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 Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:a. The phrase "characterized in that" is generally not used in customary U.S. patent practice. Please consider revising this phrase throughout the claims.b. Claims 2-10 reads "The OCA”, “The melanin", “The thickness”, The double sided”, “The foam” and “The film body" should read "the OCA”, “the melanin", “the thickness”, the double sided”, “the foam” and “the film body", please consider revising and simplifying.
c. “OCA optically clear adhesive” should be “optically clear adhesive (OCA)” throughout the claims.
d. Claim 10, “the film body (10)” should read “ the film body”.
e. Claim 1, the recitation “through OCA optically clear adhesive layer. One side…” should read “through optically clear adhesive (OCA) layer, wherein one side…”; “a double-sided adhesive layer. This foam absorption material layer…” should read “a double-sided adhesive layer, wherein the foam absorption material layer…”; and “a double-sided adhesive layer. This foam absorption material layer…” should read “a double-sided adhesive layer, and the foam absorption material layer…”
f. Claims 2-10 the recitation “which is characterized in:” should read “wherein:”
g. Claim 1, recite “the electronic device's screen” should be “an electronic device's screen” for antecedent issue.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-5 and 9, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Navoa et al. (US PUB 2021/0187912; herein after “Navoa”) in view of FUJII YUKA et al. (KR-20210114854-A; herein after “FUJII”; Espacenet Machine Translation Attached).
Navoa and FUJII disclose transparent covers, overlays or protectors to overlay displays of portable electronic devices. Therefore, they are analogous art.
Regarding claim 1, Navoa teaches a screen protection film (a laminated screen protector 100, Fig. 1, para. [0019]), comprising a film body (a glass layer 110, para. [0020]), one side of the film body is connected to an anti-Newton ring layer (an anti-newton ring layer 135 (140), para. [0031]) through OCA optically clear adhesive layer (115) (para. 0023]), One side of the anti-Newton ring layer (140), which is far from the film body (110) (as shown at least in FIG. 2), is provided with at least one foam absorption material layer near the edge through a double-sided adhesive layer (i.e., a TPU layer 120 (e.g., foam layer) may be made of some plastic or polymer material or include a flexible elastomer (e.g., foam material) …, and double-sided adhesive layer 150 is preferably applied to the perimeter (e.g., edge) of the screen protector 100 lamination, para. [0033], as shown at least in FIGS. 1-3, page-2), and the foam absorption material layer (TPU 120) is used to connect with the non-display area at the edge (e.g., perimeter) of the electronic device's screen (i.e., a mobile electronic device 10 having a display 11 (e.g., screen), para. [0019] … a screen protector having a glass layer, an optically clear adhesive layer, TPU layer, an anti-explosion adhesive layer, and a perimeter (e.g., edge) adhesive layer applied to a display of a phone, para. [0015], FIG. 9).
Navoa teaches all limitations except for explicit teaching of the foam absorption material layer is used to connect with the non-display area at the edge of the electronic device's screen.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches the functions of the above functional layer include, for example, hard coating properties, anti-smudging properties, fingerprint resistance, slipperiness, antistatic properties, improved writing feel, anti-Newton ring properties, and high transparency (para. [0040]).
A frame material (8) on the periphery of the indicator (10A, 10B). This frame material (8) is preferably a dark or deep color such as black, multicolored, navy, purple, or blue, and is particularly preferably black (para. [0200], FIG. 4).
In the display (FIG. 4) bodies (10A, 10B), a scatter-proof adhesive sheet (1) having a colored adhesive layer (12) is attached to a protective panel (2), so that when the light is turned off, the appearance harmony with the frame material (8) is improved, and thus the design quality is enhanced (para. [0201]).
In the adhesive composition P, various additives commonly used in acrylic adhesives, such as silane coupling agents, ultraviolet absorbers, rust inhibitors, antistatic agents, tackifiers, antioxidants, light stabilizers, softeners, refractive index adjusters, etc., may be added as desired (para. [0111]).
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 the device of Navoa such that a frame material (foam material) on the periphery (edge) of the indicator (display) having adhesive composition such as ultraviolet absorbers (foam absorption material layer) as taught by FUJII so that it is easy to obtain an adhesive with excellent anti-scattering properties, and the visibility of the display is improved.
Regarding claim 2, Navoa in view of FUJII further teaches the thickness of the OCA optically clear adhesive layer is 3 μm to 50 μm (para. [0023]).
Regarding claim 3, Navoa fails to teach the OCA optically clear adhesive layer is a structural layer formed by coating OCA optically clear adhesive with added melanin.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches 0.5 parts by mass of carbon black-based black pigment (C2) as a coloring agent (C), and 50 parts by mass of methyl ethyl ketone as a diluent were mixed to obtain a coating solution of a silicone-based adhesive composition. Using the above coating solution, a scatter-proof adhesive sheet (having a colored adhesive layer made of silicone-based adhesive) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 (para. [0243]).
