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
Claims 15 and 21 are objected to because of the following informalities: The term “are” in lines 11 and 7 of the claims, respectively, appears to be misspelled (i.e., area instead). Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (US 2021/0376291).
Regarding independent claim 21, Park teaches a display device comprising a base substrate (Fig. 12, Element 110; ¶ [0113]) including a display area (Fig. 12, Element DA; ¶ [0061]) and a non-display area (Fig. 12, Element NDA; ¶ [0061]) surrounding the display area; an encapsulation substrate (Fig. 12, Element 310; ¶ [0244]) disposed on the base substrate and covering the display area; a dam (Fig. 12, Element 50; ¶ [0062]) disposed between the base substrate and the encapsulation substrate in the non-display area; a planarization layer (Fig. 12, Element 130; ¶ [0143]) covering the display area and extending into the non-display area, the planarization layer being separated from the dam; and an organic light emitting element (Fig. 12, Element ED1; ¶ [0161]) including a cathode (Fig. 12, Element CE; ¶ [0140]), and disposed on the planarization layer, wherein the cathode extends into the non-display area, and exposes a top surface of the planarization layer in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 22, Park teaches a passivation layer (Fig. 12, Element 117; ¶ [0132]) covering the planarization layer and disposed between the dam and the base substrate in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 23, Park teaches a capping layer (Fig. 12, Element 160; ¶ [0217]) disposed on the cathode and covering an edge area of the cathode in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 24, Park teaches the capping layer exposing the top surface of the planarization layer in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 25, Park teaches the organic light emitting element including an organic layer (Fig. 12, Element OL; ¶ [0165]) disposed on the planarization layer, and wherein the organic layer exposes the top surface of the planarization layer in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 26, Park teaches a gate pad unit (Fig. 12, Element PD; ¶ [0125]) disposed on the base substrate in the non-display area, wherein the planarization layer covers top and side surfaces of the gate pad unit in the non-display area (Fig. 12).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding independent claim 1, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a base substrate including a non-display area disposed at a first side, a second side and a third side of the display device, wherein a first pad unit is disposed at the first side of the display device, a second pad unit is disposed at the third side of the display device, and the second side is opposite to the first side; a planarization layer disposed to cover the second pad unit in the non-display area, and being spaced apart from a dam by a first distance at the first and third sides of the display device.
Due to their dependencies upon independent claim 1, claims 2-14 are also allowable.
Regarding independent claim 15, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a base substrate including a display area and a non-display area surrounding the display area, wherein the non-display area is located at a first side, a second side and a third side of the base substrate, the first and second sides being opposite sides; and a planarization layer covering the display area and extending into the non-display area, wherein a first separation distance between the planarization layer and a dam in the non-display area at the second side of the substrate is equal to or greater than a second separation distance between the planarization layer and the dam in the non-display area at the first side of the substrate.
Due to their dependencies upon independent claim 15, claims 16-20 are also allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim (US 11,737,311) teaches an organic light-emitting display apparatus with a plurality of insulating dams. Lee (US 2015/0340655) teaches an organic light emitting display with minimized cell gap. Kim (US 2015/0028307) teaches an organic light emitting display with a backplane including a bezel area.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Quarterman whose telephone number is (571)272-2461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 30 May 2026
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