DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is responsive to an Application filed on 07/17/2024.
Currently, claims 1-21 are examined as below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 07/17/2024. The IDS has been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested:
(Marked-Up Version) Display Device Including Vapor Chamber
(Clean Version) Display Device Including Vapor Chamber
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Independent claim 17 is indefinite, because:
(1) The limitation “an outward-facing surface” in line 3 renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear which component such outward-facing surface is in reference to, whether the outward-facing surface is of the vapor chamber or of the display panel. The limitation will be interpreted as “an outward-facing surface of the vapor chamber for the purpose of examination.
(2) The limitation “a side surface of the display panel” in line 4 renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear whether such side surface is the same side surface of the display panel as recited earlier in the claim.
Note the dependent claims 18-21 necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-14, 17-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2012/0188793 A1 to Shin et al. (“Shin”).
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Regarding independent claim 1, Shin in Figs. 1, 3A and 4 teaches a display device 700 (Fig. 1 & ¶ 50, display apparatus 700) comprising:
a display panel 100 (¶ 50, display panel 100) having a side surface (Fig. 1, top side surface, bottom side surface or one of lateral side surfaces); and
a vapor chamber 301/600 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 50, ¶ 52, ¶ 54, a collective of receiving container 301 and top chassis 600, in which the receiving container 301 includes a first frame 310 and a second frame 320; ¶ 72, the receiving container 301 includes a heat dissipation channel 330 having vapor and between the frames 310 and 320. That is, the structure 301/600 is a vapor chamber) surrounding the side surface of the display panel 100 (Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 2, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the vapor chamber 301/600 comprises a sidewall 600 (Fig. 1, ¶ 50, top chassis 600) surrounding the side surface (Fig. 1, top side surface or one of the lateral side surfaces) of the display panel 100.
Regarding claim 3, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the sidewall 600 is integrally formed with the vapor chamber 301/600 (Fig. 1, the vapor chamber 301/600 is formed of parts 301 and 600 that together constitute a whole i.e., integrally formed).
Regarding claim 4, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the display panel 100 comprises a plurality of side surfaces (Fig. 1, top side surface and lateral side surfaces), and the sidewall 600 comprises a plurality of sidewalls 600 (Fig. 1, upper inner sidewall and lateral inner sidewall) facing the side surfaces.
Regarding claim 5, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches at least one of the sidewalls 600 contacts a side surface (Fig. 1, top side surface) of the display panel 100.
Regarding claim 6, Shin in Figs. 1, 3A and 4 further teaches the vapor chamber 301/600 comprises:
a first plate 322 (¶ 55, second bottom 322);
a second plate 312 (¶ 55, first bottom 312) between the first plate 322 and the display panel 100 (Fig. 1);
an extension portion 314 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 55, first sidewall 314) extending from an edge of the second plate 312; and
a sidewall 600 (Fig. 1, ¶ 50, top chassis 600) disposed on the extension portion 314 and surrounding the side surface (Figs. 1, 3A, top side surface or one of the lateral side surfaces) of the display panel 100.
Regarding claim 7, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the second plate 312, the extension portion 314, and the sidewall 600 are integrally formed (Fig. 1, the vapor chamber 301/600 is formed of parts 312, 314 and 600 that together constitute a whole i.e., integrally formed).
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Regarding claim 8, Shin in Fig. 1 and Annotated Fig. 4 further teaches a first flange F1 (Annotated Fig. 4) connected to an edge of the first plate 322; and
a second flange F2 (Annotated Fig. 4) connected to the first flange F1 and disposed on a portion of the second plate 312 that is across the extension portion 314 from the sidewall 600 (Fig. 1; Annotated Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 9, Shin in Figs. 1 and 4 further teaches the first plate 322 comprises a concave portion (Figs. 1, 4, hollow inward at the left end of the first plate 322) recessed toward the second plate 312.
Regarding claim 10, Shin in Figs. 1, 3A and 4 further teaches the vapor chamber 301/600 comprises:
a first plate 322 (¶ 55, second bottom 322);
a second plate 312 (¶ 55, first bottom 312) between the first plate 322 and the display panel 100 (Fig. 1);
an extension portion 324 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 55, second sidewall 324) extending from an edge of the first plate 322; and
a sidewall 600 (Fig. 1, ¶ 50, top chassis 600) disposed on the extension portion 324 and surrounding the side surface (Figs. 1, 3A, top side surface or one of the lateral side surfaces) of the display panel 100.
