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 . 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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because they use reference numbers in a manner inconsistent with the specification. Specifically, Figure 6 shows a central support surface numbered as “111” with a side support surface numbered “112,” with the side support surface again being designated “112” in Figure 12. This is the opposite of the arrangement of these parts described in the instant specification. Paragraph [0083], for example, recites “a first support surface 111 for supporting the strip-shaped portion 210 and the bent portion 220.” This recitation would require that the first support surface be disposed at the side of the base where the strip-shaped portion and bent portion reside. However this is not the case, as Figure 6 shows the part designated “111” in a central portion away from the strip-shaped portion and bent portion. Similarly, the specification recites “a second support surface 112 for supporting the body 230.” This recitation requires the second support surface be centrally located rather than being disposed on a side of the base as shown in the figures.
Specification
The specification is objected to for describing the invention in an erroneous manner. This issue arises from the misnumbered drawings described above. Paragraph [0083] recites “the recess 120 is provided on a side of the second support surface 112 facing the first connecting surface.” This is problematic because the recess resides on the first support surface which supports the strip-shaped portion, not the second support surface. Therefore there is ambiguity as to where the recess resides.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the recess is provided on a side of the second support surface facing the connecting surface.” This is contradictory to limitations previously recited in the claim. Specifically, claim 2 requires that orthographic projections of the recess and strip-shaped portion at least partially overlap and that a gap is present between the strip-shaped portion and the recess. Both of these limitations necessarily require that the recess be present at the strip-shaped portion rather than the body portion. However claim 18 requires that the recess is provided on the second support surface, which is described as supporting the body. In other words claim 18 attempts to position the recess on a body-supporting portion of the support surface away from the strip-shaped portion, which is a completely different position from the position of claim 2. For examination purposes, claim 18 has been construed as reciting “…and the recess is provided on a side of the first support surface facing the first connecting surface.”
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)(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 1-2 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu (US 2023/0166491).
Liu teaches a curved surface lamination device for laminating a flexible panel (04) and a curved cover plate (06), the device comprising a lower jig (03) and a profiling jig (01), wherein the profiling jig is configured to support the flexible panel and is disposed on an upper surface of the lower jig (See Figures; [0050]-[0052]). The flexible panel, lower jig, profiling jig, and upper surface read on the instantly claimed flexible screen, base, flexible support table, and support surface, respectively. The lower jig and profiling jig collectively form the instantly claimed support component. The profiling jig of Liu comprises body, a strip-shaped portion connected to the body having at least a portion spaced from the base, and an edge portion arranged on a side of the strip-shaped portion facing away from the body and abutting against the support surface as shown in the figure below:
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Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches that the lower jig may include a dovetail edge (303) which forms a portion of the upper surface, the dovetail edge further comprising a second sinking groove (306), wherein a side face (C) and upper plane (D) of the dovetail edge contact a first bending portion (1022) of the strip-shaped portion such that a gap occurs between the first bending portion and a bottom wall surface of the second sinking groove (See Figures; [0057]-[0070]). The second sinking groove (306) reads on the instantly claimed recess which has an orthographic projection at least partially overlapping an orthographic projection of the strip-shaped portion.
Regarding claim 18, the body of Liu has a thickness (H2) greater than a thickness (H4) of the strip-shaped portion (See Fig. 4 and its description). The body of Liu comprises a base (101) which is supported in a first sinking groove (301) of the lower jig (See Figures). The support surface of Liu therefore includes the instantly claimed first support surface, second support surface, and first connecting surface, with the second sinking groove (i.e. recess) being provided on a side of the first support surface facing the first connecting surface as shown in the figure below:
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Regarding claim 19, the second sinking groove is in communication with the first connecting surface (See Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 20, Liu teaches an upper jig (05) comprising a receiving recess for receiving the curved cover plate (06), with an opening of the receiving recess facing the support component (See Fig. 2; [0084]-[0097]). The upper jig reads on the instantly claimed pressing table.
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 3 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0166491).
Liu teaches a curved surface lamination device, as detailed above.
Regarding claim 3, Liu does not expressly disclose a recess depth greater than or equal to 1mm or a distance between the recess and an outer edge of the support surface greater than or equal to 1.5mm as claimed.
The selection of a recess depth and distance between the recess and an outer edge of the support surface is a routine matter of design choice which would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing. Absent any showing that the claimed dimensions materially modify the operation of the support component, the mere selection of a known dimension does not patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art.
Regarding claims 16-17, the strip-shaped portion of Liu can be divided into first and second arc-shaped surfaces, wherein the first arc-shaped surface has a greater radius of curvature, as illustrated in the following figure:
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Liu does not expressly disclose that the orthographic projection of the first arc-shaped surface at least partially overlaps or is contained within a second orthographic projection of the recess, however such a feature would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing. In particular, the first-arc shaped surface extends into a flatter upper portion of the strip-shaped portion, as shown above. This is the same region of the strip-shaped portion where the recess is positioned. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that a projection of the first arc-shaped surface could be fully or partially contained within a projection of the recess as claimed depending upon the selected dimensions of the recess for a particular application.
