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 claims (1-17) in the reply filed on 11/24/2025 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)(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 1-7 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by Kakuda et al. (US Patent No. 12353241 B1 and Kakuda hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 1, Kakuda discloses (1-10 and annoted fig below) a display device comprising: a display module, the display module comprising: a display panel (14), a cover spacer (22) disposed under the display panel, and a step compensation portion (38) disposed on the display panel and the cover spacer; and an outer structure (12) surrounding the display module, wherein an edge portion of the display panel protrudes beyond an edge portion of the cover spacer, a recessed portion is disposed at the edge portion of the cover spacer and under the display panel, and the step compensation portion overlaps the recessed portion (see annotated fig below).
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Regarding Claim 2, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 above) the display device of claim 1, wherein the step compensation portion is disposed at an inner side of the outer structure.
Regarding Claim 3, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 below) the display device of claim 2, wherein the step compensation portion is spaced apart from the outer structure.
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Regarding Claim 4, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 below) the display device of claim 1, further comprising: a cover window (20); wherein the display panel comprises: a first portion (56) disposed on the cover window; and a second portion (14) disposed on the first portion and including the edge portion of the display panel, and the step compensation portion overlaps the edge portion of the second portion.
Regarding Claim 5, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 below) the display device of claim 1, wherein the step compensation portion is filled in the recessed portion.
Regarding Claim 6, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 below) the display device of claim 5, wherein the step compensation portion is in contact with at least one of a bottom surface, a side surface, or a top surface of a first end portion of the display panel disposed at the edge portion of the display panel.
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Regarding Claim 7, Kakuda discloses (annoted fig.7 above) the display device of claim 1, wherein the step compensation portion is in contact with a side surface of an edge portion of the cover spacer defining an end of the recessed portion.
Regarding Claim 14, Kakuda discloses (1-10 and annoted figs) a display device comprising: a display panel comprising a main region (MA), a bending area (BA) disposed on a side of the main region and bent to a bottom side of the main region, and a sub-region (40) disposed on a side of the bending area and at the bottom side of the main region, and comprising a first portion (20) disposed in the main region and a second portion (14) disposed in the sub-region; a cover spacer (22) disposed between the first portion and the second portion; a step compensation portion disposed on the display panel; and an outer structure (12) disposed to surround the display panel, the cover spacer, and the step compensation portion, wherein an edge portion of the second portion protrudes beyond an edge portion of the cover spacer, a recessed portion is disposed between the first portion and the edge portion of the second portion, and the step compensation portion overlaps the recessed portion (see annotated fig below).
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Regarding Claim 15, Kakuda discloses (1-10 and annoted figs) the display device of claim 14, wherein the step compensation portion is disposed in the recessed portion and below at least a portion of the first portion.
Regarding Claim 16, Kakuda discloses (1-10 and annoted figs) the display device of claim 15, wherein the outer structure comprises: an outer portion (outer layer of 12) disposed at an outer side of the bending area, and an inner portion (inner layer of 12) disposed at an inner side of the bending area.
Regarding Claim 17, Kakuda discloses (1-10 and annoted figs) the display device of claim 16, further comprising a bending protection layer (38) disposed at an outer side of the display panel in the bending area, wherein the outer portion is in contact with the bending protection layer.
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.
Claims 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kakuda et al in view of Kim et al (US Patent No. 11765929 B2 and Kim hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 8, Kakuda discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the display panel comprises a through hole penetrating entirely through the display panel an exposing at least a portion of the recessed portion. However, Kim teaches (fig.4B) wherein the display panel comprises a through hole (161a) penetrating
entirely through the display panel an exposing at least a portion of the recessed portion. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a through hole penetrating entirely through the display panel an exposing at least a portion of the recessed portion of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
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Regarding Claim 9, Kakuda/Kim discloses the display device of claim 8. Kim further teaches (see annotated fig above) wherein the through hole is disposed at the edge portion of the display panel and has a combed shape or a saw-toothed shape. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a through hole having a combed shape or a saw-toothed shape of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
Regarding Claim 10, Kakuda/Kim discloses the display device of claim 8. Kim further teaches (see annotated fig above) wherein the through hole is spaced apart from the edge portion of the display device and is disposed at a first end portion (160) of the display panel. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the through hole is spaced apart from the edge portion of the display device and is disposed at a first end portion of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
Regarding Claim 11, Kakuda/Kim discloses the display device of claim 8. Kim further teaches (see annotated fig above) wherein the first end portion of the display device has a ladder shape. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the display device having a ladder shape of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
Regarding Claim 12, Kakuda/Kim discloses the display device of claim 8. Kim further teaches (see annotated fig above) wherein the through hole comprises a plurality of holes spaced apart from each other and disposed adjacent to the edge portion of the display panel. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the through hole comprises a plurality of holes spaced apart from each other of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
Regarding Claim 13, Kakuda/Kim discloses the display device of claim 8. Kim further teaches (see annotated fig above) wherein the through hole comprises a single hole (161a) extending adjacent to the edge portion of the display panel. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the through hole having a single hole of Kim to device of Kakuda in order to allow the sealing member to be filled in the overlapping area between the display panel and the cover spacer (Kim and col 12, lines 30-35).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841