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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) to foreign application KR10-2019-0180111 filed on 12/31/2019. The foreign application is not in English. The certified copy of the foreign priority application KR10-2019-0180111 has been received.
Filing Dates for the Claims — All Claims Not Entitled to Priority Date
To be entitled to the filing date of the foreign priority application KR10-2019-0180111 that is not in English, an English translation of the non-English language foreign application KR10-2019-0180111 and a statement that the translation is accurate in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55 is required to perfect the claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The foreign application must adequately support the claimed subject matter, meaning satisfy the written description and enablement requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a). See MPEP §§ 215 and 216. 37 C.F.R. 1.55(g)(3)(ii)-(iii). To demonstrate compliance with 35 U.S.C. 112(a), applicant should point to support for their claimed subject matter in their translations.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature of “an elastic member arranged below the flexible substrate and arranged to overlap the bending area” of claim 8 in combination with “the first mask member includes: a first mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the first mask member; and a first mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the first mask member resin layer, and wherein the second mask member includes: a second mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the second mask member; and a second mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the second mask member resin layer” of claim 1 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US Pub. 20190207130), Kishimoto et al. (US Pub. 20180047938) and Kim et al. (US Pub. 20150102296).
Regarding claim 1, He et al. discloses in Fig. 1, Fig. 3, Fig. 8 a display apparatus comprising a display area [DA/Q1], a non-display area [NDA/Q2] surrounding the display area [DA/Q1], and a bending area [Q3] formed in at least one side of the non-display area [NDA/Q2], the display apparatus comprising:
a first glass substrate [41(411)] including a first flat surface and a first rear surface opposite to the first flat surface, the first flat surface being overlapped with the display area [DA/Q1][paragraph [0032] “the protection layer can also formed by a thin glass”];
a second glass substrate [42 (411)] including a second flat surface and a second rear surface opposite to the second flat surface, the second flat surface being overlapped with the non-display area [Q2] adjacent to the bending area [Q3][paragraph [0032], “the protection layer can also formed by a thin glass”];
a first mask member [413] provided on the first rear surface; and
a second mask member [412] provided on the second rear surface,
wherein the second mask member [412] includes:
a second mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the second mask member [paragraph [0035]].
He et al. fails to disclose
wherein the first mask member includes:
a first mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the first mask member; and
a first mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the first mask member resin layer, and
wherein the second mask member includes:
a second mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the second mask member resin layer;
He et al. discloses the first mask layer 413 can be a heat dissipation layer, an anti-static layer, or a combination thereof, which can improve heat dissipation effect and/or electrostatic dissipation effect of the flexible display device.
Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12, paragraph [0123], [0174]-[0176] the first mask layer [307 in region 10] and the second mask layer [307 in region 60] are first and second anti-static layers including heat conductive particle [carbon nanotube, graphene, metal oxide].
Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 5, paragraph [0060]-[0064]
an anti-static layer includes:
a resin layer [10] constituting a matrix of the anti-static layer; and
a heat conductive particle [12][a conductive polymer, carbon black, a metal powder, a metal salt, carbon nanotubes, graphene] dispersed in the resin layer [10].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. into the method of He et al. to include wherein the first mask member includes: a first mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the first mask member; and a first mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the first mask member resin layer, and wherein the second mask member includes: a second mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the second mask member resin layer. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify He et al. in the above manner for the purpose of preventing a static electricity defect of the panel [paragraph [0121], [0176] of Kishimoto et al., paragraph [0064] of Kim et al.].
Alternatively,
Regarding claim 1, Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 1B, Fig. 12 a display apparatus comprising a display area [30], a non-display area [40, 50, 60] surrounding the display area [30], and a bending area [50] formed in at least one side of the non-display area [40, 50, 60], the display apparatus comprising:
a first substrate [301] including a first flat surface and a first rear surface opposite to the first flat surface, the first flat surface being overlapped with the display area [30];
a second substrate [303] including a second flat surface and a second rear surface opposite to the second flat surface, the second flat surface being overlapped with the non-display area [60] adjacent to the bending area [50];
a first mask member [307 on region 30] provided on the first rear surface; and
a second mask member [307 on region 60] provided on the second rear surface,
wherein the second mask member [412] includes:
a second mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the second mask member [paragraph [0035]].
Kishimoto et al. fails to disclose
the first substrate comprises a first glass substrate;
the second substrate comprises a second glass substrate.
He et al. discloses in Fig. 8, paragraph [0032]
the first substrate comprises a first glass substrate [41(411)][paragraph [0032] “the protection layer can also formed by a thin glass”];
the second substrate comprises a second glass substrate [42 (411)] [paragraph [0032], “the protection layer can also formed by a thin glass”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of He et al. into the method of Kishimoto et al. to include the first substrate comprises a first glass substrate; the second substrate comprises a second glass substrate. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Kishimoto et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable alternative material of the first and second substrates [paragraph [0032] of He et al.].
