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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: “interesting” should read “intersecting”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 3, 7-9, 14 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art of record does not teach nor render obvious the claimed limitations.
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) 1-2, 4-6, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-grant Publication 2022/0141967 to Gu et al. (herein Gu).
Regarding claim 1, Gu teaches a display device including a display substrate and a backboard support structure comprising a substrate support film and an adhesive layer (abstract) wherein the display device, display substrate, substrate support film, and adhesive layer correspond to the display device, display layer, support plate, and barrier layer recited in the instant claims. Gu teaches that the display device includes a bendable region and a non-bent region (paragraph 0003), corresponding to the folding area and non-folding area recited in the instant claims, wherein a non-bent region is disposed on either side of a bendable region (Fig 2A and paragraph 0080). Gu teaches that the adhesive layer comprises a first portion located in the bendable region and a second portion in the non-bent region (Fig 2A and paragraph 0080), wherein the first and second portions correspond to the first and second parts recited in the instant claims, and that the first portion has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than the modulus of elasticity of the second portion (paragraph 0081).
Regarding claim 2, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
As discussed above, Gu teaches that the first portion has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than the modulus of elasticity of the second portion (paragraph 0081).
Regarding claims 4, 5, and 10, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fig 2A of Gu shows the first and second portions are next to each other in a direction opposite the folding direction. Gu teaches that a plurality of bending regions and non-bent regions can be present (paragraph 0083) which would require a plurality of first and second regions as well.
Regarding claim 6, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fig 5 of Gu shows a spacing layer 103 can be present and Fig 3A shows that spacing layer 103 covers the support substrate film (paragraph 0089).
Claim(s) 13 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gu.
Regarding claim 13, Gu teaches a display device including a display substrate and a backboard support structure comprising a substrate support film and an adhesive layer (abstract) wherein the display device, display substrate, substrate support film, and adhesive layer correspond to the display device, display layer, support plate, and barrier layer recited in the instant claims. Gu teaches that the display device includes a bendable region and a non-bent region (paragraph 0003), corresponding to the folding area and non-folding area recited in the instant claims, wherein a non-bent region is disposed on either side of a bendable region (Fig 2A and paragraph 0080). Gu teaches that the adhesive layer comprises a first portion located in the bendable region and a second portion in the non-bent region (Fig 2A and paragraph 0080), wherein the first and second portions correspond to the first and second parts recited in the instant claims, and that the first portion has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than the modulus of elasticity of the second portion (paragraph 0081).
Regarding claims 16 and 17, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 13 as discussed above.
Fig 2A of Gu shows the first and second portions adjacent to one another and covering the substrate support film (paragraph 0080).
Regarding claim 18, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 13 as discussed above.
Fig 2B of Gu shows the first and second portions in the same layer (paragraph 0080).
Regarding claim 19, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 13 as discussed above.
Gu teaches that the display device has a body region and a peripheral region (paragraph 0087) wherein the body region and the peripheral region correspond to the display area and non-display area recited in the instant claims. Gu teaches that the display substrate has a bendable region and a non-bent region (paragraph 0097) and can bend such that opposing ends of the display substrate face one another (paragraph 0099 and Fig 8) such that the display device is outfolded to expose the display substrate.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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(s) 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu as applied above.
Regarding claims 11 and 12¸Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fig 2A of Gu shows the second portion overlapping the non-bent region. Gu does not teach the first portion being surrounded by the second portion nor that the first portion does not overlap the edge of the substrate support film. However, such arrangement of the first and second portions would amount to a change in shape thereby rendering the claimed configurations obvious. See MPEP 2144.04(IV)(B).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu as applied above and in view of U.S. Pre-grant Publication 2021/0174711 to Cho et al. (herein Cho).
Regarding claim 15, Gu teaches all the limitations of claim 13 as discussed above.
Fig 2A of Gu shows the first portion overlaps the bendable region (paragraph 0080).
Gu is silent as to there being a plurality of openings in the folding area of the substrate support film.
Cho teaches a foldable display device comprising a display panel having a folding area and a non-folding area, a back plate disposed under the display panel, and a first support layer disposed under the back plate (abstract). Cho teaches that the first support layer has a pattern of openings in the folding area (Fig 1 and paragraph 0036).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the substrate support film of Gu to have a pattern of openings in the bendable region as taught by Cho because it increases the elastic deformation region thereby allowing for restoration (paragraph 0100).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY M DAVIS whose telephone number is (571)272-6957. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7-4:30, off 2nd Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Maria V Ewald can be reached at 571-272-8519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZACHARY M DAVIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1783