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 .
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.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 11-14 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (KR 102344490 B1), Park hereinafter.
Examiner’s note
The following rejection is based on a foreign reference Park et al. (KR 102344490 B1). For rejection purposes reference is made to the US counterpart (US 20230209749 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a display device comprising: a plurality of display modules (100a-100h, ¶ [32], fig. 2) of which front surfaces have screens on which images are displayed (¶ [38]); a plurality of module frames (100, ¶ [67], figs. 8 & 10) corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of display modules (100a-100h); and a tiling frame (200, ¶ [49], fig. 3) to which each of the plurality of module frames (100) is fastened and is replaceable.
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses that a display module (100a) from the plurality of display modules (100a-100h) is correspondingly attached to a module frame (100) from the plurality of module frames (100), (see figs. 9 & 10).
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses a fastening member (500, ¶ [73], figs. 9 & 10) detachably fastened to the tiling frame (200) and a module frame (100) from the plurality of module frames (100), wherein the module frame (100) is coupled to or separated from the tiling frame (200) by the fastening member (500) (see fig. 9).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses that the fastening member includes: one or more first fastening holes (310, ¶ [67], fig. 10) in rear surfaces of the plurality of module frames (100) (see fig. 10); one or more second fastening holes (310) at each position overlapping the one or more first fastening holes (h, ¶ [56], fig. 10) in the tiling frame (15); and one or more screws thread-coupled (screw line, ¶ [67]) to the one or more first fastening holes (310) and the one or more second fastening holes (310).
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses a silicon ring, a leaf spring, or a rubber packing (330, ¶ [69], fig. 10) is on an outer surface of the one or more screws (500).
Regarding claim 12, Park discloses a display device comprising: a first display module (100a, ¶ [32], fig. 2); a second display module (100b); a first module frame (100, ¶ [67], figs. 8 & 10) attached to the first display module (100a); a second module frame (100) attached to the second display module (100b); and a tiling frame (200, ¶ [49], fig. 3) that is fastened to the first display module (100a) and the second display module (100b) and is replaceable.
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses a fastening member (500, ¶ [73], figs. 9 & 10) detachably fastened to the tiling frame (200) and the first module frame (100) and the second module frame (100), wherein the first module frame (100) and the second module frame (100) are coupled to or separated from the tiling frame (200) by the fastening member (500) (see fig. 9).
Regarding claim 14, Park discloses that the fastening member includes: one or more first fastening holes (310, ¶ [67], fig. 10) in rear surfaces of the first module frame (100) and the second module frame (100) (see figs. 9 & 10); one or more second fastening holes (310) at each position overlapping the one or more first fastening holes (h, ¶ [56], fig. 10) in the tiling frame (15); and one or more screws thread-coupled (screw line, ¶ [67]) to the one or more first fastening holes (310) and the one or more second fastening holes (310).
Regarding claim 20, Park discloses a silicon ring, a leaf spring, or a rubber packing (330, ¶ [69], fig. 10) is on an outer surface of the one or more screws (500).
Regarding claim 21, Park discloses a display device comprising: N display modules (100a-100h, ¶ [32], fig. 2), wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more; and a frame to which each of the N display modules (100a-100h) is fastened and is replaceable, wherein the frame includes: a first frame (200, ¶ [49], fig. 3) configured to support one surface of each of the N display modules (100a-100h) so that the N display modules (100a-100h) are on a same plane (see fig. 2); and a plurality of second frames (100, ¶ [67], figs. 8 & 10) configured to support one surface of each of M display modules (100a-100h), wherein M is a natural number greater than zero and less than N, each of the plurality of second frames is interposed between one of the M display modules (100a-100h) corresponding thereto and the first frame (200), and each of the plurality of second frames (100) is fastened (¶s [176]-[178]) to the first frame (200) and is replaceable.
Claims 1-3,12-13 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hong et al. (US 20230126724 A1), Hong hereinafter.
Regarding claim 1, Hong discloses a display device comprising: a plurality of display modules (30, ¶ [55], fig. 1) of which front surfaces have screens on which images are displayed (¶ [53]); a plurality of module frames (60, ¶ [117], fig. 6) corresponding one-to-one to the plurality of display modules (30); and a tiling frame (15, ¶ [157], fig. 2) to which each of the plurality of module frames (60) is fastened and is replaceable.
