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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Korea on 14 March 2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Korean application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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 1-17, 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (US 2023/0363211 A1) in view of Choung et al. (US 2023/0354649 A1).
With respect to claim 1: Jung teaches “a display device (10) comprising: a substrate (SUB) comprising an emission area (EA1, EA2, EA3) and a non-emission area (areas other than EA1, EA2, EA3; see Fig. 6); a first light emitting element (ED1)positioned on the emission area of the substrate (see Fig. 6); a pixel defining layer (ISL) positioned on the non-emission area of the substrate (see Fig. 6) and defining a first opening (OPE1); a bank structure positioned on the pixel defining layer (BNS), defining a second opening (see Fig. 6), and a first encapsulation layer (TFE1) positioned on the first light emitting element and the bank structure (see Fig. 6), wherein: the bank structure comprises: a first bank layer (BN1) comprising a first side surface facing the emission area (see Fig. 6); and a second bank layer (BN2) positioned on the first bank layer (see Fig. 6) and comprising a first tip (TIP) protruding toward the emission area more than the first side surface (see Fig. 7), and the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the first tip (see Fig. 7)”.
Jung does not teach a bank structure comprising a groove; a first bank layer comprising a second side surface opposing the first side surface; a second bank layer comprising a second tip protruding toward the groove more than the second side surface, the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the second tip.
However, Choung teaches a bank structure (410+420) comprising a groove (410B); a first bank layer (410) comprising a second side surface (430) opposing (see Fig. 4B) the first side surface (417); a second bank layer (420) comprising a second tip (431) protruding toward the groove more than the second side surface (see Fig. 4B), the first encapsulation layer (414) entirely covers the second tip (see Fig. 4B).
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove and second tips taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 2: Jung in view of Choung teaches “the display device of claim 1 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “further comprising a second light emitting element (ED2) spaced apart from the first light emitting element with the pixel defining layer and the bank structure interposed between the second light emitting element spaced apart and the first light emitting element (see Fig. 6), wherein the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element are in contact with the first bank layer (see Fig. 6)”.
With respect to claim 3: Jung in view of Choung teaches “the display device of claim 2 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element are electrically connected to each other through the first bank layer (paragraph 134)”.
With respect to claim 4: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 3 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the first bank layer comprises aluminum (paragraph 133), and the second bank layer comprises titanium (paragraph 133)”.
With respect to claim 5: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 4 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein in a plan view, the second opening entirely surrounds the first opening (see Fig. 5)”.
With respect to claim 6: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 2 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the first bank layer comprises: a first portion in contact with the first light emitting element (see Fig. 6); a second portion in contact with the second light emitting element (see Fig. 6); the first portion and the second portion are integrally formed (see Fig. 6)”.
Jung does not teach “a third portion overlapping the groove; the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are integrally formed and the third portion is positioned between the first portion and the second portion”.
However, Choung teaches “a third portion overlapping the groove (410B); the first portion (410A on left; see Fig. 4B), the second portion (410A on right; see Fig. 4B), and the third portion are integrally formed (see Fig. 4B) and the third portion is positioned between the first portion and the second portion (see Fig. 4B)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove portion taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 7: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 6 (see above)”.
Jung does not teach “wherein the third portion is spaced apart from the first encapsulation layer with a space interposed between the third portion and the first encapsulation layer in a direction perpendicular to the substrate”.
However, Choung teaches “wherein the third portion is spaced apart from the first encapsulation layer with a space (432) interposed between the third portion and the first encapsulation layer in a direction perpendicular to the substrate (see Fig. 4B)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove portion taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 8: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 7 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “further comprising a second encapsulation layer (TFE2) positioned on the first encapsulation layer (see Fig. 6)”.
Jung does not teach “wherein the third portion is in contact with the second encapsulation layer”.
However, Choung teaches “wherein the third portion is in contact (see Fig. 4B) with the second encapsulation layer (416)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove portion taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 9: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 6 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the second bank layer comprises a first sub-portion positioned on the first portion of the first bank layer and a second sub-portion positioned on the second portion of the first bank layer (see Fig. 6)”.
Jung does not teach “the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion are spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the substrate”.
