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 .
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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the active region" but previously only recites “an active area”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The Examiner cannot determine whether the Applicant means the claim to say “the active area” or is referring to a different “ an active region”. Correction/clarification is necessary.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Kim et al (US 2020/0111978).
1. A display apparatus comprising: a substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]) having a bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]) between an active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]) and a pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]);
a planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) on the active area (Fig.1B/9 (A/A) and [0079]) and the pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]) in the substrate (Fig.1B (111/112a/b) and [0076]);
a first organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole transporting layer]) on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]);
a second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer]) on the first organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole transporting layer]);
a third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]) on the second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer]), the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]) having an upper surface, the upper surface of the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]) being flat in the active region; and
a plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig.5 (150) and [0157]) disposed on the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]).
An alternative interpretation is also possible:
1. A display apparatus comprising: a substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112) and [0076]) having a bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]) between an active area (Fig.1B/9 (A/A) and [0079]) and a pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]);
a planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) on the active area (Fig.1B/9 (A/A) and [0079]) and the pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]) in the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112) and [0076]);
a first organic film on the planarization film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing below (170) and [0187]);
a second organic film on the first organic film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing below (170) and [0187]);
a third organic film on the second organic film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing below (170) and [0187]), the third organic film having an upper surface, the upper surface of the third organic film being flat in the active region (Fig.5 see annotated drawing below (170) and [0187]);; and
a plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig.5 (150) and [0157]) disposed on the third organic film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing below (170) and [0187]).
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2. The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a multi-buffer layer (Fig.6 (113) and [0145]) on the active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]) and the pad area (Fig.1B (P/A) and [0079]) in the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112) and [0076]); and an adhesive layer (Fig.6 (416) and [0178]) between the multi-buffer layer (Fig.6 (113) and [0145]) and the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]).
3. The display apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a via contact layer (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) and in the bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]) of the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112) and [0076]).
4. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third organic film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0162-electron transporting layer] and [0187]) is flattened by a photoresist pattern (Fig.5-6 (implicit- bank 170 is flat/152 and light emitting layer is flat) disposed on the second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer]/ (implicit- bank 170 is flat) corresponding to the bending region (Fig.9 (112p/BL)).
5. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]/Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]) is on the active area (Fig.1B/9 (A/A) and [0079]) and the pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]).
6. The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer])/ Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]) has an upper surface flattened by a photoresist pattern (Fig.5-6 (implicit- bank 170 is flat/152 and light emitting layer is flat) disposed on the first organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole transporting layer]/ Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187])) corresponding to the bending region (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]).
7. The display apparatus of claim 3, further comprising: first wire patterns (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) disposed on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]), wherein the via contact layer (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) is on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) on which the first wire patterns (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) are formed.
8. The display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first wire patterns (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) are on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) and on an adhesive layer (Fig.6 (416) and [0178]) exposed (gaps between 112) in the bending region.
9. The display apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: second wire patterns (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) disposed on the via contact layer (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]), wherein the first organic film (Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]) is on the via contact layer (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) on which the second wire patterns (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) are disposed.
10. The display apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: third wire patterns (Fig.4A-5 (131/132) and [0134]) disposed on the first organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole transporting layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]), wherein the second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]) is on the first organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole transporting layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]) on which the third wire patterns (Fig.4A-5 (131/132) and [0134]) are disposed.
11. The display apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: fourth wire patterns ((Fig.4A-5 (131/132) and [0134]) disposed on the second organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-hole block layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]), wherein the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]). is on the second organic film on which the fourth wire patterns (Fig.4A-5 (131/132) and [0134]) are disposed.
12. The display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: fifth wire patterns (Fig.4A-5 (131/132) and [0134]) disposed on the third organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162-electron transporting layer]) /(Fig.5 see annotated drawing (170) and [0187]).
13. A display apparatus comprising:
a substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]) having a bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]) between an active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]) and a pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]);
a planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]). on the active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]) and a pad area (Fig.1B/9 (P/A) and [0079]) in the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]);
an organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162]) /(Fig.5 (170) and [0187]) on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) and on the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]) exposed in the bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]), wherein the organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162]) /(Fig.5 (170) and [0187]) includes an upper surface that is planar in the active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]); and
a plurality of light-emitting elements transferred to the planar upper surface of the organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162]) /(Fig.5 (170) and [0187]).
14. The display apparatus of claim 13, further comprising: a multi-buffer layer (Fig.6 (113) and [0145]) on the active area (Fig.1B (A/A) and [0079]) and the pad area (Fig.1B (P/A) and [0079]) in the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]); and an adhesive layer (Fig.6 (416) and [0178]) between the multi-buffer layer (Fig.6 (113) and [0145]) and the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]).
15. The display apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a via contact layer (Fig.5 (131/132) and [0134]) on the planarization film (Fig.5-6 (116) and [0151]) and in the bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]) of the substrate (Fig.1B/9 (111/112p) and [0076]).
16. The display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the organic film (Fig.5-6 (152) and [0162]) /(Fig.5 (170) and [0187]) is flattened by a photoresist pattern (implicit 152 and 170 are flat) disposed in the bending region (Fig.1B/9 (BL) and [0088]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kang et al (US 2021/0175470); Tang et al (WO 2020133779 A1) and Oh et al (US 20260190577 A1) teach flexible substrates with OLED arrays.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA M MENZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1697. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00-3:30.
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/LAURA M MENZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
7/14/26
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