DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16th, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Interpretation
Regarding claim 1, the (first/second) acrylic resins of the (first/second) adhesive compositions will be interpreted as being in monomeric form and/or copolymerized form when experiencing the cross-linking reaction of claim 1 as claims 1 and (to a lesser extent claims 3-4) are not clear regarding the particular state of the (first/second) acrylic resins.
The specification seems to disclose that the copolymerization has at least been partially set forth before being further combined with the compound and the crosslinking agent, but that is not clearly set forth within the claims, and until clarified any interpretation as recited above/below are valid.
Further regarding claim 1, the compound will be interpreted as comprising a structure represented by Formula (I) as being existing in monomeric form and/or as part of a larger chain (i.e. oligomer, polymer), wherein that chain may be part of how the (first/second) acrylic resin, is being interpreted as recited above.
The specification seems to disclose that the structure is combined during the cross-linking reaction in its monomeric state, but this is not clearly set forth within the claim, and until clarified any interpretation as recited above/below are valid.
Even further regarding claim 1, the structures set forth by Formula 1 have been interpreted as a substituted (meth)acryloyl group wherein in in sequence each structure appearing to be as follows: Formula (1)(a) - isobornyl (meth)acrylate; Formula (1)(b) - morpholino(alkyl) (meth)acrylate, Formula (1)(c/d) – 2/3-(alkyl)-2/3-tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate {which will be considered met by any disclosure of tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate}, and Formula (1)(e) (5-alkyl-1,3-dioxan-5-yl)methyl acrylate {which will be considered met by cyclic trimethylolpropane formal (meth)acrylate}.
Lastly regarding claim 1, the glass transition temperatures of the (first/second) adhesive layers will be interpreted as belonging to the adhesive layer as a whole or a part thereof, such as the acrylic resin. The specification seems to disclose that the glass transition temperature is drawn from the corresponding (first/second) acrylic resins thereof, but this is not clearly set forth within the claim, and until clarified any interpretation as recited above/below are valid.
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 3-10 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.
Regarding claims 3-4, the phrases “wherein the first resin composition comprises a (A1) monomer, wherein the monomer comprises a first monomer, a second monomer, and a third monomer” and “wherein the second resin composition comprises a (B1) monomer, wherein the monomer comprises a first monomer, a second monomer, and a third monomer” are confusing as to how a monomer can further comprise multiple monomers. Is this intended to claim a block segment? Or just a monomeric component?
Claims 5-10 are rejected for being dependent on an indefinite claim and not correcting the issue.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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, 7-11, & 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Yoon et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0130656 A1) (hereinafter “Yoon”).
Regarding claims 1-2 and 11, Yoon teaches a multilayer adhesive film for bonding optical display components such as polarizing plates [0003, 0058] that is beneficial for not whitening under high-temperature and high humidity conditions [0025, 0046] comprising an outer (first) adhesive layer, intermediate (second) adhesive layer, and another (first/third) outer adhesive layer, wherein the outer adhesive layers may comprise a cured product of the same or different composition [0031], the first and second adhesive layers are (also) different from the intermediate adhesive layer [0016], wherein first and second adhesive layer(s) comprise a first (acrylic adhesive) resin comprising a glass transition temperature (Tg1) of -50 to -30 °C [0018] and the intermediate adhesive layer comprises a second (acrylic adhesive) resin comprising a glass transition temperature (Tg2) of -40 to -20 °C [0033], wherein the different in glass transition temperature may be 20 to 27 °C [0040-0042], wherein the outer adhesive layers comprise a cured/cross-linked product of the first/second resin and an acrylate-based resin/compound that functions as a plasticizer comprising isobornyl (meth)acrylate at 70 to 90 parts per 100 parts weight of the compound, the compound being included in an amount of about 5 to 15 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the first (acrylic adhesive) resin (about 5:95 to 13:87) [0027-0030], wherein second (acrylic adhesive) resin a glass transition temperature is prima facie obvious overlapping with the claimed range.
