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
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.
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, 2, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Campbell et al. (US 20220137662 A1, hereafter Campbell).
Regarding claim 1, Campbell teaches a display device comprising:
a main frame (72) that is disposed in front of a panel of a facility and fixes a touch screen panel and a display (Fig. 4, [0018]-[0020], where there is a cover glass layer 72 which fixes in place touch-sensitive display system 74);
a cover part (62) that is disposed in rear of the panel of the facility and is coupled to a rear side of the main frame to seal a rear side of the touch screen panel and the display (Fig. 4, [0020]-[0021], where the surface 62 as part of housing structure 60 is coupled to the rear of the cover glass layer 72, sealing in touch-sensitive display system 74), and allows a cable (74A) of the touch screen panel and the display to be externally exposed while maintaining a sealed state (Fig. 4, [0020], where the cable 74A of the touch-sensitive display system 74 is exposed; [0026], where there is a seal plug 82 around the cable);
a controller (90) that is coupled to a portion of a rear surface of the cover part and connected to the cable (Figs. 4 and 5, [0025]-[0026], where circuit board assembly 90 includes functions for controlling the touch-sensitive display system 74);
a gasket (76) that is provided between the panel and the main frame to seal between the panel and the main frame (Figs. 4 and 5, [0026], where the gasket 76 forms a waterproof sealed area between the panel 74 and the cover glass 72), and
a fastening part that is provided between the panel and the cover part to seal and support between the panel and the cover part (Fig. 4, [0019], where there is an adhesive layer fastening touch-sensitive display system 74 to cover glass layer 72).
Regarding claim 2, Campbell teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the cover part comprises:
an opening (66) formed through the rear surface thereof (Figs. 4 and 5, [0021], where there is a slot 66 formed through floor plate 62A);
a gasket (82) disposed on a periphery of the opening (Fig. 4, [0028], where there is a seal plug formed around the slot); and
a buffer printed circuit board (PCB) that seals the opening where the gasket is disposed, and connects an inner cable and an external cable (Figs. 4 and 5, [0025]-[0026], where the ribbon cable 74A is the inner cable sealing the slot around which the seal plug 82 is formed, the cable connected to circuit board assembly 90 which further connects to external cable 92).
Regarding claim 7, Campbell teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the main frame further comprises an accommodating part that accommodates the display therein, the cover part is fastened to the accommodating part (Fig. 4, [0021], where the cover glass layer 72 has a portion or part to make contact with flange portion 60A via adhesive gasket 76).
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 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Campbell et al. (US 20220137662 A1, hereafter Campbell) in view of Cho (KR 20190104852 A, using machine translation).
Regarding claim 5, Campbell would show the display device of claim 1. But, Campbell does not teach the device wherein the fastening part comprises: a body that has a pressing plate in contact with a rear surface of the panel, and a supporting plate located with being spaced apart from the pressing plate and supporting rotation of a bolt; and a movable plate that moves along with the rotation of the bolt with a portion of the body being inserted therein. However, this was well known in the art as evidenced by Cho (Figs. 2 and 14, [0036]-[0038], [0137]-[0139], wherein the retainer frame 143 includes separate portions for holding the bolt, making contact with the rear housing 150 and receiving the bolt, the retainer frame further being fixed in place when the bolt is secured). Both Campbell and Cho teach display devices comprising secured recesses for placement of touch-sensitive display systems. Campbell teaches the use of a clear optical adhesive as a fastener and is silent with respect to using a plurality of plates and a bolt. Cho teaches a mutual bolt securing panel frame 141 to retainer frame 143, the panel frame 141 having a portion adjacent to backlight unit 147 that is a pressing plate and a supporting plate through which the bolt is secured to the movable plate portion of retainer frame 143. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an alternative means for securing housing of a display device where using a mechanical fastener instead of an adhesive would yield a predictable result.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Campbell and Cho would show the display device of claim 5. Cho in the combination further teaches the display device wherein the movable plate is partially exposed to an open surface of the body and inserted into a groove disposed in a side surface of the cover part, and the exposed portion is bent and coupled to the cover part as the movable plate moves along with the rotation of the bolt (Fig. 14, [0137]-[0139], where the portion of retainer frame 143 is inserted into a groove between the side wall of the display and the display panel, a portion sticking out being bent at an angle and coupled to the cover via panel frame 141).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 2, and 5-7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection relies upon a newly cited primary reference.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER D MCLOONE whose telephone number is (571)272-4631. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 AM - 5 PM.
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/PETER D MCLOONE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621