0088].
However, a protection member between the display module and the plate AND a support member between the display module and the protection member, each including a polymeric resin is not taught.
Kim teaches a display device comprising a display panel (All Figs. [430]) and a foldable conductive plate (All Figs. [450]), such as a metallic one comprising steel/SUS [0083], having a first dark polymer layer (protection member) (All Figs. [441]) and a polymer cushion layer (support member) (All Figs. [442]) for impact absorption disposed therebetween and/or a polymer cushion layer (protection layer) (All Figs. [442]) and a second (dark) polymer layer (All Figs. [443]) disposed therebetween, the polymer layers being for purposes of visibility of the display panel [0083, 0132, 0155].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a protection member and a support member as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide appearance-modifying and impact absorbing members for purposes of protecting and supporting the display device [Kim].
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 in view of Kim, 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 in view of Kim, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, further in view of Park et al. (WO 2021/246687 A1) (hereinafter “Park 2021”).
Regarding claims 16 and 30, Mizoguchi does not teach the digitizer as located below the support plate.
Park 2021 teaches substantially the same device as Kim above, wherein a display panel (All Figs. [430]) and a foldable conductive plate (All Figs. [450]), such as a metallic one comprising steel/SUS [0083], having a first dark polymer layer (protection member) (All Figs. [441]) and a polymer cushion layer (support member) (All Figs. [442]) for impact absorption disposed therebetween and/or a polymer cushion layer (protection layer) (All Figs. [442]) and a second (dark) polymer layer (All Figs. [443]) disposed therebetween, the polymer layers being for purposes of visibility of the display panel [0078, 0091], wherein a digitizer (All Figs. [430]) for the purposes of detecting input from an electronic pen is disposed below the conductive plate and provides a grounding structure therefore in order to reduce visibility/buckling and prevent malfunction thereof [0005-00011, 0130, 0134-0136].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a digitizer disposed below the plate. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide the functionality for electronic pens without visible digitizers or display panel buckling/malfunctioning [Park 2021].
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 Kim et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0319672 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”), 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 conductive 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, a protection member between the display module and the plate AND a support member between the display module and the protection member, each including a polymeric resin is not taught.
Kim teaches a display device comprising a display panel (All Figs. [430]) and a foldable conductive plate (All Figs. [450]), such as a metallic one comprising steel/SUS [0083], having a first dark polymer layer (protection member) (All Figs. [441]) and a polymer cushion layer (support member) (All Figs. [442]) for impact absorption disposed therebetween and/or a polymer cushion layer (protection layer) (All Figs. [442]) and a second (dark) polymer layer (All Figs. [443]) disposed therebetween, the polymer layers being for purposes of visibility of the display panel [0083, 0132, 0155].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a protection member and a support member as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide appearance-modifying and impact absorbing members for purposes of protecting and supporting the display device [Kim].
Furthermore, 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 Kim, Mirdehghan, and optionally Nishizawa or Okunaka, as applied to claims 9 & 24 above, and 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 10-12 & 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong in view of Kim, Mirdehghan, and optionally Nishizawa or Okunaka, as applied to claims 9 & 24 above, and 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 Kim, Mirdehghan, and optionally Nishizawa or Okunaka, as applied to claims 1 & 17 above, further in view of Park et al. (WO 2021/246687 A1) (hereinafter “Park 2021”).
Regarding claims 16 and 30, Gong does not teach the digitizer as located below the support plate.
Park 2021 teaches substantially the same device as Kim above, wherein a display panel (All Figs. [430]) and a foldable conductive plate (All Figs. [450]), such as a metallic one comprising steel/SUS [0083], having a first dark polymer layer (protection member) (All Figs. [441]) and a polymer cushion layer (support member) (All Figs. [442]) for impact absorption disposed therebetween and/or a polymer cushion layer (protection layer) (All Figs. [442]) and a second (dark) polymer layer (All Figs. [443]) disposed therebetween, the polymer layers being for purposes of visibility of the display panel [0078, 0091], wherein a digitizer (All Figs. [430]) for the purposes of detecting input from an electronic pen is disposed below the conductive plate and provides a grounding structure therefore in order to reduce visibility/buckling and prevent malfunction thereof [0005-00011, 0130, 0134-0136].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a digitizer disposed below the plate. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide the functionality for electronic pens without visible digitizers or display panel buckling/malfunctioning [Park 2021].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure:
Ha et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0251090 A1) teach a foldable display device nearly identical to that of Mizoguchi/Kim or Gong/Kim, except that between the (polymer) cushion layer (All Figs. [700]) and the (polymer) protective film (layer nearer to the display device) (All Figs. [600]) or between the (polymer) cushion layer and the conductive support plate (All Figs. [500]) [0023] a functional (support) member (All Figs. [800]) for the prevention of display layer buckling [0004-0006] is disposed, wherein the buckling-preventative functional member comprises a first functional layer comprising a (polymeric) elastomer and a filler layer encapsulating at least a portion of the first functional layer and comprising metal or high elastic modulus resin [0114-0115]. This could have been used instead of or in combination with Kim as recited above.
Furthermore, Park 2020 could have been used instead of Kim above, as it contains the disclosure of the same polymer layers with motivation thereof as Kim, but the Examiner wanted to keep the rejections similar and the motivations clear.
Any other reference cited in the attached PTO-892 and not included in any of the above rejections would have made a solid secondary reference in combination with Kim and/or alone.
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 JEFFREY A VONCH whose telephone number is (571)270-1134. The Examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:00.
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, 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 August 18th, 2026
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