Kishimoto et al. fails to disclose
wherein the first mask member includes:
a first mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the first mask member; and
a first mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the first mask member resin layer, and
wherein the second mask member includes:
a second mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the second mask member resin layer;
Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12, paragraph [0123], [0174]-[0176] the first mask layer [307 in region 10] and the second mask layer [307 in region 60] are first and second anti-static layers including heat conductive particle [carbon nanotube, graphene, metal oxide].
He et al. also discloses the first mask layer 413 can be a heat dissipation layer, an anti-static layer, or a combination thereof, which can improve heat dissipation effect and/or electrostatic dissipation effect of the flexible display device.
Kim et al. discloses in Fig. 5, paragraph [0060]-[0064]
an anti-static layer includes:
a resin layer [10] constituting a matrix of the anti-static layer; and
a heat conductive particle [12][a conductive polymer, carbon black, a metal powder, a metal salt, carbon nanotubes, graphene] dispersed in the resin layer [10].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Kim et al. into the method of Kishimoto et al. to include wherein the first mask member includes: a first mask member resin layer constituting a matrix of the first mask member; and a first mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the first mask member resin layer, and wherein the second mask member includes: a second mask member heat conductive particle dispersed in the second mask member resin layer. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Kishimoto et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable configuration of anti-static layers to prevent a static electricity defect of the panel [paragraph [0121], [0176] of Kishimoto et al., paragraph [0060]-[0064] of Kim et al.].
Claims 2-8, 10, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US Pub. 20190207130), Kishimoto et al. (US Pub. 20180047938) and Kim et al. (US Pub. 20150102296) as applied to claim 1 above
Regarding claim 2, Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12, paragraph [0123] and Kim et al. discloses in paragraph [0062]
wherein the first mask member heat conductive particle [antistatic agent] includes at least one of a metal particle and a carbon particle.
Regarding claims 3-4, Kim et al. discloses in paragraph [0061]
wherein the resin layer of the anti-static layer includes a photoresist resin.
Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12, paragraph [0123], [0174]-[0176] the first mask layer [307 in region 10] and the second mask layer [307 in region 60] are first and second anti-static layers.
Thus, the combination of He et al., Kim et al. and Kishimoto et al. result to “wherein the first mask member resin layer includes a photoresist resin; wherein the second mask member resin layer includes a photoresist resin.”
Regarding claims 5-8, 10, 12, He et al. discloses in Fig. 3, Fig. 8
wherein the first glass substrate [41 (411)] includes:
a first end arranged at one side of the first flat surface;
a second end arranged at one side of the first rear surface; and
a first etching surface connecting the first end with the second end.
wherein the second glass substrate [42(411)] includes:
a third end arranged at one side of the second flat surface;
a fourth end arranged at one side of the second rear surface; and
a second etching surface connecting the third end with the fourth end;
a flexible substrate [10] overlapped with the bending area [Q3], wherein the flexible substrate [10] is overlapped with the first etching surface and the second etching surface;
wherein the flexible substrate [10] is provided on the first flat surface and the second flat surface;
wherein, in a bent state of the display apparatus, the first mask member [413] is in contact with the second mask member [412];
wherein the flexible substrate [10] is not provided on the display area.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US Pub. 20190207130) in view of Kishimoto et al. (US Pub. 20180047938) and Kim et al. (US Pub. 20150102296) as applied to claim 7 above and further in view of Zhu (US Pub. 20210407338).
Regarding claim 9, He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. fails to disclose
an elastic member arranged below the flexible substrate and arranged to overlap the bending area.
Zhu discloses in Fig. 2, paragraph [0034]
an elastic member [600] arranged below the flexible substrate [100] and arranged to overlap the bending area [110].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhu into the method of He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. to include an elastic member arranged below the flexible substrate and arranged to overlap the bending area. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. in the above manner for the purpose of increase the structure characteristic (such as increasing the structure strength or the ability of absorbing/buffering external forces) near a space defined by the first and second mask members and the flexible substrate such that the structure near the space is not deformed due to external forces [paragraph [0034] of Zhu].
Claims 11, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US Pub. 20190207130), Kishimoto et al. (US Pub. 20180047938) and Kim et al. (US Pub. 20150102296) as applied to claim 6 above and further in view of Cai (US Pub. 20170301267).
Regarding claim 11, Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12
wherein, in an unbent state of the display apparatus, the first mask member [307 on region 10] is spaced apart from the second mask member [307 on region 60] by a first width,
wherein, in the unbent state of the display apparatus, the second end of the first rear surface of the first substrate [301] is spaced apart from the fourth end of the second rear surface of the second substrate [303] by a second width,
wherein, in the unbent state of the display apparatus, the first end of the first flat surface of the first substrate [301] is spaced apart from the third end of the second flat surface of the second substrate [303] by a third width along the flexible substrate,
wherein the first width is substantially the same as the second width.