Claims 4-6, 10, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0166491) in view of Rao (CN 216980026 U).
Liu teaches a curved surface lamination device, as detailed above. The embodiments shown by the profiling jig of Liu comprises first strip-shaped portions opposite one another on a side of the body in a second direction (See Figures).
Regarding claim 4, Liu does not expressly disclose second strip-shaped portions located on sides of the body in a third direction and being joined to the first strip-shaped portions via bent portions as claimed.
Rao teaches a support component for bonding a flexible inner screen and a curved outer screen to form a four-curved screen, the support component comprising: a base (2) and an elastic body (1) arranged on an upper side of the base and configured to support the flexible inner screen, wherein the elastic body has arc-shaped edge portions (32) connected by arc-shaped end corners (See Figures; [n0006]; [n0017]; [n0035]-[n0036]). The base, elastic body, arc-shaped edge portions, and arc-shaped end corners read on the instantly claimed base, flexible support table, strip-shaped portions, and bent portions respectively. Any single arc-shaped edge portion may be considered the first strip-shaped portion, with an adjacent perpendicular arc-shaped edge portion therefore reading on the instantly claimed second strip-shaped portion on a different side than the first and being connected thereto with a bent portion.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide strip-shaped portions on all four sides of the lamination device of the Liu rather than two. The rationale to do so would have been the motivation provided by the teaching of Rao that four-curved screens are aesthetically pleasing and becoming increasingly preferred by consumers (See [n0002]).
In the proposed combination, the recess of Liu would occupy the same space as shown in the figures of Liu, which are located a distance apart from the corners of the profiling jig. Therefore the orthographic projections of the recess and the bent portions would not be aligned in the first direction as claimed.
Regarding claim 5, both the first and second strip-shaped portions are curved in the proposed combination, as detailed above.
Regarding claim 6, an orthographic projection of the recess is located within an orthographic projection of the strip-shaped portion in the proposed combination.
Regarding claim 10, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a recess under each of the four strip-shaped portions to achieve the pressing advantages of the recess discussed by Liu for each curved surface during lamination.
Regarding claims 13-14, Rao discloses a base comprising a body portion, stoppers, and bosses, having the instantly claimed relationships as shown in the figure below:
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to use the bosses and stoppers of Rao when using a four strip-shaped portions in the combination of Liu and Rao in order to provide support for each of the strip-shaped portions during lamination.
Regarding claim 15, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide a recess under each of the four strip-shaped portions, as detailed above with respect to claim 10. Therefore in the proposed combination, two of the recesses would traverse the stoppers as claimed.
Claims 7-9 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0166491) in view of Rao (CN 216980026 U) as applied to claims 6 and 10 above, and further in view of Wang (CN 111451954 A).
Liu and Rao combine to teach a curved surface lamination device, as detailed above. The second sinking groove (i.e. recess) of Liu is symmetrically arranged with a first reference plane and has a uniform depth (See Figures).
Regarding claims 7-8 and 11, Liu and Rao do not expressly disclose a recess having a gradually decreasing depth in relation to the reference plane as claimed.
Wang teaches a curved surface bonding fixture comprising a bonding mold (1,3,5) and a rigid base (2,4,6), which have matching shapes such that the bonding mold mates with the rigid base (See Figs. 3-4 and 13-16 and their descriptions). Wang teaches a second embodiment in which the bonding mold (3) has strip-shaped edge regions (34) that are flat and planar, wherein the base (4) has a corresponding shape with flat and planar sections matching the strip-shaped edge regions of the bonding mold (See Figs. 13-14 and their descriptions). Wang also teaches a third embodiment in which the bonding mold (5) has strip-shaped edge regions (54) that gradually decrease in thickness between a central portion thereof toward outward portions thereof, wherein the base (6) has a corresponding shape with gradually sloping sections matching the strip-shaped edge regions of the bonding mold (See Figs. 15-16 and their descriptions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the curved surface lamination device taught by the combination of Liu and Rao to include strip-shaped edge regions that gradually decrease in thickness between a central portion thereof toward outward portions thereof and a base having a matching shape, as taught by Wang. Since Wang teaches that both flat, planar strip-shaped portions (the second embodiment) and strip-shaped edge regions with gradually increasing thickness (the third embodiment) were recognized in the prior art as being suitable arrangements for a curved surface bonding fixture, the substitution of one known arrangement for the other would have been obvious. When such an arrangement is incorporated in the lamination device taught by the combination of Liu and Rao, the recess would adopt the shape of the base on which it is disposed, such that the recess would have a depth which gradually decreases relative to a reference plane as claimed.
Regarding claims 9 and 12, the strip-shaped portions in Liu, Rao, and Wang are symmetrically arranged relative to a reference plane and would remain so in the combination of these references.
Regarding claim 12, each recess in the proposed combination has an orthographic projection located within an orthographic projection of the strip-shaped portion as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARSON GROSS whose telephone number is (571)270-7657. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern.
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/CARSON GROSS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1746
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