DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 1-7, 15-18, 22 in the reply filed on 5/29/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that claim 1 makes a contribution over the prior art in review of CN205620649U, specifically that 649 does not teach that the limiting unit 30 is connected to the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall with which the limit structure is contacted. This is not found persuasive because the Examiner respectfully disagrees.
The limitation “connected” has been interpreted broadly as “joined or linked together”. P. 0058-0059 of the disclosure states that “being connected to the second sidewall 13 includes directly connection or indirectly connection through other components” and includes “clamping connection”. 649 describes limiting unit 40 as being in place and compressed between the sidewall and light guide plate, which forms a clamped connection. Furthermore, figure 4 indicates that the limiting unit is placed within grooves of 10, the Examiner finds this more than sufficient to be “connected”.
If Applicant intends for the limit structure to be integral to the sidewall then it must be recited in the claims. “Connected” is defined broadly in the disclosure and has been interpreted broadly with respect to the prior art.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claims 5, 6 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5 recites “a minimum distance between the first through-hole edge and a surface, close to the third sidewall, of the connection portion is less than or equal to a minimum distance between the second through-hole edge and a secured surface of the carrier portion secured to the second sidewall”.
The limitation “a surface” is undefined and the limitation is written in an unclear manner. After reviewing the disclosure, the Examiner has interpreted the limitation to read “a minimum distance between the first through-hole edge and a surface of the connection portion facing the third sidewall
Claim 6 recites ” wherein the closed pattern comprises a first angle close to the connection portion and a second angle close to the carrier portion side, the first angle being less than or equal to the second angle”. The angles are not defined, it is unclear what the requirements for the angles are or what limitations they are measured with respect to, particularly in light of the axisymmetric recitations of claim 3.
The Examiner has interpreted the claim as indicated in the rejection below.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 6-7, 15-16, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN205620649U.
Regarding claim 1, 649 teaches a backlight source (see figs 1-4), comprising:
a back plate (back cover 10), comprising a bottom plate (see fig. 3),
a first sidewall (sidewall) perpendicular to a first surface of the bottom plate and connected to the bottom plate, and a plurality of second sidewalls (see fig. 4, second sidewalls) perpendicular to the first surface and connected to the bottom plate;
a light guide plate (lgp 30), disposed on the first surface (see fig. 3), wherein the light guide plate comprises third sidewalls (lateral edges of lgp) opposite to and parallel to the plurality of second sidewalls;
a light source (LS, not shown), disposed on the first surface (edgelit, disposed directly on first surface or indirectly on first surface through an intervening structure),
wherein at least a portion of the light source is disposed between the first sidewall and the light guide plate (edge lighting backlight module); and
a plurality of limit structures (position limiting unit 40), configured to secure the light guide plate, wherein the limit structure is disposed on a side, close to the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall, of the third sidewall and is abutted against the third sidewall, and the limit structure is connected to the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall with which the limit structure is contacted (see fig. 3, 4).
Regarding claim 2, CN205620649U teaches wherein the limit structure comprises: an abutment portion (444a), attached to the third sidewall; and a deformation portion (elastic defomation portion 444), connected to the abutment portion, and configured to be deformed to cause the abutment portion to be abutted against the third sidewall.
Regarding claim 3, 649 teaches that the deformation portion (444) comprises: a connection portion (see annotated figure 2), connected to the abutment portion, wherein an orthographic projection of the connection portion on the first surface is axisymmetric about an orthographic projection of the abutment portion on the first surface as an axis of symmetry (see fig. 2, axisymmetric with respect to tangent of 444a);
a first support portion (see annotated figure 2), disposed on a side, away from the abutment portion, of the connection portion and connected to the connection portion; and
a carrier portion, disposed on a side, away from the connection portion, of the first support portion and connected to the support portion;
wherein the connection portion, the first support portion, and the carrier portion form a through-hole structure (see fig. 2, three through holes).
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Regarding claim 4, ‘649 teaches that the connection portion has an axisymmetric structure, an axis of symmetry of the connection portion is perpendicular to a length direction of the connection portion, and the deformation portion satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the abutment portion is symmetrically arranged about the axis of symmetric of the connection portion (both connection portion and abutment portion are symmetrical with respect to direction D2); the first support portion is symmetrically arranged about the axis of symmetry of the connection portion; and the through-hole structure is symmetrically arranged about the axis of symmetric of the connection portion.
