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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 6, filed 24 June 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 under 35 USC § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive, particularly in that Yamamoto does not teach the use of an iodine-based polarizer. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of additional prior art.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 2 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto et al. (US 2019/0293931) in view of Kim et al. (2009/0306293), and in further view of Matsuno et al. (US 2016/0252660).
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a dust cover (18, see figures 1-2, for instance), comprising: a first support plate (38); a polarizing plate (34) including a polarizer ([0042]); and a second support plate (30), at least one of the first support plate (38) or the second support plate (30) having a thickness of 200 μm or more ([0028], “The thickness of the substrate is not limited to this, but is preferably set at 20 μm or more and 200 μm or less”), wherein a distance between a center line LP of the iodine-based polarizer in a thickness direction thereof and a center line LD of the dust cover in a thickness direction thereof is 20 μm or less (since layers 38 and 30 are identical [0028] and thicknesses of layers 26 and 32 are identical). However, Yamamoto does not expressly disclose an iodine-based polarizer, or wherein at least one of the first support plate or the second support plate having a moisture permeability of 37 g/(m2·24 hours) or more.
Kim discloses a dust cover, including a polarizing plate including an iodine-based polarizer ([0017]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the specific iodine-based polarizer structure as Kim in the polarizer of Yamamoto. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a polarizer with an excellent durability, which does not deteriorate a degree of polarization and transmittance, has no external defect, and maintains transmittance, the degree of polarization, and color at high temperature for use in harsh environments, as taught by Kim ([0007]; [0052]).
Matsuno discloses a dust cover (see figures 1(a) and 1(b), for instance), wherein at least one of the first support plate (10) or the second support plate (20) having a moisture permeability of 37 g/(m2 · 24 hours) or more ([0083]; “Specifically, the moisture permeability of each of first and second protective films 10 and 20 is preferably not higher than 1000 g/(m2 · 24 hours), and more preferably not higher than 150 g/(m2 · 24 hours)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the support plates with moisture permeability values as Matsuno in the device of Yamamoto. The motivation for doing so would have been to prevent decoloration of the dichroic colorant in high-temperature and high-humidity environments, as taught by Matsuno ([0083]).
Regarding claim 3, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses the dust cover according to claim 1, wherein the support plates (30, 38) each include a substrate and a surface resin layer ([0035]).
Regarding claim 4, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses the dust cover according to claim 3, wherein the substrate contains a polycarbonate resin ([0035]).
Regarding claim 5, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses the dust cover according to claim 3, wherein the surface resin layer contains polymethyl methacrylate ([0035]).
Regarding claim 6, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses the dust cover according to claim 3, wherein the surface resin layer has a thickness of 30 μm or more ([0034]).
Regarding claim 7, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses the dust cover according to claim 1, wherein an iodine content of the polarizer is from 2.2 wt % to 4.0 wt % (see Kim [0019]).
Regarding claim 8, Yamamoto in view of Kim and further in view of Matsuno discloses a head-up display apparatus (see figure 1), comprising: a display unit (12) configured to emit projection light; at least one reflector (16) configured to reflect the projection light; and the dust cover (18) of claim 1.
Claim(s) 2 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuno in view of Yamamoto.
Regarding claim 2, Matsuno discloses a dust cover (see figures 1(a) and 1(b), for instance), comprising: a first support plate (10); a polarizing plate (5) including an iodine-based polarizer ([0069]); and a second support plate (20), at least one of the first support plate (10) or the second support plate (20) having a moisture permeability of 37 g/(m2 · 24 hours) or more ([0083]; “Specifically, the moisture permeability of each of first and second protective films 10 and 20 is preferably not higher than 1000 g/(m2 · 24 hours), and more preferably not higher than 150 g/(m2 · 24 hours)”), at least one of the first support plate (10) or the second support plate (20) having a tensile modulus of elasticity of 1,600 MPa or more ([0085]; measured at 80°C, but the modulus increases as the temperature decreases)1, which is measured at 23° C ± 2° C, wherein a distance between a center line LP of the iodine-based polarizer (5) in a thickness direction thereof and a center line LD of the dust cover (thicknesses of 10, 15, 5, 25, and 30 combined) in a thickness direction thereof is 20 μm or less (since layers 10 and 20 are identical in thickness and material, and adhesives 15 and 25 differ by a thickness of < 10µm; see [0092] and [0095]). However, Matsuno does not expressly disclose wherein at least one of the first support plate or the second support plate having a thickness of 200 µm or more.
Regarding claim 1, Yamamoto discloses a dust cover (18, see figures 1-2, for instance), comprising: a first support plate (38); a polarizing plate (34) including a polarizer ([0042]); and a second support plate (30), at least one of the first support plate (38) or the second support plate (30) having a thickness of 200 μm or more ([0028], “The thickness of the substrate is not limited to this, but is preferably set at 20 μm or more and 200 μm or less”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the support plate structure as Yamamoto in the dust cover of Matsuno. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a polarizing member that has flame retardance while reducing the deformation of an image, as taught by Yamamoto ([0008]).
Regarding claim 9, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover according to claim 2, wherein the support plates (10, 20) each include a substrate and a surface resin layer ([0080]).
Regarding claim 10, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover according to claim 9, wherein the substrate contains a polycarbonate resin ([0071]).
Regarding claim 11, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover according to claim 9, wherein the surface resin layer contains polymethyl methacrylate ([0071]).
Regarding claim 12, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover according to claim 9, wherein the surface resin layer has a thickness of 30 μm or more ([0081]).
Regarding claim 13, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover according to claim 2, wherein an iodine content of the polarizer is from 2.2 wt % to 4.0 wt % ([0110]-[0115]).
Regarding claim 14, Matsuno in view of Yamamoto discloses the dust cover of claim 2, and Yamamoto further discloses a head-up display apparatus (see figure 1), comprising: a display unit (12) configured to emit projection light; at least one reflector (16) configured to reflect the projection light; and a dust cover (18).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the head-up display apparatus as Yamamoto using the dust cover of Matsuno. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a polarizing member that has flame retardance while reducing the deformation of an image in a head-up display apparatus, as taught by Yamamoto ([0008]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANAEL R BRIGGS whose telephone number is (571)272-8992. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/NATHANAEL R BRIGGS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871 8/10/2026
1 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40430-023-04410-8.pdf
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