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 the device of Navoa such that the carbon black-based black pigment (melanin) as a coating solution of a silicone-based adhesive composition as taught by FUJII, for the purpose of obtain an adhesive with excellent anti-scattering properties.
Regarding claim 4, Navoa fails to teach the melanin is carbon black or graphene.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches 0.5 parts by mass of carbon black-based black pigment (C2) as a coloring agent (C), and 50 parts by mass of methyl ethyl ketone as a diluent were mixed to obtain a coating solution of a silicone-based adhesive composition. Using the above coating solution, a scatter-proof adhesive sheet (having a colored adhesive layer made of silicone-based adhesive) was prepared in the same manner as in Example 1 (para. [0243]).
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 the device of Navoa such that the carbon black-based black pigment as a coating solution of a silicone-based adhesive composition as taught by FUJII, for the purpose of obtain an adhesive with excellent anti-scattering properties.
Regarding claim 5, Navoa fails to teach the thickness of the anti-Newton ring layer is 3 μm to 5 μm.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches the anti-shatter adhesive sheet (1) is installed on the other side of the protective panel, it is preferable that it be a hard coat layer having anti-Newton ring properties, anti-glare properties, high transparency, anti-static properties, etc (para. [0041]).
The thickness of the hard coat layer is preferably 0.5 to 20 μm from the perspective of improving anti-shatter properties, particularly 1 to 10 μm, and also 1.5 to 5 μm (para. [0044]).
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 the device of Navoa such that the thickness of the hard coat layer (anti-Newton ring layer) is preferably 0.5 to 20 μm as taught by FUJII, for the purpose of obtaining excellent anti-scattering properties.
Regarding claim 9, Navoa fails to teach the foam absorption material layer is provided at one and only one edge of the anti-Newton ring layer through a double-sided adhesive layer, or at the symmetrical edges of the anti-Newton ring layer, or at each edge of the anti-Newton ring layer.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches a frame material (8) on the periphery of the indicator (10A, 10B). This frame material (8) is preferably a dark or deep color such as black, multicolored, navy, purple, or blue, and is particularly preferably black (para. [0200], FIG. 4).
In the adhesive composition P, various additives commonly used in acrylic adhesives, such as silane coupling agents, ultraviolet absorbers, rust inhibitors, antistatic agents, tackifiers, antioxidants, light stabilizers, softeners, refractive index adjusters, etc., may be added as desired (para. [0111]).
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 the device of Navoa such that a frame material (foam material) on the periphery (edge) of the indicator (display) having adhesive composition such as ultraviolet absorbers (foam absorption material layer) as taught by FUJII so that it is easy to obtain an adhesive with excellent anti-scattering properties, and the visibility of the display is improved.
Regarding claim 10, Navoa teaches the film body is one of a paper-like film, a matte film, an anti-radiation film, a privacy film, an anti-reflection film, or an anti-glare anti-reflection film (i.e., the glass layer 110 may include exterior coatings that improve oleophobicity, hydrophobicity, glare resistance, privacy films, etc., para. [0021]).
Navoa fails to teach the thickness of the film body is between 50 μm and 125 μm.
However, in a related field of endeavor FUJII teaches the thickness of the substrate (11) (including the functional layer in the case of having the functional layer) is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 20 μm or more, particularly preferably 40 μm or more, also preferably 80 μm or more, and most preferably 105 μm or more from the perspective of preventing scattering and suppressing impact marks (para. [0045]).
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 the device of Navoa such that the substrate (including the functional layer in the case of having the functional layer) (the film body) is preferably 80 μm or more, and most preferably 105 μm or more as taught by FUJII, for the purpose of preventing scattering and suppressing impact marks.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 6, the closest prior art of Navoa et al. (US PUB 2021/0187912) does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding “a silicone adhesive layer is connected to an anti-Newton ring layer, and an acrylic adhesive layer is connected to a foam absorption material layer on a side away from a PET substrate layer”.
Claims 7 and 8 depend upon allowable claim 6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. SUZUKI et al. (US PUB 2022/0169810) teaches “using a film with a hard coating layer laminated has been increasingly used for protecting or decorating, for example, a personal computer, mobile equipment, a mobile phone, an electronic organizer, or an in-vehicle display panel.”, paragraph 0002.
Aylward et al. (US PUB 2006/0066803) teaches “a flexible multi-color display comprising an optional substrate, at least one independently switchable electrically modulated imaging layer between an upper conductive layer and a lower conductive layer, wherein the number of said optional substrate is less than or equal to the number of said at least one independently switchable electrically modulated imaging layer.”, see Abstract.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUSTAK CHOUDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-5247. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached on (571)272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MUSTAK CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
July 22, 2026
Prosecution Insights