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 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smeeton et al (US Patent No. 11048295 B1 and Smeeton hereinafter) in view of Cao et al (US Pub No. 2021/0153363 A1 and Cao hereinafter)
Regarding claim 1, Smeeton discloses (figs. 1A-1F) a flexible glass (102) comprising: a flexible area including a first side edge (S1) and a second side edge (S2), and a lattice pattern area (110) provided between the first side edge and the second side edge, the flexible area configured to be movable between a planar shape and a curved shape
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(folded and unfolded) with respect to at least one folding axis extending along a first direction (1E-F); and a planar area (104) provided on at least one side of the flexible area, wherein the lattice pattern area including a plurality of first holes filled with a material (114) for compensating a refractive index deviation of transmitted light in the flexible area.
Smeeton does not explicitly disclose wherein a first width of the lattice pattern area corresponding to at least one of the first side edge or the second side edge of the flexible area intersecting the at least one folding axis is greater than a second width of the lattice pattern area at a center between the first side edge and the second side edge of the flexible area.
Cao teaches (see annotated fig below) wherein a first width (W1) of the lattice pattern area (11) corresponding to at least one of the first side edge or the second side edge of the flexible area intersecting the at least one folding axis is greater than a second width (W2) of the lattice pattern area at a center between the first side edge and the second side edge of the flexible area.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a first width greater than a second width of Cao to device of Smeeton in order to disperse stresses on both sides thereof more evenly, thereby avoiding damage to the supporting structure ([0051] and Cao)
Regarding claim 2, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses (see annotated fig above) wherein the first width of the lattice pattern area is at least 1.2 times the second width of the lattice pattern area.
Regarding claim 3, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses (see annotated fig above) wherein an edge of the lattice pattern area comprises at least one of a straight section or a curved section.
Regarding claim 4, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses (see annotated fig above) wherein a width of the plurality of first holes along a second direction intersecting the first direction increases based on a distance to the at least one of the first side edge or the second side edge.
Regarding claim 5, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Cao further teaches (fig.8) wherein a spacing between two adjacent first holes among the plurality of first holes decreases based on a distance to the at least one of the first side edge or the second side edge. date of the claimed invention to combine a decreasing spacing between two adjacent first holes of Cao to device of Smeeton in order to disperse stresses on both sides thereof more evenly, thereby avoiding damage to the supporting structure ([0051] and Cao)
Regarding claim 6, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses wherein the compensating material is further provided on at least one surface of the flexible glass (fig.1B).
Regarding claim 7, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses a glass layer (112) provided from the flexible area to the planar area; and a coating layer (114) provided on at least one surface of the glass layer (fig.1B).
Regarding claim 8, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 7. Smeeton discloses wherein the plurality of first holes are provided in the coating layer (fig.1B).
Regarding claim 9, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 7. Smeeton discloses wherein the plurality of first holes (H1) are provided in the coating layer, and wherein the glass layer comprises a plurality of second holes (H2) corresponding to the plurality of first holes.
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Regarding claim 10, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 9. Smeeton discloses further comprising a compensating material provided in at least some of the plurality of second holes, wherein the compensating material is configured to compensate for a refractive index deviation of transmitted light in the flexible area (col 6, lines 35-55).
Regarding claim 11, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses wherein the planar area is provided on both sides of the flexible area, respectively, and wherein as the flexible area is moved, the planar areas are configured to: be disposed side by side, each on one side of the other, with the flexible area disposed therebetween, or be disposed to at least partially face each other (fig.1A).
Regarding claim 12, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible glass of claim 1. Smeeton discloses wherein the flexible area is provided side by side on one side of the planar area and configured to be moved to a position in which the flexible area at least partially faces the planar area at a specified spacing (fig.1F).
Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Smeeton et al in view of Cao et al and further in view of Koo et al (US Patent No. 12108620 B2 and Koo hereinafter)
Regarding claim 13, Smeeton/Cao discloses the flexible display comprises the flexible glass of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose an electronic device comprising: a first housing; a second housing coupled to the first housing and configured to move with respect to the first housing; and a flexible display comprising a first display area provided on the first housing, and a folding area extending from the first display area and configured to be movable into a planar shape and a curved shape according to movement of the second housing, and wherein the flexible area of the flexible glass is provided in the folding area. However, Koo teaches (figs. 1A-1D) an electronic device comprising: a first housing (144); a second housing (144) coupled to the first housing and configured to move with respect to the first housing; and a flexible display (118) comprising a first display area provided on the first housing, and a folding area (180) extending from the first display area and configured to be movable into a planar shape and a curved shape according to movement of the second housing, and wherein the flexible area of the flexible glass is provided in the folding area. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine housing of an electronic device of Koo to device of Smeeton/Cao in order to provide the internal supporting structures (e.g., a frame, an optional midplate member, etc.) for device (col 4, lines 25-30 and Koo)
Regarding claim 14, Smeeton/Cao/Koo discloses the electronic device of claim 13. Koo further discloses (figs 1A-D) a hinge (112) providing the at least one folding axis, corresponding to the folding area, and pivotably connecting the first housing and the second housing to each other, wherein the second housing is configured to move with respect to the at least one folding axis between a folded state in which the second housing faces the first housing and a flat state in which the second housing moves from the folded state by a specified angle (fig.1B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a hinge of Koo to device of Smeeton/Cao in order to permit the first part and second part to rotate through a range of degrees relative to one another. (col 4, lines 25-30 and Koo)
Regarding claim 15, Smeeton/Cao/Koo discloses the electronic device of claim 14. Koo further discloses (figs 1A-D) wherein the flexible display further comprises a second display area extending from the folding area and provided on the second housing, and wherein in the folded state, the second display area is at least partially faces the first display area (fig.1B). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a second display area of Koo to device of Smeeton/Cao in order to a continuous display layer that is folded at the folding portion (col 4, lines 20-25 and Koo)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-1602. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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/ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841