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 .
Applicants’ election without traverse group I in the reply filed on 8/13/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 22-39 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/13/26.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being by CN 114293145A.
As to claim 1, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 1) a mask assembly comprising: a mask (10); and a mask frame (20) configured to support the mask, wherein the mask includes: a plurality of sub-masks (C) arranged in a first direction, the plurality of sub-masks each including a short side configured to extend in the first direction and a long side configured to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction (see Fig 5(b) and 7-8 for 6 by 8 patterns showing short and long sides); and a first connecting stick (grid sheet portion 223) configured to overlap the long side on in a plan view and connect two sub-masks adjacent to each other among the plurality of sub-masks (see Fig 2(b)), wherein each of the plurality of sub-masks (223) includes: a central part including a cell region (mask film 110) defining a plurality of holes (P) therein; and a welding part (WP) disposed along the long side (see Fig 10 (d)-11 (b)), and wherein the first connecting stick (223) and the welding part are connected with each other through a plurality of welding agents (WB).
Regarding claim 2, in CN’145 the first connecting stick is disposed under the two sub-masks (C) adjacent to each other and partially overlaps the welding part (WP) included in each of the two sub-masks in the plan view (see Fig 10 (b)-11 (b)).
As to claim 3, in CN’145 the plurality of welding agents (WB) overlaps the welding part and the first connecting stick (223) in the plan view (see Fig 10 (d)-11 (b)).
Regarding claim 4, in CN’145 the plurality of welding agents (WB) is disposed under the first connecting stick (223).
As to claim 5, in CN’145 (see Fig 10 (b)-11 (b)) the plurality of welding agents (WB) is disposed on the welding part (WP).
Regarding claim 6, CN’145 teaches the plurality of welding agents (WB) do not overlap the central part in the plan view.
As to claim 7, in CN’145 the first connecting stick (223) and the welding part (WP) partially overlap each other in the plan view.
Regarding claim 8, in CN’145 each of the plurality of sub-masks (C) further includes an alignment part having an alignment mark (alignment mark AH1, AH2) to determine whether the two sub-masks adjacent to each other among the plurality of sub-masks are aligned with each other.
As to claim 9, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 10 (b)) the alignment part (alignment mark AH1, AH2) is disposed between the central part (1100 and the welding part (WP).
Regarding claim 10, in CN’145 the alignment mark includes a photoresist pattern (aligning marks AH1& AH2 aligning the position of the sub-mask pattern P1 &P2, see English translation).
As to claim 11, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 6(d)) the alignment mark (alignment mark AH1’, AH2’) is provided in plurality, and wherein the plurality of alignment marks (alignment mark AH1, AH2) is aligned in the second direction.
Regarding claim 12, CN’145 teaches each of the plurality of sub-masks (C) includes: a first alignment part (AH1’) disposed in the first direction with respect to the central part (110); and a second alignment part (AH2) disposed opposite to the first alignment part with respect to the central part (see Fig 6(d)).
As to claim 13, CN’145 teaches the plurality of alignment marks (AH1, AH2) include: a plurality of first alignment marks defined on the first alignment part; and a plurality of second alignment marks defined on the second alignment part (see Fig 6(d)).
Regarding claim 14, CN’145 teaches the plurality of first alignment marks (AH1, AH2) defined on one sub-mask (C) among the plurality of sub-masks (C) and the plurality of second alignment marks defined on another sub-mask adjacent to the one sub-mask are aligned with each other in the first direction (see Fig 6(d)).
As to claim 15, CN’145 teaches the cell region (110) is singly provided in the central part (see Fig 2(a)).
Regarding claim 16, CN’145 teaches (see Figs 1(a) and 1(b)) the mask (10) further includes two tensile parts (see Fig 1(b)) connected with two outermost sub-masks in the first direction and a direction opposite to the first direction (see Fig 1(a)), respectively, among the plurality of sub-masks (C), and wherein the two tensile parts are fixed to the mask frame (20).
As to claim 17, CN’145 teaches the mask further includes a second connecting stick (221, see Fig 2b and 4B) configured to connect the two outermost sub-masks with the two tensile parts, wherein each of the two tensile parts includes a tensile welding part (WB), and wherein the tensile welding part and the welding part are connected by the second connecting stick (221).
Regarding claim 18, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 2 (b)) the first connecting stick (223) is provided in plurality, and wherein the plurality of first connecting sticks is arranged in the first direction.
As to claim 19, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 2 (b)) each of the plurality of first connecting sticks extends along the long side.
Regarding claim 20, CN’145 teaches (see Fig 2(b)) each of the plurality of first connecting sticks (223) includes a plurality of sub-connecting sticks (223) arranged along the long side.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 114293145A in view of JP 2019026926A.
CN’145 lacks teaching the length of the sub-masks. JP’926 teaches (see Fig 3 and English translation on page 3 for the width exceeding 90 mm) the short side has a length of about 90 millimeters (mm) to about 400 mm, and wherein the long side has a length of about 300 mm to about 2000 mm. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to size the length of the sub-masks about 90-400 mm depending on the types of pixels in a pattern deposited on the substrate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEWEBDAR T TADESSE whose telephone number is (571)272-1238. The examiner can normally be reached 7.00-3:30 PM.
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, Dah-Wei Yuan can be reached at 571-272-1295. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
YEWEBDAR T. TADESSE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1717
/YEWEBDAR T TADESSE/
Prosecution Insights