However, Choung teaches “the first sub-portion (420 to left of 410B) and the second sub-portion (420 to right of 410B) are spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the substrate (see Fig. 4A)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove spacing the portions of the second bank layer taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 10: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 9 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the first encapsulation layer comprises a first inorganic layer (TL1) entirely covering the first sub-portion (see Fig. 6) and a second inorganic layer (TL2) entirely covering the second sub-portion (see Fig. 6), and the first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer are spaced apart from each other in the direction parallel to the substrate (see Fig. 6)”.
With respect to claim 11: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 1 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the first light emitting element comprises an anode electrode (AE1), a light emitting layer (EL1), and a cathode electrode (CE1), and the light emitting layer and the cathode electrode are in contact with the first side surface (see Fig. 7)”.
With respect to claim 12: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 11 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “further comprising: an organic pattern (ELP1) positioned on the second bank layer (see Fig. 7), comprising a same material as the light emitting layer (paragraph 143), and spaced apart from the light emitting layer (see Fig. 7); and an electrode pattern (CEP1) positioned on the organic pattern (see Fig. 7), comprising a same material as the cathode electrode (paragraph 152), and spaced apart from the cathode electrode (see Fig. 7), wherein the organic pattern and the electrode pattern overlap the first tip (see Fig. 7)”.
Jung does not specifically teach “wherein the organic pattern and the electrode pattern overlap the second tip”.
However, Choung teaches “wherein the organic pattern (406) and the electrode pattern (408) overlap the second tip (see Fig. 4B)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove and second tips taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 13: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 12 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the organic pattern and the electrode pattern are positioned such that the organic pattern and the electrode pattern surround the first opening (see Fig. 6), and the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the organic pattern and the electrode pattern (see Fig. 6)”.
With respect to claim 14: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 11 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “further comprising a residual pattern (RP) positioned between the anode electrode (AE1) and the pixel defining layer in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, (see Fig. 7) wherein the residual pattern overlaps the first tip (see Fig. 7)”.
With respect to claim 15: Jung in view of Choung teaches “The display device of claim 14 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein the residual pattern is in contact with the light emitting layer (see Fig. 7)”.
With respect to claim 16: Jung in view of Choung teaches “the display device of claim 1 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein: the first bank layer comprises: a first portion in contact with the first light emitting element (portion of BN1 contacting ED1); a second portion spaced apart from the first portion and not in contact with the first light emitting element (portion of BN1 contacting ED2)”.
Jung does not teach “a third portion overlapping the groove, the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion are integrally formed, and the third portion is positioned between the first portion and the second portion”.
However, Choung teaches “a third portion (410B) overlapping the groove (see Fig. 4b), the first portion (410A on left), the second portion (410A on right), and the third portion are integrally formed (see Fig. 4B), and the third portion is positioned between the first portion and the second portion (see Fig. 4B).
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove and second tips taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 17: Jung in view of Choung teaches “the display device of claim 16 (see above)”.
Jung teaches “wherein: the second bank layer comprises a first sub-portion (portion under TL1) positioned on the first portion (see Fig. 6) and a second sub-portion (portion under TL2) positioned on the second portion (see Fig. 6)”.
Jung does not teach “the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion are spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the substrate”.
However, Choung teaches “the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion are spaced apart from each other in a direction parallel to the substrate (see Fig. 4A)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Jung with the groove spacing the portions of the second bank layer taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 20: Jung teaches “a method of fabricating a display device (method of making 10), comprising: forming a substrate (SUB) comprising an emission area (EA1, EA2, EA3) and a non-emission area (areas other than EA1, EA2, EA3), forming an anode electrode (AE1) and a sacrificial layer (SFL) on the emission area of the substrate (see Fig. 11), and forming a pixel defining layer (ISL) and a bank structure (BNL) on the sacrificial layer (see Fig. 11), the bank structure comprising a first bank layer (BNL1) and a second bank layer (BNL2); exposing the anode electrode by removing the pixel defining layer and the bank structure positioned in a portion overlapping the emission area (see Fig. 12), forming the second bank layer comprising a first tip (TIP) by removing portions of the bank structure (see Fig. 13), the first tip protruding toward the emission area more than a first side surface of the first bank layer (see Fig. 13); and forming a light emitting element (ED1) by forming a light emitting layer (EL1) and a cathode electrode (CE1) on the anode electrode and the bank structure (see Fig. 14), and forming an encapsulation layer (TL1) entirely covering the first tip (see Fig. 15)”.
