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 § 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 1, 3, 5, 7-8 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al (US Pub No. 2021/0373604 A1 and Shin hereinafter) in view of Li et al (US Patent No. 12314084 B2 and Li hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 1, Shin discloses (see annotated fig below) a display device comprising: a display panel (100) having a first non-folding region (NFA1), a folding region (FA), and a second non-folding region (NFA2) arranged in a first direction (Y), wherein the folding region is adjacent to the first and second non-folding regions and is foldable about a folding axis (fig.9); and a lower substrate (200) disposed under the display panel, an adhesive layer (510) disposed between the lower substrate and the display panel, wherein the lower substrate includes a spacing portion and a pattern portion, the spacing portion overlaps the folding region on a plane (fig.9), and the pattern portion is spaced apart from the display panel by the spacing portion in a thickness direction (Z) of the display device, the pattern portion including a plurality of holes.
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Shin does not explicitly disclose wherein an uppermost surface of the pattern portion is disposed farther away from the display panel than an uppermost surface of the lower substrate overlapping the first and second non-folding regions by an amount equal to a total thickness of the spacing portion. However, Li teaches (see annotated fig below) wherein an uppermost surface of the pattern portion is disposed farther away from the
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display panel than an uppermost surface of the lower substrate overlapping the first and second non-folding regions by an amount equal to a total thickness of the spacing 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 the teaching of the uppermost surface differences between lower substrate and pattern from the display device of Lee to device of Shin in order to absorb stress generated during bending. (Li and Col 3, lines 50-55)
Regarding Claim 3, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1. Shin further discloses (see annotated fig below) wherein the lower substrate includes a first region overlapping the first non-folding region, a second region overlapping the second non-folding region, and a third region overlapping the folding region, the third region including the spacing portion and the pattern portion, and wherein the first region, the second region, and the third region include a same material as each other (metal).
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Regarding Claim 5, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1. Shin further discloses (see annotated fig below) wherein the spacing portion has a height that is less than or equal to one-third of a thickness of the lower substrate.
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Regarding Claim 7, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1. Shin further discloses (see annotated fig below) wherein the spacing portion has a greater width (WS) in the first direction than a width (WF) of the folding region in the first direction.
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Regarding Claim 8, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1. Shin further discloses (see annotated fig below) wherein the spacing portion has a greater width (WS) in the first direction than a width (WP) of the pattern portion in the first direction.
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Regarding Claim 21, Shin discloses (see annotated fig below) an electronic device, comprising: a display device comprising: a display panel (100) having a first non-folding region (NFA1), a folding region (FA), and a second non-folding region (NFA2) arranged in a first direction (Y), wherein the folding region is adjacent to the first and second non-folding regions and is foldable about a folding axis (fig.9); and a lower substrate (200) disposed under the display panel, wherein the lower substrate includes a spacing portion and a pattern portion, the spacing portion overlaps the folding region on a plane (fig.9), and the pattern portion is spaced apart from the display panel by the spacing portion in a thickness direction (Z) of the display device, the pattern portion including a plurality of holes.
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wherein an uppermost surface of the pattern portion is disposed farther away from the display panel than an uppermost surface of the lower substrate overlapping the first and second non-folding regions by an amount equal to a total thickness of the spacing portion. Shin does not explicitly disclose wherein an uppermost surface of the pattern portion is disposed farther away from the display panel than an uppermost surface of the lower substrate overlapping the first and second non-folding regions by an amount equal to a total thickness of the spacing portion. However, Li teaches (see annotated fig below) wherein an uppermost surface of the pattern portion is disposed farther away
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from the display panel than an uppermost surface of the lower substrate overlapping the first and second non-folding regions by an amount equal to a total thickness of the spacing 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 the teaching of the uppermost surface differences between lower substrate and pattern from the display device of Lee to device of Shin in order to absorb stress generated during bending. (Li and Col 3, lines 50-55)
Claims 2 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al in view Li et al and further in view of Lee et al (US Pub No. 2022/0058991 A1 and Lee hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 2, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein a width of the pattern portion in the first direction increases as a distance from the display panel increases in the thickness direction of the display device. However, Lee teaches (see annotated fig below) wherein a width of the pattern portion in the first
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direction increases as a distance from the display panel increases in the thickness direction (Z) of the display device. 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 width of the pattern portion increasing towards thickness direction of Lee to device of Shin/Li in order to improve flexibility and the support member may have improved durability by including a coating layer coated thereon (Lee, [0009])
Regarding Claim 9, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose but fails to disclose a resin material filling the spacing portion. However, Lee teaches (see annotated fig.7) a resin material (500) filling the spacing 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 resin material filling the spacing portion of Lee to device of Shin/Li in order to improve flexibility and the support member may have improved durability by including a coating layer coated thereon (Lee, [0009])
Regarding Claim 10, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose but fails to disclose wherein: the plurality of holes extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of holes including a first hole group and a second hole group spaced apart from each other in the first direction; and the first hole group and the second hole group are staggered with respect to each other. However, Lee teaches (see annotated fig.6) the plurality of holes extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, the
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plurality of holes including a first hole group and a second hole group spaced apart from each other in the first direction; and the first hole group and the second hole group are staggered with respect to each other. 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 plurality of holes extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of holes including a first hole group and a second hole group spaced apart of Lee to device of Shin/Li in order to improve flexibility and the support member may have improved durability by including a coating layer coated thereon (Lee, [0009])
Claims 4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin et al in view Li et al and further in view of Park et al (US Pub No. 2021/0118337 A1 and Park hereinafter)
Regarding Claim 4, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose a wherein the lower substrate is a glass substrate. However, Park teaches (fig.5A) wherein the lower substrate (210 and 220) is a glass substrate. 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 plurality of holes extends in a second direction crossing the first direction, the plurality of holes including a first hole group and a second hole group spaced apart of Park to device of Shin/Li in order to provide rigidity and flatness of the display panel (Park, [0067])
Regarding Claim 6, Shin/Li discloses the display device of claim 1, but fails to disclose a wherein the lower substrate is a glass substrate. However, Park teaches (fig.3) wherein the spacing portion (230) has a height in a range of about 10 micrometers to about 100 micrometers ([0064]). 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 glass substrate of Park to device of Shin/Li in order to provide rigidity and flatness of the display panel (Park, [0067])
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 and 21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of the references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 303-297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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