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 Amendment
The amendment filed June 9, 2026 has been entered. The title of the invention, the specification, the drawings, and claims 1, 7, 12, and 16 have been amended. Claims 19-20 have been canceled. The amendments have overcome each and every objection and §112 rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed March 9, 2026. Claims 1-18 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed June 9, 2026, with respect to the rejections of independent claims 1 and 16 under §102(a)(2) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Lee (KR 10-2299989 B1).
Applicant argues that Lee does not cure the shortcomings of Xu (US 2024/0338058 A1) because the “present claims are directed to passive elastic deformation of the wing-plate edge portions under display load, not merely pivoting or movement of separate support members associated with a hinge mechanism.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. As discussed below (see claim 1 and 16 rejections), Lee discloses edge portions capable of deforming inwardly towards a main hinge. Neither claim 1 nor 16 limits the mechanism by which the edge portions can deform toward the hinge or hinge arm.
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.
Claims 1-9, 12, and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US 2024/0338058 A1) in view of Lee (KR 10-2299989 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Xu teaches an electronic device (electronic device 100) comprising:
a first housing (first housing 10);
a second housing (second housing 30) rotatably disposed with respect to the first housing (from paragraph 0140: “[T]he first housing 10 and the second housing 30 can be rotated (unfolded or folded) relative to each other.”);
a hinge (rotating mechanism 20) including a first hinge arm (door plate swing arm 23) connected to the first housing (10) and a second hinge arm (at least two door plate swing arms 23 are disclosed; see e.g. Figs. 11 and 20) connected to the second housing (30);
a flexible display (flexible display screen 200) disposed on the first housing (10) and the second housing (30; see Figs. 1 and 4) and spaced apart from each of the first hinge arm and the second hinge arm (first non-bending portion 2001 is disposed on first housing 10, second non-bending portion 2003 is disposed on second housing 30, and bending portion 2002 is disposed on first and second support surfaces 211 and 221 of first and second rotating door plates 21 and 22);
a first plate (first rotating door plate 21) disposed between the first hinge arm (23) and the flexible display (200; see paragraph 0149); and
a second plate (second rotating door plate 22) disposed between the second hinge arm (23) and the flexible display (200) and spaced apart from the first plate (21; see paragraph 0149),
wherein the first plate comprises a first edge portion including a first inclined surface inclined with respect to a direction in which the first hinge arm and the flexible display are spaced apart from each other (see annotated Fig. 43 below).
Xu fails to disclose that when a load is applied to the flexible display, the first edge
portion is configured to be deformable toward the hinge arm.
Lee discloses an electronic device comprising a flexible display panel (120) and first (first device 110a) and second (second device 110b) plates that include first (support member 115a) and second (support member 115b) edge portions. The edge portions (115a-b) are connected to hinge shafts (114a-b) and are therefore capable of bending or deforming inwardly toward a main hinge (U-shaped hinge housing 130; see Figs. 5-6).
Lee is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to configure the edge portions of Xu to be deformable towards the hinge when a load is applied to the flexible display (for e.g., by hinging them). Doing so would help protect the flexible display from damage during folding/unfolding and when the device is in an unfolded state a force is applied on the portion of the flexible display directly above the hinge.
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Regarding claim 2, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated
above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second plate (Xu: 22) comprises: a second edge portion including a second inclined surface inclined with respect to a direction in which the first plate and the second plate are spaced apart from each other (Xu: see annotated Fig. 43 below).
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Regarding claim 3, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first edge portion and the second edge portion face each other in the direction in which the first plate and the second plate are spaced apart from each other (Xu: see Figs. 11, 20, 29-30, 34, and 43).
Regarding claim 4, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first incline surface faces the first hinge arm (Xu: see Figs. 11, 20, 29-30, 34, 38 and 43).
Regarding claim 5, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein an inclination angle is formed between the first inclined surface and the first hinge arm (Xu: see Figs. 11, 20, 29-30, 34, and 43).
Regarding claim 6, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a hinge cover (Xu: top cover 11) in which at least a portion of the hinge is configured to be received (Xu: from paragraph 0205: “The top cover 11 is a configured to shield and protect an internal structure of the rotating mechanism 20.”), and wherein at least a portion of the first inclined surface faces the hinge cover (Xu: see Figs. 11, 21, 29, 37, and 42).
Regarding claim 7, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first hinge arm (Xu: 23) comprises:
a first portion spaced apart from the first plate (Xu: see annotated Fig. 51 below);
a protrusion portion extending toward the first plate from the first portion (Xu: see annotated Fig. 51 below); and
a second portion on which the first plate is seated and facing the first inclined surface (Xu: see annotated Fig. 51 below).
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Regarding claim 8, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a folding space (Xu: screen accommodating space 900) to which the flexible display (Xu: 200) is configured to be deformable and formed between the first plate (Xu: 21) and the second plate (Xu: 22; see Fig. 41), and wherein the first inclined surface is inclined toward the folding space (Xu: see Figs. 11, 20, 29, 34, 38, 41, and 43).
Regarding claim 9, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first inclined surface is configured to come closer to the flexible display from a first edge of the first inclined surface to a second edge of the first inclined surface opposite to the first edge (Xu: see annotated Figs. 20 and 29 below).
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Regarding claim 12, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first inclined surface faces the folding space, and wherein the first inclined surface and a hinge arm side surface of the first hinge arm are aligned along a direction parallel to the folding axis (Xu: see Figs. 11, 20, 29-30, 34, and 43).