Regarding claim 11, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the first plate 322, the extension portion 324, and the sidewall 600 are integrally formed (Fig. 1, the vapor chamber 301/600 is formed of parts 322, 324 and 600 that together constitute a whole i.e., integrally formed).
Regarding claim 12, Shin in Fig. 3A and Annotated Fig. 4 further teaches a second flange F2 (Annotated Fig. 4) connected to an edge of the first plate 322; and
a first flange F1 (Annotated Fig. 4) bonded to the second plate 312 (Fig. 3A) and disposed between the second flange F2 and the extension portion 324 (Annotated Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, Shin in Figs. 1 and 4 further teaches the second plate 312 comprises a concave portion (Figs. 1, 4, recessed hollow inward portion at the right end or the left end of the plate 312) recessed toward the first plate 322.
Regarding claim 14, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches a front cover 600 (Fig. 1, ¶ 50, top chassis 600) on the display panel 100.
Regarding independent claim 17, Shin in Figs. 1, 3A and 4 teaches a display device 700 (Fig. 1 & ¶ 50, display apparatus 700) comprising:
a display panel 100 (¶ 50, display panel 100) having a side surface (Fig. 1, top side surface, bottom side surface or one of lateral side surfaces);
a vapor chamber 301 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 52, ¶ 54, receiving container 301, in which the receiving container 301 includes a first frame 310 and a second frame 320; ¶ 72, the receiving container 301 includes a heat dissipation channel 330 having vapor and between the frames 310 and 320. That is, the structure 301 is a vapor chamber) having a bottom plate 322 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 55, second bottom 322) connected to an outward-facing surface 324 (Figs. 1, 3A, 4, ¶ 55, outward-facing surface of second sidewall 324); and
a side cover 600 (Fig. 1, ¶ 50, top chassis 600) surrounding a side surface (Fig. 1, top side surface or one of lateral surfaces) of the display panel 100 and the outward-facing surface 324 of the vapor chamber 301.
Regarding claim 18, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the side cover 600 comprises:
a support portion 600 (Fig. 1, side portion of the top chassis 600 that supports the top portion of the chassis 600) extending from an inner surface (Fig. 1, inner surface of the top portion of the chassis 600) of the side cover 600.
Regarding claim 20, Shin in Fig. 1 further teaches the support portion 600 (Fig. 1, side portion of the top chassis 600) is disposed between the vapor chamber 301 and the display panel 100 (Fig. 1, a side portion of the chassis 600 is above the level of the vapor chamber 301 and below the level of the display panel 100 i.e., between the vapor chamber 301 and the display panel 100).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 15-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if (i) rewritten in independent form to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims or (ii) the objected claim and any intervening claims are fully incorporated into the base claim.
Claim 15 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of the vapor chamber further surrounds a side surface of the front cover.
Claim 16 would be allowable, because claim 16 depends from the allowable claim 15.
Claims 19 and 21 are rejected.
Claims 19 and 21 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 19 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 19, wherein the support portion is disposed below the vapor chamber.
Claim 21 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 21, wherein the support portion has a through hole through which the circuit member extends.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2021/0337700 A1 to Jung et al. relates to a display device including a display panel, a vapor chamber positioned behind the display panel, a board, which is positioned behind the vapor chamber and is coupled to the vapor chamber, and an adhesive member disposed between the display panel and the vapor chamber so as to be coupled thereto, wherein the vapor chamber includes a first plate, which defines a front surface thereof and faces the display panel, a second plate, which defines a rear surface thereof and is coupled to the first plate, and fluid flowing in a space defined between the first plate and the second plate, and wherein the first plate includes a coupler, which is depressed rearwards from the first plate and to which the adhesive member is coupled.
US 2023/0032004 A1 to Jung et al. relates to a display device including a display panel; a module cover disposed behind the display panel; a PCB coupled to the module cover and on which a plurality of elements are positioned; and a vapor chamber coupled to the PCB, in which the vapor chamber comprises first plate including a heat absorbing part that contacts the contact element; a second plate coupled to the first plate; and a fluid flowing through a space provided between the first plate and the second plate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIKKA LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-2568. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-5AM EST M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached on 571-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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