Regarding claims 3-5, 7-10, and 13-15, the first (acrylic adhesive) resin having relatively increased step absorbency [0019, 0022, 0027, 0029, 0040] comprises an alkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate (second, Tg ≤ -20 °C) monomer at about 50 to 80 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0028], wherein an example comprises 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (Tg ≈ -70 °C) [0061], a heterocycloalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate-based (third, Tg ≥ 0 °C) monomer at 5 to 10 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0024-0026], such as acryloyl morpholine, cyclic trimethylolpropane formal acrylate, and an example comprising tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate [0024, 0061], and a polar functional group comprising a hydroxy group-containing (meth)acrylate-based (first) monomer at 10 to 15 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0046, 0048], and an (di)acrylamide-based monomer (third, Tg ≥ 0 °C) at 3 to 6 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0047-0048], the second(acrylic adhesive) resin having relatively increased tensile strength/handleability [0041] comprises an alkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate (second, Tg ≤ -20 °C) monomer at about 30 to 60 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0035, 0037], wherein an example comprises 2-ethylhexyl acrylate (Tg ≈ -70 °C) [0061], a cycloalkyl group-containing (meth)acrylate-based (third, Tg ≥ 0 °C) monomer at 10 to 30 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0024-0026], such as cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate or exemplarily isobornyl (meth)acrylate [0038-0039], and a polar functional group comprising a hydroxy group-containing (meth)acrylate-based (first) monomer at 15 to 20 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0046, 0049], and an (di)acrylamide-based monomer (third, Tg ≥ 0 °C) at 6 to 15 parts per 100 parts the first resin [0047, 0049], wherein the total weight of third monomer(s) of the second resin minus the total weight of the third monomer(s) of the first resin is in a calculated range of 0 to 37 parts per 100 parts of first/second resin, wherein Example 1 comprising first composition A and second composition B have a difference in third monomers of 15 parts per 100 parts of first/second resin [Tables 1-3], wherein both resins additionally comprise a curing (cross-linking) agent and (photo)-initiator [0050] and a photo-initiator at 0.5 parts or 0.2 parts and a curing agent at 0.11 or 1.1/0.2 parts [Tables 1 & 2].
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Lee (U.S. Pub. 2022/0049136 A1) (hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claim 12, a particular curing agent is not taught.
Lee teaches an acrylic adhesive film for polarizing plates in an optical display, intended to prevent whitening under high temperature and humidity [0002-0012, 0027], wherein when using a hydroxyl group-containing (functional) methacrylic monomer as part of the acrylic adhesive resin an isocyanate curing agent is preferred due to improvements in substrate adhesion and peel strength at similar amounts to the value demonstrated [0051, 0069, 0073].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention would have used a curing/cross-linking agent as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve substrate adhesion and peel strength [Lee].
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Uchida et al. (JP 2016-040378 A) (hereinafter “Uchida”) OR Du et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0189181 A1) (hereinafter “Du”) and Niimi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0367600 A1) (hereinafter “Niimi”).
Regarding claims 17-18, the intermediate layer is not taught as a second outer adhesive layer.
Uchida teaches a transparent double-sided adhesive sheet for bonding components in a display device, wherein adhesive layer (A) comprises a greater step following ability and adhesive layer (B) comprising a higher modulus for increased cuttability and storage stability [0019, 0022], can comprise a two-layer configuration consisting of adhesive layer (A) and adhesive layer (B) or a three-layer configuration comprising adhesive layer (A)/adhesive layer (B)/adhesive layer (A) or adhesive layer (A)/adhesive layer (B)/adhesive layer (C) [0017-0018].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide the relatively stronger intermediate adhesive layer as an outer adhesive layer in an equivalent 2 layer embodiment. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide a thinner, known equivalent embodiment.
OR
Du teaches an optical adhesive film comprising a two layer structure comprising a first adhesive layer having a lower modulus and glass transition temperature than a second adhesive layer [Fig. 12], which allows for stress release under forces [0099-0101], wherein the second layer may further serve as an intermediate layer between two first outermost adhesive layers (Fig. [13]) or between a first adhesive layer and a third adhesive layer [Fig. 14], wherein the third adhesive layer comprises an elastic modulus and glass transition temperature between that of the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer [0107].