He et al. discloses in paragraph [0032] the first substrate is the first glass substrate and the second substrate is the second glass substrate.
Thus, the combination of He et al. and Kishimoto et al. results to “wherein, in the unbent state of the display apparatus, the second end of the first rear surface of the first glass substrate is spaced apart from the fourth end of the second rear surface of the second glass substrate by a second width, wherein, in the unbent state of the display apparatus, the first end of the first flat surface of the first glass substrate is spaced apart from the third end of the second flat surface of the second glass substrate by a third width along the flexible substrate.”
He et al. and Kishimoto et al. fails to disclose
wherein the third width is greater than the first width, and
wherein the third width is greater than the second width.
Cai discloses in Fig. 2B, 2C, paragraph [0037]
wherein the third width is greater than the second width.
Kishimoto et al. discloses in Fig. 12 wherein the first width is substantially the same as the second width.
Thus, the combination of Cai et al., Kishimoto et al. and He et al. would also result to “wherein the third width is greater than the first width.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Cai into the method of Kishimoto et al. and He et al. to include wherein the third width is greater than the first width, and wherein the third width is greater than the second width. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Kishimoto et al. and He et al. in the above manner for the purpose of preventing the display panel from bending damages [paragraph [0043] of Cai].
Regarding claims 14-16, Kishimoto et al. and He et al. fails to disclose
wherein the first etching surface of the first glass substrate and the second etching surface of the second glass substrate are formed as inclined surfaces having a convex curved shape;
wherein sectional areas of the first etching surface of the first glass substrate and the second etching surface of the second glass substrate are increased as these etching surfaces become far away from the first flat surface and the second flat surface;
wherein the first etching surface and the second etching surface have an inverse tapered shape.
Cai discloses in Fig. 2B, 2C, paragraph [0037]
wherein the first etching surface [125] of the first substrate and the second etching surface [125] of the second substrate are formed as inclined surfaces having a convex curved shape;
wherein sectional areas of the first etching surface [125] of the first substrate and the second etching surface [125] of the second substrate are increased as these etching surfaces become far away from the first flat surface and the second flat surface;
wherein the first etching surface and the second etching surface have an inverse tapered shape.
He et al. discloses in paragraph [0032] the first substrate is the first glass substrate and the second substrate is the second glass substrate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Cai into the method of Kishimoto et al. and He et al. to include wherein the first etching surface of the first glass substrate and the second etching surface of the second glass substrate are formed as inclined surfaces having a convex curved shape; wherein sectional areas of the first etching surface of the first glass substrate and the second etching surface of the second glass substrate are increased as these etching surfaces become far away from the first flat surface and the second flat surface; wherein the first etching surface and the second etching surface have an inverse tapered shape. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Kishimoto et al. and He et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable profile of the first etching surface and the second etching surface to prevent the display panel from bending damages [paragraph [0043] of Cai].
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US Pub. 20190207130), Kishimoto et al. (US Pub. 20180047938) and Kim et al. (US Pub. 20150102296) as applied to claim 1 and claim 7 above and further in view of Zhou (US Pub. 20210333845).
Regarding claim 12, He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. fails to disclose
wherein the flexible substrate is not provided on the display area;
Zhou et al. discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0053]-[0056]
wherein the flexible substrate [30] is not provided on the display area [A];
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhou into the method of He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. to include wherein the flexible substrate is not provided on the display area. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. in the above manner for the purpose of provide a display panel having display region and fanout region disposed on rigid substrate and the bending region is disposed on the flexible substrate for solving the problem of a great deal of needs of narrow bezel for the existing display panels [paragraph [0003], [0040] of Zhou].
Regarding claim 13, He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. fails to disclose
a pixel array layer overlapping the first flat surface of the first glass substrate, wherein the pixel array layer is in direct contact with the first flat surface of the first glass substrate.
Zhou discloses in Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0053]-[0056]
a pixel array layer [A] overlapping the first flat surface of the first glass substrate [10], wherein the pixel array layer [A] is in direct contact with the first flat surface of the first glass substrate [10].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhou into the method of He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. to include a pixel array layer overlapping the first flat surface of the first glass substrate, wherein the pixel array layer is in direct contact with the first flat surface of the first glass substrate. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify He et al., Kishimoto et al. and Kim et al. in the above manner for the purpose of provide a display panel having display region and fanout region disposed on rigid substrate and the bending region is disposed on the flexible substrate for solving the problem of a great deal of needs of narrow bezel for the existing display panels [paragraph [0003], [0040] of Zhou].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SOPHIA T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1686. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am -5:00 pm, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BRITT D HANLEY can be reached at (571)270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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