Regarding claim 14, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a support bar (Xu: lifting plate 26) disposed between the first plate (Xu: 21) and the second plate (Xu: 22) and facing the first inclined surface (Xu: see Figs. 10-11, 20, 29-30, 34, 38, and 43).
Regarding claim 15, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 14 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first inclined surface is configured to become farther from the first hinge arm from a first edge to a second edge opposite to the first edge (Xu: see annotated Figs. 20 and 29 above).
Regarding claim 16, Xu discloses an electronic device (100) comprising:
a first housing (10);
a second housing (30) rotatably coupled to the first housing (from paragraph 0140: “[T]he first housing 10 and the second housing 30 can be rotated (unfolded or folded) relative to each other.”);
a flexible display (200) seated on the first housing (10) and the second housing (30; see Figs. 1 and 4) and configured to be at least partially deformable (from paragraph 0141: “When the first housing 10 and the second housing 30 are folded or unfolded relative to each other, the bending portion 2002 is deformed.”);
a hinge (20) connecting the first housing (10) and the second housing (30) to be rotatable (see paragraph 0140);
a first plate (21) disposed between the flexible display (200) and the hinge (20); and
and a second plate (22) disposed between the flexible display (200) and the hinge (20) and spaced apart from the first plate (21; see paragraph 0149),
wherein a folding space (900) where the flexible display (200) is configured to be deformed is formed between the first plate (21) and the second plate (22; see Figs. 6, 8, and 41), and
the first plate (21) and the second plate (22) include edge portions inclined toward the folding space (see Fig. 43).
Xu fails to disclose that when a load is applied to the flexible display, the edge portions
are configured to be deformable toward the hinge.
Lee discloses an electronic device comprising a flexible display panel (120) and first (first device 110a) and second (second device 110b) plates that include first (support member 115a) and second (support member 115b) edge portions. The edge portions (115a-b) are connected to hinge shafts (114a-b) and are therefore capable of bending or deforming inwardly toward a main hinge (U-shaped hinge housing 130; see Figs. 5-6).
Lee is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to configure the edge portions of Xu to be deformable towards the hinge when a load is applied to the flexible display (for e.g., by hinging them). Doing so would help protect the flexible display from damage during folding/unfolding and when the device is in an unfolded state a force is applied on the portion of the flexible display directly above the hinge.
Regarding claim 17, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 as
stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 16, wherein the first plate includes a first inclined surface inclined with respect to a direction in which the first plate and the second plate are spaced apart from each other, and wherein the second plate includes a second inclined surface inclined with respect to the direction in which the first plate and the second plate are spaced apart from each other (Xu: see annotated Fig. 43 below).
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Regarding claim 18, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches the electronic device of claim 16, wherein the edge portions include inclined surfaces facing the hinge (Xu: see annotated Fig. 43 above).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Lee as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (WO 2022/030789 A1), hereinafter Kim.
Regarding claim 10, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee lacks a specific teaching that the electronic device further comprises a damping member comprising a flexible material disposed between the flexible display and the first plate.
Kim teaches a foldable electronic device (200) comprising a damping member formed of a flexible material (cushion layer 2541) disposed between a flexible display (display panel 253) and a first plate (first reinforcing plate 271; see Figs. 7a-b).
Kim is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to include a damping member comprising a flexible material disposed between the flexible display and the first plate. Doing so would provide a cushion to protect the display from the first plate.
Regarding claim 11, Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches that the flexible display comprises a panel (Xu: see paragraph 0142), but lacks a specific teaching that a first digitizer is disposed between the panel and the first plate and facing the first edge portion.
Kim teaches a flexible display (flexible display 250) comprising a panel (253) and a digitizer disposed between a panel (253) and a first plate (271) (from pg. 12, paragraph 2: “[T]he foldable electronic device 200 may further include a member (e.g., a digitizer) for recognizing a handwriting input, which is disposed under the flexible display 250.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to place a digitizer between the panel and the first plate and facing the first edge portion. Doing so would allow the device to recognize touch input.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Lee as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Cui et al. (US 2022/0365561 A1), hereinafter Cui.
Xu in view of Lee teaches all of the limitations of claim 1 as stated above. Xu in view of Lee further teaches a folding space (Xu: 900) to which the flexible display (Xu: 200) is configured to be deformed and formed between the first plate (Xu: 21) and the second plate (Xu: 22; see Fig. 41). Xu in view of Lee fails to teach that the first inclined surface is configured to come closer to the first hinge arm as the first inclined surface approaches the folding space. Rather, the first inclined surface moves farther away from the first hinge arm (Xu: the downward direction in Fig. 43) as the first inclined surface approaches the folding space (Xu: the right to left direction in Fig. 43).
Cui teaches display device with a folding space (gap 8) to which a flexible display (flexible display module 3) is configured to be deformed and formed between a first plate (first support member 1) and a second plate (second support member 2; see Fig. 2). The first plate (1) has a first inclined surface (111b in Fig. 1) that becomes farther away from the flexible display (3) as the first inclined surface (111b) approaches the folding space 8; see Fig. 1).
Cui is considered to be analogous art because it is in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the present application, to configure the first inclined surface to come closer to the first hinge arm, and away from the flexible display, as the first inclined surface approaches the folding space. Doing so would help facilitate smooth bending of the flexible display as the device is folded (see Cui, paragraph 0063).
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 ROSS TERRY MULARSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-0284. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Imani Hayman can be reached at (571)270-5528. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/R.T.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /IMANI N HAYMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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