Niimi teaches a double sided optical adhesive film for display components comprising differing adhesive acrylic compositions comprising corresponding acrylate copolymers, the acrylate copolymers each comprising one or more low Tg (meth)acrylate monomers between -100 °C to 0 °C and one or more high Tg (meth)acrylate monomers between 0 °C to 250 °C, wherein the different glass transition temperatures of corresponding different acrylic adhesive layers can be adjusted via raising the amount of a lower Tg monomer allowing for fluidity for conforming to uneven surfaces or raising the amount of high Tg monomer [0043, 0076, 0096-0097, 0109-0111].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention would provide different cured compositions for the first and second adhesive outer layers via raising and lowering of the low Tg and high Tg components and/or changing their type and have optimized the partial difference between the other the first outer layer and second intermediate layer. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide a known difference for two different adhesive layers, which would have provided differing modulus and/or unevenness coverage and/or bond strength as needed.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (KR 2016-0025050 A) (hereinafter “Byun”) in view of Fukutomi et al. (WO 2024/070715 A1) (hereinafter “Fukutomi”).
Regarding claims 1-18, Byun teaches a double-sided multilayered adhesive for conforming to curved/uneven substrates without bubble generation [0023] comprising optical components in displays such as polarizing plates, touch screens, LCD/LED panels, and other functional layers [0001-0002] even in high temperature and high humidity conditions [0132], the double-sided multilayered adhesive film comprising an uppermost (first) adhesive layer and a lowermost (second) adhesive layer, and optionally an intermediate adhesive layer disposed therebetween [0006, 0073-0074], each comprising a (first/second) (meth)acrylic acid ester-based binder resin, such as an alkyl (meth)acrylate among other functional groups [0033-0034], wherein the monomers are polymerized before being further combined and cured/crosslinked with a first curable compound, a second curable compound, and a crosslinking factor [0062], wherein the hydrophilic/polar first curable compound a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound, an oxygen-containing heterocyclic compound, a sulfur-containing compound, an acrylamide based compound, and/or a morpholine-based compound, preferably acrylamide, acryloyl morpholine, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, N-vinylpyrrolidone [0035-0036, 0039, 0086, 0088] and wherein the second curable compound comprising a higher Tg, preferably isobornyl acrylate [0037, 0040-0041, 0086, 0088], each compound being a monomer [0038], wherein each of the examples are in monomeric form [0086, 0088], wherein the polyacrylate resin to be copolymerized with the first and second curable monomers and crosslinking agent and photoinitiator used in each of the layers in the examples comprises hydroxyethyl acrylate (first monomer) (Tg ≈ -15 °C), ethylhexyl acrylate (second monomer) (Tg ≈ -70°C), and isobornyl acrylate (third monomer) (Tg ≈ 94°C) in a weight ratio of 2:7:1 [0098, 0104] which gives an estimated/calculated glass transition temperature of about -50 °C, wherein more generally the first and second compound are each included in about 1 to 50 parts by weight by 100 parts by weight of the binder resin (about 2:98 to 50:50 combined), preferably 5 to 20 parts (about 9:91 to 29:71) [0046-0048] and in examples comprising 15 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin (about 13:87) [0086, 0088], the photoinitiator included about 0.001 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts by weight (0.1:99.9 ~ 5:95) [0049] and in an example being 0.1 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin [0086, 0088], and the crosslinker included in an amount of 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts of acrylic resin, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts (1:1000 ~ 5:95) [0062] and in an example being 0.5 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin [0086, 0088], wherein the crosslinker is one or more selected from polyfunctional acrylate-based compounds, polyfunctional epoxy compounds, and combinations thereof [0061].
However, further regarding claims 1, 5-7, 10, and 12, the acrylic resins in each the uppermost and lowermost adhesive layers is not taught to comprise differing glass transition temperatures as claimed or comprise differing monomeric compositions and/or ratios thereof.
