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 § 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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-11, 14-16, 25-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeong et al. (USPN 2018/0090698).
With regard to claim 1,
Jeong et al. disclose in figs 1-3 a display panel comprising: a substrate (100 or 100/200) comprising: a first portion (1A) having a first thickness (t1 or t1 + 200), and a second portion (BA1) adjacent to the first portion in a first direction and having a second thickness (t2) smaller than the first thickness (see fig. 24E); a circuit layer (120) disposed on the substrate; and an element layer (300) disposed on the circuit layer, wherein a plurality of slit grooves extending along a second direction crossing the first direction and recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate are defined on a bottom surface of the first portion of the substrate (See figs. 2, 24E).
With regard to claim 2,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein a width of the substrate in the second direction is substantially equal to lengths of the plurality of slit grooves in the second direction (see fig. 2).
With regard to claim 3,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein a depth of each of the plurality of slit grooves is substantially equal to a difference between the first thickness (t1) and the second thickness (t2, see figs. 3, 24E).
With regard to 5,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein a depth of each of the plurality of slit grooves is smaller than a difference between the first thickness (t1 + 200) and the second thickness (t2).
With regard to claim 7,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of slit grooves has a shape recessed from a lower surface of the substrate toward an upper surface of the substrate, and the upper surface of the substrate continuously extends from the first portion and the second portion to define a plane including the first portion and the second portion (See figs. 1-3, 24E).
With regard to claim 8,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 7, wherein the lower surface of the substrate (100) comprises a first lower surface overlapping the first portion and a second lower surface overlapping the second portion, and a boundary surface connecting the first lower surface and the second lower surface is a flat surface (See figs.1-3, 17).
With regard to claim 9,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 7, wherein the lower surface of the substrate comprises a first lower surface overlapping the first portion and a second lower surface overlapping the second portion, and a boundary surface connecting the first lower surface and the second lower surface is a curved surface (see figs. 1-3,24E).
With regard to claim 10,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of filling members (920, fig 24D, see paragraph 185) disposed in the plurality of slit grooves, respectively.
With regard to claim 11,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of slit grooves has a shape that is recessed from a lower surface of the substrate toward an upper surface of the substrate, and each of the plurality of filling members is aligned with the lower surface of the substrate (See fig. 24D).
With regard to claim 14,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 10, further comprising: a cover layer (910) provided integrally with the plurality of filling members, and covering a lower surface of the first portion of the substrate (see paragraph 183).
With regard to claim 15,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of slit grooves on a cross-section is defined by a first line, a straight line connected to the first line, and a second line connected to the straight line (See fig. 17).
With regard to claim 16,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1, wherein a shape of each of the plurality of slit grooves on a cross-section is defined by a first line, a curved line connected to the first line, and a second line connected to the curved line (see fig. 24E).
With regard to claim 25,
Jeong et al. disclose a display panel comprising: a substrate (100 or 100/200) comprising: a first portion (BA1), and a second portion (1A) adjacent to the first portion in a first direction; a circuit layer (120) disposed on the substrate; and an element layer (300) disposed on the circuit layer and overlapping the second portion, wherein the first portion comprises: a plurality of first sub portions having a first thickness (t2), and a plurality of second sub portions having a second thickness (t1) smaller than the first thickness (see figs. 1-3), wherein the plurality of first sub portions and the plurality of second sub portions are repeatedly alternately arranged one by one in the first direction (see figs1-3).
With regard to claim 26,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 25, wherein a thickness (t1) of the second portion (1A of 100) is smaller than the first thickness (t1).
With regard to claim 27,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 26, wherein the thickness of the second portion (1A of 100/200) is larger than the second thickness (t1), or is smaller than the second thickness.
With regard to claim 28,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 25, further comprising: a filling member (900) disposed between two adjacent first portions of the plurality of first sub portions.
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (as above), in view of Yun et al. (USPN 2022/0190264).
With regard to claim 6,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1. While Jeong et al. do not specify the relative thicknesses, Yun et al. do disclose an analogous display wherein the first thickness is five times or greater than the second thickness (See paragraph 115). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to try to incorporate this concept of Yun et al. into the panel of Jeong in order to try to balance flexibility and strength.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeong et al. (as above), in view of Kim et al. (USPN 2019/0208650).