Jung does not specifically teach “forming a groove by removing a portion of the bank structure positioned in a portion overlapping the non-emission area; forming the second bank layer comprising a second tip; the second tip protruding toward the groove more than a second side surface of the first bank layer, the encapsulating layer entirely covering the second tip”.
However, Choung teaches “forming a groove (410B) by removing a portion of the bank structure positioned in a portion overlapping the non-emission area (see Fig. 4A); forming the second bank layer (420) comprising a second tip (431); the second tip protruding toward the groove more than a second side surface of the first bank layer (see Fig. 4B), the encapsulating layer entirely covering the second tip (see Fig. 4B)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method of making the display device of Jung with the groove and second tips taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
With respect to claim 21: Jung teaches “an electronic device (throughout reference), comprising: a display device (10) comprising: a substrate (SUB) comprising an emission area (EA1, EA2, EA3) and a non-emission area (areas other than EA1, EA2, EA3; see Fig. 6); a first light emitting element (ED1)positioned on the emission area of the substrate (see Fig. 6); a pixel defining layer (ISL) positioned on the non-emission area of the substrate (see Fig. 6) and defining a first opening (OPE1); a bank structure positioned on the pixel defining layer (BNS), defining a second opening (see Fig. 6), and a first encapsulation layer (TFE1) positioned on the first light emitting element and the bank structure (see Fig. 6), wherein: the bank structure comprises: a first bank layer (BN1) comprising a first side surface facing the emission area (see Fig. 6); and a second bank layer (BN2) positioned on the first bank layer (see Fig. 6) and comprising a first tip (TIP) protruding toward the emission area more than the first side surface (see Fig. 7), and the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the first tip (see Fig. 7)”.
Jung does not teach a bank structure comprising a groove; a first bank layer comprising a second side surface opposing the first side surface; a second bank layer comprising a second tip protruding toward the groove more than the second side surface, the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the second tip.
However, Choung teaches a bank structure (410+420) comprising a groove (410B); a first bank layer (410) comprising a second side surface (430) opposing (see Fig. 4B) the first side surface (417); a second bank layer (420) comprising a second tip (431) protruding toward the groove more than the second side surface (see Fig. 4B), the first encapsulation layer (414) entirely covers the second tip (see Fig. 4B).
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Jung with the groove and second tips taught by Choung in order to reduce process costs and design parameters to define the overhang resulting in increased throughput (Choung paragraph 58).
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung in view of Choung as applied to claims 1, 16, 17 above, and further in view of Jinbo et al. (US 2017/0271421 A1).
With respect to claim 18: Jung in view of Choung teaches “the display device of claim 17 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “further comprising: an organic pattern (EL1) and an electrode pattern (CE1) positioned on the first sub-portion of the second bank layer (see Fig. 7)”.
Jung does not specifically teach “an organic residual pattern and an electrode residual pattern positioned on the third portion of the first bank layer, wherein: the organic pattern and the organic residual pattern are spaced apart from each other, and the electrode pattern and the electrode residual pattern are spaced apart from each other”.
However, Jinbo teaches “an organic residual pattern (part of 24 in 11A (see Fig. 8B)) and an electrode residual pattern (part of 25 in 11A (see Fig. 8B)) positioned on the third portion (11A) of the first bank layer (82), wherein: the organic pattern (24) and the organic residual pattern are spaced apart from each other (see Fig. 8B), and the electrode pattern (25) and the electrode residual pattern are spaced apart from each other (see Fig. 8B)”.
It would have been obvious at the time the application was effectively filed for one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify the display device of Jung in view of Choung by forming separated residual organic and electrode patterns within the third portions of the bank as taught by Jinbo in order to suppress mixture of colors between adjacent pixels (Jinbo paragraph 108).
With respect to claim 19: Jung in view of Choung and Jinbo teaches “the display device of claim 18 (see above)”.
Jung further teaches “wherein the first encapsulation layer entirely covers the electrode pattern and the electrode residual pattern (see Fig. 7)”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Park et al. (US 20200152842 A1), which teaches a display device and method of making the display.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHANIEL J. LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5721. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5 EST M-F.
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/NATHANIEL J LEE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/EVAN P DZIERZYNSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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