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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 and 4-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ochi et al. (US 2019/0018275 A1).
Re claim 1, Ochi et al. discloses a device comprising a display panel including a flat portion (DA) and at least one curved portion (FA) extending from the flat portion in a bent manner; a front member (2) disposed on the display panel; and an adhesive layer (9) disposed between the display panel and the front member, wherein an end of the front member includes at least one tapered region (FIG. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 4, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the tapered region is located at an upper edge of the front member (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 5, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the tapered region is located at a lower edge of the front member (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 6, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the tapered region includes an inclined surface (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 7, Ochi et al. discloses the wherein the end of the front member includes a side connected to the tapered region (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 8, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the side of the front member is a non-tapered region (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 9, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the tapered region is disposed between an upper surface and the side of the front member or between a lower surface and the side of the front member (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 10, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein a width of the lower surface or the upper surface of the front member, located between the sides of the front member, is smaller than a width between the sides of the front member (Fig. 2, ref. 2).
Re claim 11, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein a length from an end of the lower surface of the front member to an end of the adhesive layer is shorter than a length from an edge of the side of the front member to an end of the adhesive layer (Fig. 2, ref. 2, 9).
Re claim 12, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the display panel includes a substrate protective layer (12), and an end of the substrate protective layer protrudes further toward then end of the front member than an end of the adhesive layer (9).
Re claim 13, Ochi et al. discloses the device wherein the display panel includes a substrate protective layer (12), and an end of the display panel (1) protrudes further toward the end of the front member (2) than an end of the adhesive layer (9), and a side of the end of the substrate protective layer is arranged to correspond to a side of the end of the display panel that protrudes further than the end of the adhesive layer (Fig. 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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(s) 2 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohi et al. in view of Fujihara (US 2019/0196265 A1).
Ohi et al. discloses the device wherein the display panel includes a polarizing plate, but does not disclose the device wherein the adhesive layer exposes an end region of the polarizing plate in a plan view, and a length from an end of the adhesive layer to an end of the front member is longer than a length from an end of the polarizing plate to an end of the front member.
Fujihara discloses a device wherein an adhesive layer (14) exposes an end region of the polarizing plate (12) in a plan view, and a length from an end of the adhesive layer to an end of the front member (10) is longer than a length from an end of the polarizing plate (12) to an end of the front member.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to employ the device wherein the display panel includes a polarizing plate, but does not disclose the device wherein the adhesive layer exposes an end region of the polarizing plate in a plan view, and a length from an end of the adhesive layer to an end of the front member is longer than a length from an end of the polarizing plate to an end of the front member since one would be motivated to create a clearance between the adhesive layer and a light blocking member to prevent a stress from being exerted on a corresponding section of the liquid crystal panel (paragraph 0023).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD H KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-2294. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 10 am-6:30 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.
/RICHARD H KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871