DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-16) in the reply filed on 7-1-2026 is acknowledged.
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) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (KR 20200039264) (English translation attached).
[claim 1] A display device (figs. 5-9) comprising: a substrate (SUB, fig. 6) comprising a display area (DA, fig. 5-6), and a non-display area (NDA, fig. 5-6) adjacent to the display area; a first dam (inside DAM ring fig. 5-6) in the non-display area above the substrate; and a second dam (inside DAM ring fig. 5-6) in the non-display area above the substrate, more adjacent to an edge of the non-display area than the first dam, and comprising: a first organic layer (DM1, fig. 6, see bottom two paragraphs of translation pg. 12) above the substrate; and a second organic layer (DM2 and/or DM3, fig. 5, see pg. 13 of the translation) above the first organic layer, and spaced from a first side of the first organic layer facing the first dam (fig. 7-9 shows different parts of the DAM structures, for example fig. 8 and 9 shows stepped structures for DAM1 and DAM2/3).
[claim 2] The display device of claim 1, wherein the first side of the first organic layer and a side of the second organic layer facing the first dam have a stepped shape (fig. 7-9 shows different parts of the DAM structures, for example fig. 8 and 9 shows stepped structures for DAM1 and DAM2/3).
[claim 3] The display device of claim 1, wherein the second organic layer contacts a second side of the first organic layer opposite the first side (fig. 6).
[claim 4] The display device of claim 1 (if the substrate includes both SUB1 and BUF1, fig. 6), further comprising an insulating structure (GI, PAS2, PAS3 fig. 6) between the substrate and the first dam, and comprising: a first area (GI, fig. 6) contacting the first organic layer, and spaced from the second organic layer; and a second area (PAS2, PAS3, fig. 6) contacting the first organic layer and the second organic layer.
[claim 5] The display device of claim 4, wherein an opening (opening created to the far left in fig. 6 by PAS2/PAS3 that exposes BUF1 and also includes the rest of the empty portion above and openings between GI and PAS2) is defined in the insulating structure to expose at least a portion of an upper surface of the substrate, and wherein the first organic layer fills the opening (fig. 6, DM1 fills in openings between GI and PAS2).
[claim 6] The display device of claim 1, further comprising a blocking pattern (DM2 if first organic layer is DM1, and the second organic is DM3, fig. 6, 8, 9) between the first organic layer and the second organic layer, and protruding from the second dam toward the first dam (fig. 6, 8, 9).
[claim 7] The display device of claim 6, wherein the blocking pattern is at an edge of the second dam, and extends along the first side of the first organic layer (fig. 9).
[claim 8] The display device of claim 6, further comprising: a first power line (VDL1, fig. 4) on the substrate, and overlapping the non-display area; and a second power line (VDL2, fig. 4) on the substrate, overlapping the non-display area, and spaced from the first power line.
[claim 9] The display device of claim 8, wherein the blocking pattern comprises: a first blocking pattern (DM2 in first dam is physically connected to the power line, fig. 4,5) connected to the first power line, and on a same layer as the first power line; and a second blocking pattern (DM2 in second dam is physically connected to the power line, fig. 4,5) connected to the second power line, and on a same layer as the second power line (both are on SUB, fig. 4,5)
[claim 10] The display device of claim 8, wherein the blocking pattern comprises: a first blocking pattern connected to the first power line (DM2 in first dam is physically connected to the power line, fig. 4,5), and on a different layer from the first power line; and a second blocking pattern (DM2 in second dam is physically connected to the power line, fig. 4,5) connected to the second power line, and on a different layer from the second power line (one is on SUB while another is on BUF1, fig. 4,5) .
[claim 11] The display device of claim 8, wherein a low power voltage is applied to the first power line, and wherein a high-power voltage is applied to the second power line (the limitation is toward the intended use of the device, the voltage lines are capable of facilitating either).
[claim 12] The display device of claim 6, further comprising: a transistor (TFT, fig. 6) in the display area, and comprising: an active layer (CA, fig. 6) above the substrate; a gate electrode (GE, fig. 6) above the active layer; and a source electrode (SA, fig. 6) and a drain electrode (DA, fig. 6) contacting the active layer; and a connection electrode (ANO/BN, fig. 6) above the transistor, and connected to the transistor.
[claim 13] The display device of claim 12, wherein the blocking pattern comprises a same material as the connection electrode (BN has the same material as DM2, fig. 6).
[claim 14] The display device of claim 1, further comprising: a first inorganic encapsulation layer (PAS2 or PAS3, fig. 6) on the first dam, and extending to the first side of the first organic layer; and a second inorganic encapsulation layer (PAS4, fig. 6) on the first inorganic encapsulation layer.
[claim 15] The display device of claim 14, wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer (PAS2, fig. 6) contacts the second organic layer.
[claim 16] The display device of claim 14, wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer (PAS3, fig. 6) is spaced from the second organic layer.
Conclusion
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/AMAR MOVVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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