DETAILED ACTION
General Remarks
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 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.
When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with line numbers and page numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist the examiner in locating appropriate paragraphs.
Per MPEP 2111 and 2111.01, the claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation and the words of the claims are given their plain meaning consistent with the specification without importing claim limitations from the specification.
For Examiner’s Interview fill out the online Automated Interview Request (AIR) form (http://www.uspto.gov/patent/uspto-automated-interview-request-air-form.html).
Status of claim(s) to be treated in this office action:
Independent: 1 and 12.
Pending: 1, 3-5, 7-21.
Canceled: 2 and 6.
New: 12-21.
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicant’s IDS(s) submitted on 6/20/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has/have considered by the examiner and made of record.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING BENDABLE WIRING STRUCTURE WITH RESIN-FILLED SLITS.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Okabe et al., US PG pub. 20200388668 A1.
Re: Independent Claim 1, Okabe discloses a resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5);
a thin film transistor layer (20, fig. 4 and fig. 5) provided on the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and including a first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a first metal layer (14a, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a second metal layer (18a, fig. 4 and fig. 5), and a flattening resin film (19, fig. 4 and fig. 5) layered in order; and
a light-emitting element layer (30a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) provided on the thin film transistor layer (20, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and including a plurality of first electrodes (21, fig. 4 and fig. 5 and fig. 2 shown plurality of light emitting element), a plurality of light-emitting function layers (23, fig. 4 and fig. 5), and a common second electrode (24, fig. 4 and fig. 5) layered in order, corresponding to a plurality of subpixels (P, fig. 2) constituting a display region (D, fig. 4),
wherein a frame region (F, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is provided around the display region (D, fig. 4),
a terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) is provided in an end portion of the frame region (F, fig. 4 and fig. 5),
a bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) is provided between the display region (D, fig. 4) and the terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) and extends in one direction,
a slit (22c, fig. 10) is provided in the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) in the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) and extends along an extending direction of the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10),
a filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) is provided in the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) in a belt shape and fills the slit (22c, fig. 10),
on the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10), a plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) are provided in the same layer using the same material as the second metal layer (18a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and extends parallel to each other in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10), and
at least one of the plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) is electrically connected to a first lower wiring line (14d, fig. 10) and a second lower wiring line (14e, fig. 10) provided in the same layer using the same material as the first metal layer (14a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and extending to a display region (D, fig. 4) side and a terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) side via a first contact hole (Ce, fig. 10) and a second contact hole (Cf, fig. 10) formed in a
layered film including the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) on the display region (D, fig. 4) side and the terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) side, respectively, the plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) include a power source voltage line (18g, fig. 3) having trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) on both side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10),
side surfaces of both the side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) are inclined with respect to an upper face of the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5) by protruding the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) on a second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) side, and
the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided on an upper face of the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5), the side surfaces of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10), and an upper face of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10).
Re: Claim 3, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided in a pair adjacent to other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10), and the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) and the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are constricted at both side ends of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10).
Re: Claim 4, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided in a pair adjacent to the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10), and
both the side ends of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) protrude outward between the pair of the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) and the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) adjacent to each other.
Re: Claim 5, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the side surfaces of both the side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10; has an angle less than 200) are inclined at an angle of 200 or less with respect to the upper face of the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 7, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a base coat film and a gate insulating film (13, fig. 4), and
the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a first interlayer insulating film and a second interlayer insulating film.
Re: Claim 8, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a base coat film, a gate insulating film (13, fig. 4), and a first interlayer insulating film, and
the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a second interlayer insulating film.
Re: Claim 9, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the slit (22c, fig. 10) passes through the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 10, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: a sealing film (28, fig. 4) provided on the light-emitting element layer (30a, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 11, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting function layers (23, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is an organic electroluminescence layer (¶0002).
