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.
Claim(s) 1-4, and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al, US Patent Application Publication 2017/0373124
Regarding claim 1, Yang teaches a display apparatus, comprising:
a substrate 110 including a first sub pixel and a second sub pixel (SP, figure 1 and [0051]);
a first electrode 140 disposed in each of the first sub pixel and the second sub pixel; and
a bank disposed 140, 142, 246 to cover an end point of the first electrode and separating an emission area and a non-emission area which encloses the emission area,
wherein the bank includes a first bank 140 disposed on the first electrode, and a second bank 142 or 246 disposed on the first bank and including a trench (figure 1).
Regarding claims 2-3, Yang teaches the first bank contains a material including a black pigment, and the second bank 246 [0122] contains a transparent material [0127], wherein the first bank contains an initiator of oligomeric monomers [0106].
Regarding claim 4, Yang teaches the first bank includes: a first pattern 141 enclosing the first electrode of the first sub pixel; and a second pattern 141 enclosing the first electrode of the second sub pixel and spaced apart from the first pattern (wherein each sub pixel contains bank 141, figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Yang teaches the second bank 362a, 362b exposes a part of an upper surface of the first bank and is continuously disposed in the non-emission area (figure 1).
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 7-10, 14-20, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi et al, US Patent Application Publication 2020/0328263.
Regarding claim 1, Choi teaches a display apparatus, comprising:
a substrate 110 including a first sub pixel and a second sub pixel (SP, figure 1 and [0004]);
a first electrode 191 disposed in each of the first sub pixel and the second sub pixel; and
a bank disposed 361/362a/362b to cover an end point of the first electrode and separating an emission area and a non-emission area which encloses the emission area,
wherein the bank includes a first bank 361 disposed on the first electrode, and a second bank 362a, 362b disposed on the first bank and including a trench (figure 1).
Regarding claim 2, Choi teaches the first bank contains a material including a black pigment [0079], and the second bank contains a transparent material [0083],
Regarding claim 4, Choi teaches the first bank includes: a first pattern 361 enclosing the first electrode of the first sub pixel; and a second pattern 361 enclosing the first electrode of the second sub pixel and spaced apart from the first pattern (figure 1).
Regarding claim 5, Choi teaches the second bank encloses all of upper and side surfaces of the first bank and is continuously disposed in the non-emission area (figure 1).
Regarding claims 7-8, Choi teaches a planarization layer 160 disposed between the substrate and the first electrode, wherein an upper surface of the planarization layer is exposed by the first pattern and the second pattern, wherein the upper surface of the planarization layer exposed by the first pattern and the second pattern is in contact with the second bank (figure 1).
Regarding claims 9-10, Choi teaches an emitting unit including a plurality of emitting layers 370/270 disposed on the first electrode and the second bank and a charge generation layer disposed between the plurality of emitting layers (in layer 370, [0098,0099]), wherein the emitting unit is disposed on the second bank and comprises a curve (figure 1).
Regarding claim 14, Choi teaches a display apparatus, comprising:
a substrate 110 including a first sub pixel and a second sub pixel (SP, figure 1 and [0004]);
a first electrode 191 disposed in each of the first sub pixel and the second sub pixel; and
a bank 361/362a/362b disposed to cover an end point of the first electrode and separating an emission area and a non-emission area which encloses the emission area, wherein the bank includes:
a first bank 361 disposed on the first electrode and containing a material including a black pigment [0079]; and
a second bank 362a, 362b,270 disposed on the first bank and covering at least a part of an outer surface of the first bank, and the second bank containing a transparent material [0083].
Regarding claim 15, Choi teaches the second bank covers an entirety of the outer surface of the first bank (figure 1).
Regarding claim 16, Choi teaches the second bank exposes an edge portion of the outer surface of the first bank (where 362a, 362b touches 191), and a projection of the edge portion of the outer surface on the substrate overlaps half of a projection of the end point of the first electrode on the substrate (figure 1).
Regarding claim 17, Choi teaches the second bank includes a trench (where 370 is located).
Regarding claims 18-19, Choi teaches a light emitting diode layer 370 disposed on the second bank and the first electrode; and a second electrode 270 disposed on the light emitting diode layer, wherein the second bank is continuously disposed in the non-emission area (figure 1).
Regarding claim 20, Choi teaches the second bank includes: two spacers (362a, 362b) protruding toward a direction opposite to the substrate; and a connecting section =connecting the two spacers, wherein the connecting section forms the trench (where 370 is located, figure 1).
Regarding claim 23, Choi teaches a first pattern 361, left enclosing the first electrode of the first sub pixel; and a second pattern 361, right enclosing the first electrode of the second sub pixel and spaced apart from the first pattern, wherein the display apparatus further includes: a planarization layer 160 disposed between the substrate and the first electrode, wherein an upper surface of the planarization layer is exposed by the first pattern and the second pattern (figure 1).
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.
Claim(s) 11-13, 21, and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Kim et al, US Patent Application Publication 2022/0052129.
Regarding claim 11, while Choi teaches fails to teach an encapsulation unit 400 disposed on the emitting unit (figure 1),Choi fails to teach a touch unit disposed on the encapsulation unit; and a color filter unit disposed on the touch unit.
However, Kim teaches a completed display device, which includes an encapsulation unit TFEL disposed on the emitting unit; a touch unit SIL1, SOC, SIL2, SCNT, disposed on the encapsulation unit; and a color filter unit SPVX, CF_R, CF_G, CF_B disposed on the touch unit (figure 16).
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 teachings of Kim with that of Choi because Kim teaches generally-known structures that are commonly used in forming a display device.
Regarding claims 12-13, Kim teaches the color filter unit includes: an insulating layer SPVX disposed on the touch unit; a black matrix BM disposed on the insulating layer in the non-emission area; and a color filter CF disposed on the black matrix so as to correspond to the first sub pixel and the second sub pixel, wherein the first bank PDL includes: a first portion overlapping the black matrix and the color filter; and a second portion overlapping the color filter (figure 16).
Regarding claim 21, while Choi teaches an emitting unit including a plurality of emitting layers 370/270 disposed on the first electrode and the second bank and an encapsulation unit 400 disposed on the emitting unit (figure 1), Choi fails to teach a touch unit disposed on the encapsulation unit; and a color filter unit disposed on the touch unit.
However, Kim teaches a completed display device, which includes an encapsulation unit TFEL disposed on the emitting unit; a touch unit SIL1, SOC, SIL2, SCNT, disposed on the encapsulation unit; and a color filter unit SPVX, CF_R, CF_G, CF_B disposed on the touch unit (figure 16).
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 teachings of Kim with that of Choi because Kim teaches generally-known structures that are commonly used in forming a display device.
Regarding claim 22, Kim teaches the color filter unit includes: an insulating layer disposed SPVX on the touch unit; a black matrix BM disposed on the insulating layer in the non-emission area; and a color filter CF disposed on the black matrix so as to correspond to the first sub pixel and the second sub pixel (figure 16).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim, US Patent Application Publication 2020/0075699, discloses a display device.
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QVJ
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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