Fukutomi teaches an double-sided two-layer adhesive film for optical components of a display device, wherein the first adhesive layer comprises a first acrylic adhesive copolymer with a glass transition temperature of -50 to -30 °C and the second adhesive layer comprises a second acrylic adhesive copolymer with a glass transition temperature of -30 to 10 °C [0112] which allows for the corresponding moduli of the respective layers to be set forth [0112], the first adhesive layer modulus being lower than the second adhesive layer modulus such that it can be crushed and conform more easily to unevenness [0030-0032, 0151], wherein the Tg can be adjusted by appropriately changing the monomer composition (i.e. the type and ratio of monomers used in the synthesis of the polymer) [0117], wherein the monomers comprise an alkyl (meth)acrylate (second) monomer, preferably butyl (meth)acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl (meth)acrylate, octadecyl (meth)acrylate, and dodecyl (meth)acrylate, at greater than 50 wt% [0054, 0108], an alicyclic alkyl meth)acrylate (third) monomer, preferably cyclohexyl (meth)acrylate or isobornyl (meth)acrylate, at about 3 to 50 wt% [0055, 0109], and a polar monomer, preferably a hydroxy group-containing (meth)acrylate monomer at about 0.1 wt% or more and preferably 20 wt% or less, providing functionality with an isocyanate-based crosslinking agent [0057, 0110], wherein while epoxy-based crosslinking agents are available along with isocyanate-based crosslinking agents [0132], they are more preferable when the functional/polar monomer is a carboxyl group-containing monomer [0091], wherein in order to achieve the modulus/glass transition temperature the alicyclic monomers (and any other monomers) preferably comprise 10 wt% by mass or less of the first acrylic resin [0120], wherein as applied to the HEA/EHA/IBOA system of Byun, for the given ratio of 20:70:10 an estimated/calculated Tg is about -50.0, wherein raising the IBOA ratio, while maintaining a total of 100 parts, by multiples of 10 corresponds to a Tg of about 10 ± 4 °C degrees higher based on the exact change in the other two monomers (i.e. 20:60:20 or 10:70:20 corresponds to -39 °C to -44 °C & 10:60:30 or 20:50:30 corresponds to -32 °C to -26 °C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a difference in glass transition temperature between a first and second adhesive layers within or obviously near the claimed ranges/relationship, which would have been imparted by changing the ratio of the high Tg component (third monomer) relative with the other low Tg component(s) with the first acrylic resin having a lower quantity of high Tg monomer, wherein an isocyanate crosslinker would be used as the crosslinking agent, and isobornyl (meth)acrylate is equivalent to cyclohexyl (meth) acrylate as the third monomer. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide the desired relationship of a layer comprising increased uneven surface conformity/coverage, imparted via a known method, using a beneficial crosslinker for hydroxy groups, using known, equivalent monomers from a small number of limited choices.
Claims 1-5, 7-9, 11, & 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun et al. (KR 2016-0025050 A) (hereinafter “Byun”) in view of Chen (CN 109679512 A) (hereinafter “Chen”), Blohowiak et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0331253 A1) (hereinafter “Blohowiak”), and Niimi et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0367600 A1) (hereinafter “Niimi”).
Regarding claims 1-5, 7-9, 11, and 13-18, Byun teaches a double-sided multilayered adhesive for conforming to curved/uneven substrates without bubble generation [0023] comprising optical components in displays such as polarizing plates, touch screens, LCD/LED panels, and other functional layers [0001-0002] comprising an uppermost (first) adhesive layer and a lowermost (second) adhesive layer, and optionally an intermediate adhesive layer disposed therebetween [0006, 0073-0074], each comprising a (first/second) (meth)acrylic acid ester-based binder resin, such as an alkyl (meth)acrylate among other functional groups [0033-0034], wherein the monomers are polymerized before being further combined and cured/crosslinked with a first curable compound, a second curable compound, and a crosslinking factor [0062], wherein the hydrophilic/polar first curable compound a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound, an oxygen-containing heterocyclic compound, a sulfur-containing compound, an acrylamide based compound, and/or a morpholine-based compound, preferably acrylamide, acryloyl morpholine, tetrahydrofurfuryl (meth)acrylate, N-vinylpyrrolidone [0035-0036, 0039, 0086, 0088] and wherein the second curable compound comprising a higher Tg, preferably isobornyl acrylate [0037, 0040-0041, 0086, 0088], each compound being a monomer [0038], wherein each of the examples are in monomeric form [0086, 0088], wherein the polyacrylate resin to be copolymerized with the first and second curable monomers and crosslinking agent and photoinitiator used in each of the layers in the examples comprises hydroxyethyl acrylate (first monomer) (Tg ≈ -15 °C), ethylhexyl acrylate (second monomer) (Tg ≈ -70°C), and isobornyl acrylate (third monomer) (Tg ≈ 94°C) in a weight ratio of 2:7:1 [0098, 0104] which gives an estimated/calculated glass transition temperature of about -50 °C, wherein more generally the first and second compound are each included in about 1 to 50 parts by weight by 100 parts by weight of the binder resin (about 2:98 to 50:50 combined), preferably 5 to 20 parts (about 9:91 to 29:71) [0046-0048] and in examples comprising 15 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin (about 13:87) [0086, 0088], the photoinitiator included about 0.001 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts by weight (0.1:99.9 ~ 5:95) [0049] and in an example being 0.1 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin [0086, 0088], and the crosslinker included in an amount of 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts of acrylic resin, preferably 0.1 to 5 parts (1:1000 ~ 5:95) [0062] and in an example being 0.5 parts per 100 parts acrylic resin [0086, 0088], wherein the crosslinker is one or more selected from polyfunctional acrylate-based compounds, polyfunctional epoxy compounds, and combinations thereof [0061].