Regarding claim 6, 649 teaches that the through-hole structure comprises a first through-hole edge close to the connection portion and a second through-hole edge close to the carrier portion, the first through-hole edge and the second through-hole edge forming a closed pattern (see fig. 2, middle through hole and edge through hole).
Regarding claim 7, 649 teaches that an orthographic projection of the connection portion on the third sidewall encloses an orthographic projection of the carrier portion on the third sidewall (see annotated figure 2, connection portion encompasses front part, carrier portion is back part of 444b).
Regarding claim 15, 649 teaches that the limit structure is disposed between the third sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall.
Regarding claim 16, 649 teaches a groove configured to be engaged with the first support portion is disposed in the second sidewall, the first support portion is disposed in the groove, and an orthographic projection of the connection portion on the second sidewall encloses an orthographic projection of the groove on the second sidewall (see fig. 4, 40 is in a groove in the second wall of 10).
Regarding claim 22, 649 teaches a display device, comprising a display panel and the backlight source (see title),
wherein the backlight source comprises: a back plate, comprising a bottom plate, a first sidewall perpendicular to a first surface of the bottom plate and connected to the bottom plate, and a plurality of second sidewalls perpendicular to the first surface and connected to the bottom plate (see fig. 2);
a light guide plate, disposed on the first surface, wherein the light guide plate comprises third sidewalls opposite to and parallel to the plurality of second sidewalls;
a light source, disposed on the first surface, wherein at least a portion of the light source is disposed between the first sidewall and the light guide plate; and
a plurality of limit structures (40), configured to secure the light guide plate, wherein the limit structure is disposed on a side, close to the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall, of the third sidewall and is abutted against the third sidewall, and the limit structure is connected to the second sidewall opposite to the third sidewall with which the limit structure is contacted; and the display panel is disposed on a light-emitting side of the light guide plate (display device).
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) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 649 in view of Huang (U.S. 2012/0147626).
Regarding claim 17, 649 teaches further comprising a frame (20) clamped with the back plate (see fig. 1, 20 surrounds exterior of 10); wherein the frame is disposed on sides, away from the light guide plate, of the first sidewall and the second sidewall; and the limit structure (40a) is in contact with the frame (see fig. 3), or the limit structure and the frame are integrally formed.
649 does not specifically state that the frame is clamped with the backplate.
Huang teaches that the frame is clamped with the back plate (holder 110, see p. 0021).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used a clamping function for the structures to secure the frame and backplate of 649 without additional structures, see p. 0021.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 649 in view of Huang in view of Lin (U.S. 2020/026127).
Regarding claim 18, 649 teaches further comprising a frame clamped with the back plate (see fig 1, 20 surround exterior of 10); wherein the frame is disposed on sides, close to the light guide plate, of the first sidewall and the second sidewall.
649 does not teach that the limit structure and the frame are integrally formed.
Lin teaches that the limit structure and the frame are integrally formed (see fig. 1, protruding portion 151a and 151b are integrally formed from back plate).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have made the limit structure and the frame integral as taught by Lin in the structure of 649 to reduce the complexity of manufacture, i.e. the limit structures would be preassembled and not require assembly or adjustment, see p. 0027.
649 does not specifically state that the frame is clamped with the backplate.
Huang teaches that the frame is clamped with the back plate (holder 110, see p. 0021).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have used a clamping function for the structures to secure the frame and backplate of 649 without additional structures, see p. 0021.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 5 recites, inter alia, “a minimum distance between the first through-hole edge and a surface, close to the third sidewall, of the connection portion is less than or equal to a minimum distance between the second through-hole edge and a secured surface of the carrier portion secured to the second sidewall.”
649 is silent as to the thickness of the sidewalls of the limit structure.
Additional prior art, see 12,007,599, specifically teaches a thicker portion close to the third sidewall, however the reference does not teach the structural limitations of claims 2-4.
10,859,761 additionally teaches a limit structure with an abutment portion and through hole.
2019/0129233 and 9,829,624 teaches limit structures in a frame.
The Examiner finds that it would not be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the prior art to teach the structure recited in claim 5, specifically in light of intervening limitations in claims 2-4, without hindsight reasoning.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW J PEERCE whose telephone number is (571)272-6570. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Matthew J. Peerce/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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