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)(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 1-5, 12, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by Chung et al. (US Patent No. 12189426 B2 and Chung hereinafter)
Regarding claim 1, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14 and annotated figs below) an electronic device comprising: a first housing (410); a second housing (420) configured to slide with respect to the first housing in a first direction (D1) or a second direction opposite to the first direction; a flexible display (430) including a display region that is configured to expand as the second housing slides in the first direction or reduce as the second housing slides in the second direction; and a support (420) disposed in the second housing to surround a periphery of the flexible display facing the first direction, wherein the support includes a plurality of supporting protrusions (470, 470) contacted on one surface (rear surface of display) of the flexible display, and wherein the plurality of supporting protrusions are spaced apart (fig.11) from each other on one surface of the flexible display.
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Regarding claim 2, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the flexible display includes: a display panel (430), and a board (363) extending from a side surface of the display panel vertical to one surface of the display panel configured to emit light to an outside of the electronic device, the board being bent toward another surface of the display panel facing the one surface of the display panel, and wherein the support surrounds at least part of the board (fig.10).
Regarding claim 3, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the support further includes: a first extending portion (422) on which the plurality of the supporting protrusions is formed, the first extending portion extending along the first direction; a second extending portion (421) facing another surface of the flexible display facing the one surface of the flexible display, the second extending portion extending along the first direction; and a connecting portion (423a) connecting the first extending portion and the second extending portion.
Regarding claim 4, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the support includes: a first extending portion (422) on which the plurality of the supporting protrusions formed, the first extending portion extending along the first direction; and a third extending portion (423a) extending vertically with respect to the first extending portion and being inserted into the second housing.
Regarding claim 5, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second housing includes: a first covering portion (421) in contact with one surface of the support facing the first direction, and a second covering portion (422) in contact with the flexible display and coupled to the first covering portion, and wherein the support supports the second covering portion by being in contact with the second covering portion (fig.11).
Regarding claim 12, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, wherein one region of the support surrounding the flexible display has a shape (shape of 422) which corresponds to a shape of the side surface of the flexible display, and wherein the support further includes a reinforcing protrusion protruding from one surface of the support facing the first direction.
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Regarding claim 16, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) an electronic device comprising: a first housing (410); a second housing (420) pulled out from the first housing by moving along a first direction (D1) with respect to the first housing, or inserted into the first housing by moving along the second direction opposite to the first direction; a flexible display (430) including a display region that is configured to expand as the second housing slides along the first direction, or reduce as the second housing slides along the second direction; and a support (420) disposed to the second housing to surround a periphery of the flexible display facing the first direction and including a plurality of supporting protrusions (470 and 470) is spaced apart from each other on a one surface of the flexible display, at least a part of the plurality of supporting protrusions in contact with the one surface of the flexible display, wherein the support further includes: a first extending portion (422) on which the plurality of the supporting protrusions formed, the first extending portion extending along the first direction, a second extending portion (421) facing another surface of the flexible display facing the one surface of the flexible display, the second extending portion extending along the first direction, and a connecting portion (423a) connecting the first extending portion and the second extending portion.
Regarding claim 20, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) an electronic device of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of supporting protrusions includes a contacting surface in contact with the one surface of the flexible display (fig. 10) and extending along a third direction (D3) vertical to the first direction to parallel with the one surface of the flexible display.
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 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung et al in view of Kim et al (US Pub No. 20240097315 A1 and Kim hereinafter)
Regarding claim 10, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the second housing includes a conductive portion operating as an antenna radiator, and wherein the support further includes an extending protrusion extending from one surface of the support facing the first direction to the second housing along the first direction. However, Kim teaches (figs. 1-15) wherein the second housing includes a conductive portion (1021) operating as an antenna radiator, and wherein the support (1023) further includes an extending protrusion (1024) extending from one surface of the support facing the first direction to the second housing along the first direction. 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 antenna radiator of Kim to device of Chung in order to remove the parasitic resonance at the specific operating band of the antenna by the current generated long the one side (Kim, [0023]).
Regarding claim 14, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the support further includes: at least one conductive layer disposed on an inner surface of the support facing the one surface of the flexible display; and at least part of the at least one conductive layer is in contact with the second housing. However, Kim discloses (figs. 1-15) wherein the support further includes: at least one conductive layer (1022) disposed on an inner surface of the support (102) facing the one surface of the flexible display; and at least part of the at least one conductive layer is in contact with the second housing (101). 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 conductive member of Kim to device of Chung in order to remove the parasitic resonance at the specific operating band of the antenna by the current generated long the one side (Kim, [0023]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung et al in view of Feng et al (US Pub No. 20220361347 A1 and Feng hereinafter)
Regarding claim 13, Chung discloses (figs. 1-14) the electronic device of claim 1, but fails to disclose a sealing member interposed between the support and the one surface of the flexible display, the sealing member extending along a third direction vertical to the first direction to be parallel with the one surface of the flexible display. However, Feng teaches a sealing member interposed between the support and the one surface of the flexible display, the sealing member extending along a third direction vertical to the first direction to be parallel with the one surface of the flexible display. 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 sealing member of Feng to device of Chung in order to prevent impurities such as dust from intruding into a bottom of the flexible display screen (Feng, [0023]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9, 11, 15 and 17-19 are 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.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to disclose, “ wherein each of the plurality of the supporting protrusions includes: a first portion in contact with the one surface of the flexible display, and a second portion connected to the first portion and spaced apart from the one surface of the flexible display, and wherein the second portion has a slope with respect to the one surface of the flexible display. “
Claims 7-9 are objected being depend on claim 6.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to disclose, “wherein the extending protrusion includes a plurality of extending protrusions spaced apart from each other along a third direction vertical to the first direction, wherein the support is spaced apart from the second housing in sections between the plurality of the extending protrusions.”
Regarding claim 15, the prior art fails to disclose, “wherein the plurality of supporting protrusions is disposed on a first periphery of the support, wherein the at least one conductive layer includes: a first conductive layer spaced apart from the plurality of supporting protrusions and surrounding a part of the plurality of supporting protrusions, and a second conductive layer connected to the first conductive layer and disposed on a second periphery of the support vertical to the first periphery, wherein the second housing includes a conductive region disposed on a part of the second housing facing the second periphery of the support and spaced apart from the flexible display, and wherein at least part of the at least one conductive layer is in contact with the conductive region.”
Regarding claim 17, the prior art fails to disclose, “ wherein each of the plurality of the supporting protrusion includes: a first portion in contact with the one surface of the flexible display; and a second portion connected to the first portion and spaced apart from the one surface of the flexible display, the second portion having a slope with respect to the one surface of the flexible display.”
Claim 18 is objected being depend on claim 17.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art fails to disclose,“ wherein each of the plurality of the supporting protrusions further include a third portion connected to the first portion and spaced apart from the one surface of the flexible display, and wherein the first portion is disposed between the second portion and the third portion.”
Conclusion
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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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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