However, further regarding claims 1, 5, and 7, the acrylic resins in each the uppermost and lowermost adhesive layers is not taught to comprise differing glass transition temperatures as claimed or comprise differing monomeric compositions and/or ratios thereof.
Chen teaches a double-sided adhesive applied to a curved display device and a dissembling method thereof, wherein a first optically clear adhesive layer (All Figs. [102]) is bonded to the curved cover plate and a second optically clear adhesive layer (All Figs. [104]) is bonded to the display device, wherein since the device is dissembled at a frozen temperature, such as due to a defect, a freezing temperature is set to the hardening temperature of the second optical layer while allowing the first adhesive layer to remain sticky/tacky at that temperature, which allows the display panel to be separated from the cover plate while remaining free of adhesive residue [0034-0038], and while the hardening temperature is related to the curing temperature, Blohowiak further teaches that cryogenic-assisted/freezing adhesive removal involves cooling the adhesive to such a degree that it exhibits a physical change, for example cooled to below a glass transition temperature such as a glass transition temperature the adhesive allowing for easy removal without marking [0021, 0032-0033].
Niimi teaches a double sided optical adhesive film for display components comprising differing adhesive acrylic compositions comprising corresponding acrylate copolymers, the acrylate copolymers each comprising one or more low Tg (meth)acrylate monomers between -100 °C to 0 °C and one or more high Tg (meth)acrylate monomers between 0 °C to 250 °C, wherein the different glass transition temperatures of corresponding different acrylic adhesive layers can be adjusted via raising the amount of a lower Tg monomer allowing for fluidity for conforming to uneven surfaces or raising the amount of high Tg monomer [0043, 0076, 0096-0097, 0109-0111], wherein as applied to the HEA/EHA/IBOA system of Byun, for the given ratio of 20:70:10 an estimated/calculated Tg is about -50.0, wherein raising the IBOA ratio, while maintaining a total of 100 parts, by multiples of 10 corresponds to a Tg of about 10 ± 4 °C degrees higher based on the exact change in the other two monomers (i.e. 20:60:20 or 10:70:20 corresponds to -39 °C to -44 °C & 10:60:30 or 20:50:30 corresponds to -32 °C to -26 °C)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a difference in glass transition temperature between a first and second adhesive layers such that the lowermost (second) adhesive layer has a higher freezing temperature Tg (i.e. the first Tg is about -50 and such the second Tg would be optimizable within the range of below 0 °C to a number above the first Tg such that its adhesive properties would be retained), which would have been imparted by changing the ratio of the high Tg component (third monomer) relative with the other low Tg component(s) with the first acrylic resin having a lower quantity of high Tg monomer (i.e. >0 wt% to about 30 wt% being equivalent to a difference of greater than 0° to about 25°C). One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to provide a two-layer double-sided adhesive comprising quick freeze disassembly ability [Chen], wherein the differences in transition temperature between the layers enable the disassembly process [Blohowiak].
