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.
Claims 6-7 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.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the other surface" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 7 depend from a rejected base claim, incorporates the indefinite language though dependency, and rejected for the same reasons as the base claim.
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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. [US2016/0236382, “Lee”] in view of Yamazaki et al. [US2011/0244625, “Yamazaki”].
Lee disclose a method of manufacturing an electronic device (display panel), the method comprising: forming a cushion layer (protection film 100) directly on a base layer (200) (paragraphs 0069-70); disposing an adhesive member (AM) on another surface of the base layer (paragraphs 0074-78; Figure 7), and attaching the adhesive member (AM) to a surface of an electronic panel (TSP) (paragraphs 0074-78, Figure 7). Lee fails to disclose surface treating one surface of the base layer where the cushion layer will be applied.
Yamazaki discloses a method of manufacturing. Yamazaki discloses plasma treating a base substrate to introduce hydrophilic groups onto the base substrate and improving the bond strength of the base substrate to the material to be bonded to the base substrate (paragraphs 0050-52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Lee by surface-treating a surface of the base layer as taught by Yamazaki in order to improve the strength of bond between the base substate and the cushion layer.
With respect to claim 2, Lee discloses the forming of the cushion layer comprises performing a foaming process (paragraph 0085).
With respect to claim 3, Yamazaki discloses the surface-treating one surface of the base layer comprises performing a plasma treatment (paragraph 0051).
With respect to claim 4, Yamazaki discloses the surface-treating one surface of the base layer comprises roughening the one surface of the base layer (etching the surface of the base substrate; paragraph 0052).
With respect to claim 5, Yamazaki discloses the surface-treating one surface of the base layer comprises hydrophilizing the one surface of the base layer (paragraph 0051).
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Yamazaki, and further in view of Hirauchi et al. [US2010/0226016, “Hirauchi”].
Lee as modified disclose a method of manufacturing an electronic device. Applicant is referred to paragraph 5 for a detailed discussion of Lee as modified. Lee discloses forming layers including an optical member (LF) between the adhesive members (Figure 7), but does not disclose a light-shielding layer.
Hirauchi discloses a method of manufacturing a light-shielding film for use in an optical application on a display device (paragraph 0007). Hirauchi discloses the optical member includes a light-shielding film (paragraph 0007).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify the method of Lee by including a light-shielding film in the optical member as taught by Hirauchi in order to prevent leaking of light from the sides of the display and improve the appearance of the display.
With respect to claim 7, Hirauchi discloses forming of the light-shielding film by a deposition process (paragraph 0087).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MCNALLY whose telephone number is (571)272-2685. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Orlando can be reached at 571-270-5038. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL MCNALLY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
DPM
January 9, 2026