Re: Independent Claim 12, Okabe discloses a resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5);
a thin film transistor layer (20, fig. 4 and fig. 5) provided on the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and including a first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a first metal layer (14a, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5), a second metal layer (18a, fig. 4 and fig. 5), and a flattening resin film (19, fig. 4 and fig. 5) layered in order; and
a light-emitting element layer (30a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) provided on the thin film transistor layer (20, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and including a plurality of first electrodes (21, fig. 4 and fig. 5 and fig. 2 shown plurality of light emitting element), a plurality of light-emitting function layers (23, fig. 4 and fig. 5), and a common second electrode (24, fig. 4 and fig. 5) layered in order, corresponding to a plurality of subpixels (P, fig. 2) constituting a display region (D, fig. 4),
wherein a frame region (F, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is provided around the display region (D, fig. 4),
a terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) is provided in an end portion of the frame region (F, fig. 4 and fig. 5),
a bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) is provided between the display region (D, fig. 4) and the terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) and extends in one direction,
a slit (22c, fig. 10) is provided in the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) in the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) and extends along an extending direction of the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10), a filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) is provided in the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10) in a belt shape and fills the slit (22c, fig. 10),
on the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10), a plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) are provided in the same layer using the same material as the second metal layer (18a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and extends parallel to each other in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the bending portion (B, fig. 9 and fig. 10),
at least one of the plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) is electrically connected to a first lower wiring line (14d, fig. 10) and a second lower wiring line (14e, fig. 10) provided in the same layer using the same material as the first metal layer (14a, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and extending to a display region (D, fig. 4) side and a terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) side via a first contact hole (Ce, fig. 10) and a second contact hole (Cf, fig. 10) formed in a layered film including the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) on the display region (D, fig. 4) side and the terminal portion (T, fig. 9 and fig. 10) side, respectively, and
a protective resin film (19 on the wiring 18t, fig. 10) formed in the same layer using the same material as the flattening resin film (19, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is provided on the plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10).
Re: Claim 13, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the plurality of lead wiring lines (18t, fig. 10) include a power source voltage line (18g, fig. 3) having trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) on both side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10),
side surfaces of both the side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) are inclined with respect to an upper face of the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5) by protruding the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) on a second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) side, and
the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided on an upper face of the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5), the side surfaces of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10), and an upper face of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10).
Re: Claim 14, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided in a pair adjacent to other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10), and the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) and the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are constricted at both side ends of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10).
Re: Claim 15, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) are provided in a pair adjacent to the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10), and both the side ends of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10) protrude outward between the pair of the trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) and the other trunk portions (portions 19 formed on the T region and edge of F region, fig. 10) adjacent to each other.
Re: Claim 16, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the side surfaces of both the side portions of the filled resin film (19c, fig. 10; angle of 19c less than 200) are inclined at an angle of 200 or less with respect to the upper face of the resin substrate (10, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 17, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a base coat film and a gate insulating film (13, fig. 4), and
the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a first interlayer insulating film and a second interlayer insulating film.
Re: Claim 18, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a base coat film, a gate insulating film (13, fig. 4), and a first interlayer insulating film, and
the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is a second interlayer insulating film.
Re: Claim 19, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein the slit (22c, fig. 10) passes through the first inorganic insulating film (13, fig. 4 and fig. 5) and the second inorganic insulating film (17, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 20, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: a sealing film (28, fig. 4) provided on the light-emitting element layer (30a, fig. 4 and fig. 5).
Re: Claim 21, Okabe disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Okabe further discloses: wherein each of the plurality of light-emitting function layers (23, fig. 4 and fig. 5) is an organic electroluminescence layer (¶0002).
Prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to current application disclosure.
* (“Kawata US PG pub. 20180004053 A1”) Discloses a display device includes a display panel including a first area and a second area adjacent to the first area, and a wiring substrate mounted on the second area of the display panel, wherein the first area includes an insulating substrate, an inorganic insulating film disposed on the insulating substrate, and a signal line disposed on the inorganic insulating film, and the second area includes a protective layer and the signal line disposed continuously from the first area on the protective layer.
* (“Saitoh et al., US PG pub. 20210020728 A1”) discloses an organic electroluminescence (EL) display device, a display region and a first frame region are defined in a substantially circular shape or a substantially oval shape, and in a bending portion, an opening is formed in an inorganic layered film, and a frame flattening film is provided to fill the opening. An end portion of the opening on the display region side is formed along an arc of the first frame region on the bending portion side.
* (“Okabe et al., US PG pub. 20190386081 A1”) discloses a display region of a display device, opening portions are formed in at least one layer of an inorganic insulating film making up a TFT layer in such a manner as to penetrate the inorganic insulating film to thereby expose an upper surface of a resin substrate, opening flattening films are provided in such a manner as to fill in the opening portions, and metallic layers are provided in such a manner as to cover upper surfaces of the opening flattening films.
* (“Tomioka et al., US PG pub. 20180337367 A1”) discloses a display device includes an insulating substrate having a display area, a pad area and a bend area, wiring lines, a first protective film and a second protective film. The wiring lines are elongated from the display area to the pad area. The first protective film is located on the insulating substrate and the wiring lines. The second protective film is located on the first protective film and is formed of an organic insulating material different from that of the first protective film.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZ CHIU whose telephone number is 571-272-8656. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 9:00AM to 5:00PM (EST).
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/TSZ K CHIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 Tsz.Chiu@uspto.gov
/Leonard Chang/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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