Claim 6-7, 10, & 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Byun in view of Chen, Blohowiak, and Niimi, as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Kudo et al. (JP 2013-256552 A) (hereinafter “Kudo”), and optionally Lee (U.S. Pub. 2022/0049136 A1) (hereinafter “Lee”).
Regarding claims 6-7 and 10, explicit ranges for exemplary/preferred monomers of the acrylic copolymer are not given by Byun [0034], and wherein the third monomer is only taught to be isobornyl acrylate, but other substituents such as heterocycloalkyl groups are taught but not limited thereto [0034], but a third monomer as claimed is not taught.
Kudo teaches laminating protective cover layers to display panels via an adhesive that may be double sided [0059], wherein the adhesive layer closer to the cover is required to conform to an uneven surface, which can cause bubbles to get trapped and preventing whitening under high temperature, high humidity conditions, while also not negatively impacting worker health [0002-0004, 0027-0029], wherein the acrylic resin is prepolymerized and then further reacted with additional monomers and a crosslinking agent [0051-0052, 0054-0055, 0097-0100, 0108-0109], wherein the adhesive has a preferably glass transition temperature in the range of -70°C to -30°C, such that excellent adhesive strength at room temperature is possible [0060], wherein the monomers comprise an alkyl (meth)acrylate, preferably 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, or octyl acrylate from the viewpoint of re-peelability in an amount of 40-92 wt% [0015, 0033-0034], a hydroxyl group-containing monomer providing crosslinking sites, preferably 2-hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate or 4-hydroxybutyl (meth)acrylate in an amount of 5 to 20 wt% to provide sufficient cohesive strength and foam resistance without excessive rigidity/crosslinking/bubble-trapping [0035-0037], and a high Tg N-substituted acrylamide that can suppress whitening of polymers, does not produce odors or cause skin irritation, wherein a (hetero)cyclic structure is preferred, such as acryloyl morpholine, in an amount of 3 to 25 wt% [0016, 0038-0040], wherein carboxyl monomers or alkoxyalkyl (meth)acrylates are preferably not included [0044-0046].
Lee teaches a similar acrylic adhesive, wherein in addition to the alkyl (meth)acrylate of a low Tg [0048-0050], a crosslinking functional hydroxyl group containing (meth)acrylate comprising a low Tg [0051-0055], and a relatively high Tg component (Tg ≥ 0°C), preferably comprises at least one of methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, t-butyl (meth)acrylate, isobornyl (meth)acrylate, and acryloyl morpholine [0057-0059], wherein the (meth)acrylic copolymer has a glass transition temperature of -50°C or more, such as -45 to -20°C [0061].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide monomers with a prima facie weight range to obtain first and second acrylic resins/adhesive layers as comprising a Tg within the claimed range, wherein the third monomer would have been at least one of the claimed monomers. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide adhesives with good conformability to uneven surfaces, preventing whitening/haze even under moisture penetration, wherein acryloyl morpholine in particular provides odorless and non-irritating monomeric component [Kudo], wherein acryloyl morpholine would be replacing or partially substituting isobornyl acrylate, or partially substituted by a different polymer also having a high Tg [Lee].
Regarding claim 12, only polyfunctional acrylates and epoxies are taught as crosslinking agents [0061].
Kudo teaches that while polyfunctional methyacrylates can be used as crosslinking monomers, isocyanate crosslinking agents in particular provide increased cohesive strength, excellent foam resistance, and moisture heat stability, which can be used in conjunction with or in replacement of a polyfunctional acrylate monomer [0046-0049, 0051-0052], wherein Lee further teaches/corroborates using a isocyanate crosslinker with the hydroxyl-group containing methacrylate monomer [0051, 0069, 0073], which is improved over an epoxy crosslinking agent [0127], which has a worse processability and worse high temperature and high humidity resistance, even at similar adhesive strength and gel fraction [Table 3].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to provide a crosslinker as claimed. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to provide a crosslinking agent that imparts increased cohesive strength and reacts well with hydroxyl-based functional groups in the acrylic copolymer.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to JEFFREY A VONCH whose telephone number is (571)270-1134. The Examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:00.
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Frank J Vineis can be reached at (571)270-1547. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFREY A VONCH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1781 September 19th, 2026
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