DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Application filed 20 September 2024. Claims 1-8 are pending in this application.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Song et. al (US 2020/0243618 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Song discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) A display device ([0041] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically illustrating a display device) comprising:
a flexible base; ([0051] The substrate 110 may include various flexible or bendable materials.)
a first insulating layer ([0083] dummy insulating patterns 190) provided on the base (110); (See Fig. 4, showing the dummy insulating pattern 190 on the substrate 110)
a wiring line ([0083] a metallic wiring 180) provided on the first insulating layer (190); ([0083] The metallic wiring 180 may be positioned on dummy insulating patterns 190)
and a second insulating layer ([0066] A second organic insulating layer 150) which covers the wiring line (180) and the first insulating layer (190), (See Fig. 4, showing the second organic layer 150 over the metallic wiring 180 and the dummy insulating pattern 190)
wherein the display device includes a display area and an end portion region ([0042] a peripheral area PA outside the display area DA) including a bend area, ([0050] For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the peripheral area PA may include a bending area BA disposed between the pad area PADA and the display area DA,)
the second insulating layer (150) includes a first region (See An. Fig. 4, First Region FR) having a first thickness and a second region (See An. Fig. 4, Second Region SR) having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, (See An. Fig. 4 below)
the second region (SR) overlaps the bend area (BA), (See An. Fig. 4 below)
and a neutral plane of a stacked structure of the base (110), the first insulating layer (190), the wiring line (180), and the second insulating layer (150) are formed in the wiring line. ([0087] Thus, the stress neutral plane may be positioned near the metallic wiring 180 in the bending area BA by using the bending protection layer 600 so that stress applied to the metallic wiring 180 in the bending area BA may be minimized.)
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Regarding Claim 2, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the second insulating layer (150) is formed of an elastically deformable material. ([0066] The second organic insulating layer 150 may be formed of one or more organic insulating materials such as polyimide, polyimide, acryl resin)
Regarding Claim 3, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the elastically deformable material is a resin insulating material of polyimide or acrylic. . ([0066] The second organic insulating layer 150 may be formed of one or more organic insulating materials such as polyimide, polyimide, acryl resin)
Regarding Claim 4, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the base (110) is a resin film member of acrylic, polyimide, polyethylene terephthalate, or polyethylene naphthalate. ([0051] The substrate 110 may include various flexible or bendable materials. For example, the substrate 110 may include polymer resin, such as polyethersulphone (PES), polyacrylate (PAR), polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene napthalate (PEN), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyarylate (PAR), polyimide (PI), polycarbonate (PC) or cellulose acetate propionate (CAP).)
Regarding Claim 5, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the first insulating layer (190) is formed of an elastically deformable material. ([0086] The dummy insulating patterns 190 may include acryl, metacrylic, polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene naphthalate, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyethylene sulphonate, polyoxymethylene, polyacrylate, and/or hexamethyldisiloxane.)
Regarding Claim 6, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the elastically deformable material is a resin insulating material of polyimide or acrylic. ([0086] The dummy insulating patterns 190 may include acryl, metacrylic, … polyimide, …)
Regarding Claim 7, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) wherein the wiring line (180) is formed from a single layer of titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), tantalum (Ta), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), copper (Cu), or silver (Ag), or a stacked layer of any combination thereof. ([0006] the plurality of metallic wirings include a same material as the source electrode and the drain electrode.) ([0060] The source electrode 215a and the drain electrode 215b may have a single layer or multi-layer structure including Al, Pt, Pd, Ag, Mg, Au, Ni, Nd, Ir, Cr, Li, Ca, Mo, Ti, W, and/or Cu)
Regarding Claim 8, Song further discloses (as shown in Fig. 4) further comprising: a plurality of pixels disposed in the display area, ([0043] A plurality of (sub-)pixels P are positioned in the display area DA)
wherein each of the plurality of pixels includes an organic EL layer. ([0062] The light-emitting device 310 including a pixel electrode 311, a common electrode 315, and an intermediate layer 313 disposed between the pixel electrode 311 and the common electrode 315. The intermediate layer 313 may include an emission layer. For example, the light-emitting device 310 may be an OLED.) ([0068] When the intermediate layer 313 includes a polymer material, the intermediate layer 313 may have a structure including an HTL and an EML. In this case, the HTL may include PEDOT, and the emission layer may include a polymer material such as a Poly-Phenylenevinylene (PPV)-based polymer material and a polyfluorene-based polymer material)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Other relevant prior art includes Han et. al (US 2017/0263887 A1).
Han discloses (as shown in Fig. 2) A display device ([0052] FIGS. 2 to 4 are schematic cross-sectional views of processes of manufacturing the display apparatus) comprising:
a flexible base; ([0051] The substrate 100 may include various materials having flexible or bendable characteristics)
a first insulating layer ([0082] organic material layer 160) ([0106] If at least one of the buffer layer 110, the gate insulating layer 120, and the interlayer insulating layer 130 includes an organic insulating material, the organic material layer 160 may be formed during a same process as (e.g., simultaneously with) the layer including the organic insulating material, and moreover, the layer including the organic insulating material and the organic material layer 160 may be integrally formed with each other) provided on the base (100); (See Fig. 2, showing the organic material layer 160 on the substrate 100)
a wiring line ([0079] first conductive layer 215c) provided on the first insulating layer; ([0088] In addition, the display unit includes the first conductive layer 215c that extends from the first area 1A toward the second area 2A through the bent area BA, and that is over the organic material layer 160)
and a second insulating layer ([0059] A planarization layer 140) which covers the wiring line (215c) and the first insulating layer (160), (See Fig. 2, showing the planarization layer 140 on the first conductive layer 215c and the organic material layer 160)
wherein the display device includes a display area and an end portion region ([0052] As shown in FIG. 2, the first area 1A of the substrate 100 includes a display area DA. The first area 1A may further include a part of a non-display area at an outer portion of the display area DA, in addition to a part at the display area DA, as shown in FIG. 2)
including a bend area, ([0051] The bent area BA is located between a first area 1A and a second area 2A in a second direction (+x direction) crossing the first direction)
the second insulating layer (140) includes a first region (See An. Fig. 2, First Region FR) having a first thickness and a second region (See An. Fig. 2, Second Region SR) having a second thickness greater than the first thickness, (See An. Fig. 2 below, showing the thickness of the planarization layer 140 is thicker in the bent area BA)
the second region (SR) overlaps the bend area (BA), (See An. Fig. 2)
and a neutral plane of a stacked structure of the base (100), the first insulating layer (160), the wiring line (215c), and the second insulating layer (140) are formed in the wiring line (215c). ([0079] Therefore, the stress neutral plane may be adjusted to be around the first conductive layer 215c via the BPL 600, and thus, the tensile stress applied to the first conductive layer 215c may be reduced.)
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON JAMES GREAVING whose telephone number is (703)756-5653. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am - 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, Britt Hanley can be reached at (571)270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON JAMES GREAVING/ Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/Britt Hanley/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