Regarding claim 2, Hong discloses that a display module (30A) from the plurality of display modules (30) is correspondingly attached to a module frame (60) from the plurality of module frames (60), (see fig 6).
Regarding claim 3, Hong discloses that a fastening member (82, ¶ [176], fig. 4) detachably fastened to the tiling frame (15) and a module frame (60) from the plurality of module frames (60), wherein the module frame (60) is coupled to or separated from the tiling frame (15) by the fastening member (82).
Regarding claim 12, Hong discloses a display device comprising: a first display module (30A, ¶ [65], fig. 1); a second display module (30E); a first module frame (60, ¶ [117], fig. 6) attached to the first display module (30A); a second module frame (60) attached to the second display module (30E); and a tiling frame (15, ¶ [157], fig. 2) that is fastened to the first display module (30A) and the second display module (30E) and is replaceable.
Regarding claim 13, Hong discloses a fastening member (82, ¶ [176], fig. 4) detachably fastened to the tiling frame (15) and the first module frame (60) and the second module frame (60), wherein the first module frame (60) and the second module frame (60) are coupled to or separated from the tiling frame (15) by the fastening member (82).
Regarding claim 21, Hong discloses a display device comprising: N display modules (30, ¶ [55], fig. 1), wherein N is a natural number of 2 or more; and a frame to which each of the N display modules (30) is fastened and is replaceable, wherein the frame includes: a first frame (15, ¶ [157], fig. 2) configured to support one surface of each of the N display modules (30) so that the N display modules (30) are on a same plane (see fig. 2); and a plurality of second frames (60, ¶ [117], fig. 6) configured to support one surface of each of M display modules (30), wherein M is a natural number greater than zero and less than N, each of the plurality of second frames is interposed between one of the M display modules (30) corresponding thereto and the first frame (15), and each of the plurality of second frames (60) is fastened (¶s [176]-[178]) to the first frame (15) and is replaceable.
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 of this title, 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 6 and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong et al. (US 20230126724 A1), Hong hereinafter, in view of Lee et al. (US 20220114924 A1), Lee hereinafter.
Regarding claim 6, Hong discloses the claimed invention according to claim 1.
However, Hong fails to exemplify that each of the plurality of display modules is correspondingly coupled to one of the plurality of module frames with a resin.
Meanwhile, Hong discloses on ¶ [179] that the fixing member (82) may be a double-sided tape.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee shoes evidence of double-sided tape and an adhesive resin are equivalent materials to be use as fixing element for a display panel, ¶ [58].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing of the claimed invention to provide for each of the plurality of display modules to be correspondingly coupled to one of the plurality of module frames with a resin as taught by Lee in the device of Hong, since resin is a well-known adhesive material.
Regarding claim 15, Hong discloses the claimed invention according to claim 12.
However, Hong fails to exemplify that each of the plurality of display modules is correspondingly coupled to one of the plurality of module frames with a resin.
Meanwhile, Hong discloses on ¶ [179] that the fixing member (82) may be a double-sided tape.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee shoes evidence of double-sided tape and an adhesive resin are equivalent materials to be use as fixing element for a display panel, ¶ [58].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing of the claimed invention to provide for each of the plurality of display modules to be correspondingly coupled to one of the plurality of module frames with a resin as taught by Lee in the device of Hong, since resin is a well-known adhesive material.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7-10 and 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if at least one the limitations indicated below were included in the base claim.
Regarding claim 5, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 5, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to each of the plurality of display modules includes at least one rib between the plate bottom and the circuit board, and a cover shield that covers the circuit board.
Regarding claim 7, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 7, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the resin fills a space between a protrusion from a cut and bent one or more first openings in a rear surface of each of the plurality of display modules and one or more second openings disposed at each position overlapping the one or more first openings in the module frame such that each of the plurality of display modules is coupled to one of the plurality of module frames.
Regarding claims 8-10, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 7 because of their dependency status from claim 7.
Regarding claim 16, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 16, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the resin fills a space between a protrusion included in a cut and bent one or more first openings disposed in a rear surface of each of the first display module and the second display module and one or more second openings disposed at each position overlapping the one or more first openings in the first module frame and the second module frame such that each of the first display module and the second display module is coupled to one of the first module frame and the second module frame.
Regarding claims 17-19, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 16 because of their dependency status from claim 16.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 12672245 B2 teaches a tiled display with a similar frame structure.
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/JOSE M DIAZ/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/JAMES R GREECE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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