With regard to claim 17,
Jeong et al. disclose the display panel of claim 1. While Jeong et al. do not disclose a glass substrate, Kim et al. do disclose wherein the substrate is a flexible glass substrate (see paragraph 68). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate this concept of Kim et al. into the panel of Jeong et al. in order to reduce permeability of the substrate.
Claims 18-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (as above), in view of Choi et al. (USPN 2022/0269312) and Jeong et al. (as above).
With regard to claim 18,
Kim et al. disclose an electronic device comprising: a rotation part (160); a display panel (150) coupled to the rotation part, the display panel comprising: a substrate (GLS) comprising a first portion (GLS2) having a first thickness (see fig. 5) and a second portion (GLS1) adjacent to the first portion in a first direction and having a second thickness, a circuit layer (See figs. 1,2, paragraphs 52-54) disposed on the substrate, and an element layer (SP, see paragraphs 52-54) disposed on the circuit layer. While Kim et al. do not disclose the rotation part disposed in a housing with a slot, or a plurality of slit grooves extending along a second direction crossing the first direction and recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate are defined on a bottom surface of the first portion of the substrate, Choi et al. does disclose a housing (HS) in which a slot (OP) is formed having a display panel (DM) and rotation part (ROL) therein. It would have bee obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art the time of the invention to incorporate this concept of Choi et al. in to the device of Kim et al. in order to protect the display and rotation components. Additionally, Jeong et al. disclose a plurality of slit grooves (See fig. 2, 24E) extending along a second direction crossing the first direction and recessed in a thickness direction of the substrate are defined on a bottom surface of the first portion (BA1) of the substrate. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate this concept of Jeong et al. in to the device of Kim et al. in order to facilitate bending in the desired direction.
With regard to claim 19,
Kim et al. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the display panel further comprises a first surface (AA), on which an image is displayed, and a second surface (opposite) opposed to the first surface, and a portion of the first surface of the display panel is coupled to the rotation part. (see figs. 10,11).
With regard to claim 20,
Kim et al. disclose the electronic device of claim 18, wherein the display panel further comprises a first surface (AA), on which an image is displayed, and a second surface (opposite) opposed to the first surface, and a portion of the second surface of the display panel is coupled to the rotation part (see figs. 10, 11).
With regard to claim 21,
Kim et al. disclose the electronic device of claim 18, further comprising: a connection film (145) electrically connected to the display panel (150) and attached to an area overlapping the first portion (GLS2); and a circuit substrate (125) electrically connected to the connection film and seated on the rotation part (see figs. 8, 11).
With regard to claim 22,
Kim et al. disclose the electronic device of claim 21, further comprising: a seating space (in 160) defined in the rotation part and recessed from an outer peripheral surface (See figs. 11), on which the display panel (150) is wound, wherein the circuit substrate (125) is disposed in the seating space (See figs. 11).
With regard to claim 23,
Kim et al. disclose the electronic device of claim 21, further comprising: a circuit substrate fixing part disposed in a space defined in the rotation part, wherein the circuit substrate (125) is fixed to the circuit substrate fixing part, and the circuit substrate fixing part is fixed to the rotation part (see paragraph 86).
With regard to claim 24,
Jeong et al. disclose the electronic device of claim 18, wherein the display panel further comprises a plurality of filling members (195) disposed in the plurality of slit grooves, respectively. The obviousness of the incorporation of the concept of Jeong et al. into the device of Kim et al. was addressed in the rejection of claim 18.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 12, 13 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art fails to disclose or render obvious in combination with the other limitations of the claims, a depth of each of the plurality of slit grooves is greater than a difference between the first thickness and the second thickness, or each of the plurality of filling members has a shape recessed concavely or protruding convexly from the lower surface of the substrate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPN 2023/0301148, 2022/0199943, 2021/0343984, 2020/0152904, 2020/0105168.
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/CHRISTOPHER M RAABE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/JAMES R GREECE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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