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 .
Tittle
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING A SUBSTRATE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING OF A SUBSTRATE.
Abstract
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because:
The Abstract does not contain “a method of manufacturing a substrate”. Please, revise.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (U.S. 2017/0265298).
As to claim 16, Zhang discloses a method of manufacturing of a substrate as shown in figures 1-11 including:
disposing a first conductive layer (24) on a dielectric film (22);
disposing a non-conductive layer (42) on the first conductive layer;
coating a first coating layer (40) on the non-conductive layer (42);
disposing a rigid portion (the left portion or right portion apart between the hole/opening or recess 50, hereafter RP) including a second conductive layer (8, 9) on a portion of the first coating layer (2);
forming a via hole (60) in the rigid portion (RP) and removing a smear of the via hole (60);
coating a second coating layer (32) on the second conductive layer (9); and
removing a portion of the first coating layer (40) disposed in a flexible portion (the thinner portion formed between the left and right portion, hereafter FP) different from the rigid portion, in the first coating layer (40).
As to claim 17, Zhang further comprising forming an opening (50) by removing a portion of the second coating layer (32), para-0016+.
As to claim 18, Zhang further comprising disposing a third conductive layer (36), between the second coating layer (32) and the second conductive layer (9), and extending to the via hole.
As to claim 19, Zhang discloses a material (prepreg material) of the first coating layer (2) is the same material (the prepreg material) as a material of the second coating layer (32), para-0014+.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-10, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (U.S. Patent 10,838,458) in view of Zhang et al. (U.S. 2017/0265298).
As to claim 1, Park discloses an electronic device (100)3 comprising:
a first housing (110);
a second housing (120);
a hinge structure (164) comprising a hinge rotatably connecting the first housing (110) and the second housing (120); and
a substrate (163, 171, and 172), extending from an inside of the first housing (110) across the hinge structure (164) to an inside of the second housing (120), the substrate including:
a flexible portion (163),
a rigid portion (171, 172).
Park does not specifically disclose a stepped portion disposed at a boundary between the flexible portion and the rigid portion,
wherein the substrate includes:
a first conductive layer disposed in the flexible portion and the rigid portion,
a first coating layer disposed on a portion of the first conductive layer
corresponding to the rigid portion,
a second conductive layer disposed on the first coating layer in the rigid
portion, and
a second coating layer (32) disposed on the second conductive layer (9), and
wherein a portion of a boundary of the first coating layer is aligned with the stepped portion.
Zhang teaches a PCB as shown in figures 1-11 comprising a stepped portion (formed in the recess or opening 50) disposed at a boundary between the flexible portion (FP, see claim 16) and the rigid portion (RP),
wherein the substrate includes:
a first conductive layer (24) disposed in the flexible portion and the rigid portion,
a first coating layer (40) disposed on a portion of the first conductive layer (24)
corresponding to the rigid portion,
a second conductive layer (9) disposed on the first coating layer (40) in the rigid
portion, and
a second coating layer (32) disposed on the second conductive layer (9), and
wherein a portion of a boundary of the first coating layer is aligned with the stepped portion.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Zhang employed in the method of Park in order to provide excellent protection and insulating polymer characteristic.
Regarding claim 2, Park as modified by Zhang discloses the rigid portion includes: a first rigid portion (171) disposed closer to the first housing of the first housing
and the second housing, and a second rigid portion (172) disposed closer to the second housing of the first housing and the second housing.
Regarding claim 3, Park as modified by Zhang discloses the flexible portion (163) is disposed between the first rigid portion (171) and the second rigid portion (172).
Regarding claim 4, Park as modified by Zhang teaches in figure 1 the first coating layer (40) includes: a first portion disposed on a first region (the left region) of the first conductive layer corresponding to the first rigid portion in the first conductive layer, and a second portion disposed on a second region (the right region) of the first conductive layer (40) corresponding to the second rigid portion in the first conductive layer, and wherein the first portion of the first coating layer and the second portion of the first coating layer are spaced apart each other.
Regarding claim 5, Park as modified by Zhang teaches the substrate includes a non-conductive layer (42) dispose between the first coating layer (40) and the first conductive layer (24), and wherein a thickness of the non-conductive layer disposed in the flexible portion corresponds to a thickness of the non-conductive layer disposed in the rigid portion.
Regarding claim 7, Park as modified by Zhang teaches the rigid portion of the substrate includes a conducive via (60) electrically connecting the first conductive layer (24) and the second conductive layer (9), and wherein the substrate includes a third conductive layer (36), disposed between the second coating layer (32) and the second conductive layer, connected to the conductive via (60).
Regarding claim 8, Park as modified by Zhang teaches the second coating layer (32) includes an opening exposing the third conductive layer (36).
Regarding claim 9, Park as modified by Zhang discloses the substrate is connected to a first printed circuit board (PCB-171) in the first housing and a second PCB (172) in the second housing, through the opening.
Regarding claim 10, Park as modified by Zhang teaches a material of the first coating layer (40) is the same material as a material of the second coating layer (32).
Regarding claim 14, Park as modified by Zhang further comprising a display (130), wherein the first housing (110) includes: a first surface facing the display, and a second surface opposite to the first surface, wherein the second housing (120) includes: a third surface facing the display (130), and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, and wherein the hinge structure (164) is configured to provide an unfolded state of the electronic device in which a direction of the first surface of the first housing corresponds to a direction of the third surface of the second housing, or a folded state of the electronic device in which the first surface of the first housing faces the third surface of the second housing, by rotatably connecting the first housing and the second housing.
Regarding claim 15, Park as modified by Zhang discloses a shape of at least a portion of the flexible portion (163) of the substrate is configured to be deformed based on a state change of the electronic device.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (‘298) in view of Chung et al. (U.S. 2013/0056250).
As to claim 20, Zhang discloses a material of the first coating layer (2) and a material of the second coating layer (32) except for each comprise a photo solder resist (PSR) ink.
Chung teaches a method for manufacturing a double-sided printed circuit board as shown in figures 2-4 comprising a coverlay layer made from PSR ink, para-0070+.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Chung employed in the method of Zhang in order to provide excellent protection and insulating polymer characteristic (harden when exposed to light) on the PCB.
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Zhang (‘298), and further in view of Chung et al. (U.S. 2013/0056250).
As to claim 11, Park as modified by Zhang discloses a material of the first coating layer (2) and a material of the second coating layer (32) except for each comprise a photo solder resist (PSR) ink.
Chung teaches a method for manufacturing a double-sided printed circuit board as shown in figures 2-4 comprising a coverlay layer made from PSR ink, para-0070+.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date to have a teaching of Chung employed in the method of Park and Zhang in order to provide excellent protection and insulating polymer characteristic (harden when exposed to light) on the PCB.
Regarding claim 12, Park as modified by Zhang and Chung discloses a first PCB (171) disposed in the first housing (110); and a second PCB (172) disposed in the second housing (120), wherein the substrate is connected to the first PCB and the second PCB.
Regarding claim 13, Park as modified by Zhang and Chung discloses at least a portion of the substrate is disposed in the hinge structure (164).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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.
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/TUAN T DINH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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