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 § 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 and 7-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park et al. (US 2020/0285107), with Kim et al. (US 2023/0229050) serving as an English translation of WO2022/010185A1.
As to claim 1, WO2022/010185A1 discloses in figure 1, a liquid crystal cell 10 comprising: an upper substrate including a first base layer 11a and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer 13, and a lower substrate including a second base layer 11b and spacers 14, wherein the region between the upper substrate and the lower substrate is divided into a liquid crystal region containing a liquid crystal compound 16 and non-liquid crystal regions (corresponding to regions where sealant 17 is provided) containing no liquid crystal compound.
WO2022/010185A1 does not disclose wherein each non-liquid crystal region has a width of 4 mm or more. However, a sealant having a width of 4 mm or more was common in the art. For example, Park discloses in figures 2-4 and paragraph [0118], a sealant 304 having a width of 3 mm to 15 mm. Furthermore, it was well known that the wider the sealant is, the easier it is to secure proper adhesion between the upper and lower substrates. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify WO2022/010185A1 wherein each non-liquid crystal region has a width of 4 mm or more in order to secure proper adhesion between the upper and lower substrates.
As to claim 2, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figures 1 and 10) wherein the non-liquid crystal region has a line shape extending in a first direction, and the first direction is a longitudinal direction of the first base layer or the second base layer.
As to claim 3, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figures 1 and 10) wherein the non-liquid crystal regions are respectively located on a first side surface and a second side surface of the liquid crystal region, and the non-liquid crystal region located on the first side surface of the liquid crystal region and the non-liquid crystal region located on the second side surface of the liquid crystal region do not contact each other.
As to claim 4, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 3. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figures 1 and 10 showing that the liquid crystal cell has a rectangular shape) wherein a major surface of the non-liquid crystal region located on the first side surface (left) of the liquid crystal region and a major surface of the non-liquid crystal region located on the second side surface (right) of the liquid crystal region are oriented parallel to each other.
As to claim 5, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figures 1 and 10) wherein the non-liquid crystal region (selecting one of the line regions provided with the sealant 17 as the non-liquid crystal region) are located only on one side surface of the liquid crystal region.
As to claim 7, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see paragraph [0028] of Kim) wherein the liquid crystal compound in the liquid crystal region is configured to switch orientation states upon application of a voltage thereto.
As to claim 8, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figure 1) wherein the upper substrate further comprises a first electrode layer 12 disposed between the first base layer 11a and the pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 13, and the lower substrate further comprises a second electrode layer 12 disposed between the second base layer 11b and the spacers 14.
As to claim 9, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 8. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figure 1) wherein the upper substrate does not comprise an alignment film, and the lower substrate further comprises an alignment film 15.
As to claim 10, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figure 2 and paragraph [0068] of Kim) an optical device 100 comprising a first outer substrate 20a, the liquid crystal cell 10, and a second outer substrate 20b sequentially arranged.
As to claim 11, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see paragraphs [0069]-[0070] of Kim) wherein the first outer substrate 20a and the second outer substrate 20b are each a glass substrate.
As to claim 12, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see figure 2 and paragraph [0100] of Kim) a first adhesive layer 30 disposed between the first outer substrate 20a and the liquid crystal cell 10, and a second adhesive layer 30 disposed between the second outer substrate 20b and the liquid crystal cell 10.
As to claim 13, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 12. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see paragraph [0100] of Kim) wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are each a thermoplastic polyurethane adhesive layer, a polyamide adhesive layer, a polyester adhesive layer, an ethylene vinyl acetate adhesive layer, an acrylic adhesive layer, a silicone adhesive layer, or a polyolefin adhesive layer.
As to claim 14, WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 10. WO2022/010185A1 further discloses (see paragraphs [0118]-[0120]) an automobile comprising an auto body in which one or more openings are formed, and the optical device is mounted in the one or more openings.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park et al. (US 2020/0285107) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Gauthier et al. (US 2016/0033841).
WO2022/010185A1 in view of Park discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1, but does not disclose wherein a region where only any one of the upper substrate and the lower substrate is present is located on a side surface of the non-liquid crystal region, and a conductive tape extending in a first direction is formed on one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate. Gauthier discloses in figures 1-4, a device wherein a region where only any one of the upper substrate 54 and the lower substrate 56 is present is located on a side surface of the non-liquid crystal region 64, and a conductive tape 58a/58b (paragraph [0157], busbars 58a and 58b may be conductive tape) extending in a first direction is formed on one of the upper substrate 54 or the lower substrate 56. It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify WO2022/010185A1 wherein a region where only any one of the upper substrate and the lower substrate is present is located on a side surface of the non-liquid crystal region, and a conductive tape extending in a first direction is formed on one of the upper substrate or the lower substrate as disclosed by Gauthier in order to provide electrical contacts to the liquid crystal cell.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David Chung whose telephone number is (571)272-2288. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Caley can be reached at (571)272-2286. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DAVID Y CHUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
Prosecution Insights