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 .
Specification
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: Flexible display module having strip-shaped through holes.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “middle member” (Claim 10, ln. 1) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because figure 12 shows direction Y which is not described in the description. Furthermore, comparing figs. 11 and 13 with fig. 12, it is not clear whether fig. 12 shows a view in a plane perpendicular of parallel to that shown in figs. 11 and 13. If the plane of fig. 12 is the same and the label indicating direction Y has a meaning different from the conventional use (mutually perpendicular directions corresponding to axes X, Y, Z), applicant is requested to indicate such use.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2, in line 2 recites: “the target through-hole includes a body member and two end members: ”. The colon at the end of the sentence should be a semicolon. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10, in lines 1-2 recites: “ a middle member of the specific through-hole bends toward the bending area”. This limitation is confusing because it is not clear whether “bends toward” refers to a static geometrical feature (shape) of the middle member or a dynamic feature that might be linked to process of bending of the flexible display module. Clarification is required. For the purposes of examination, the limitation will be read as a middle member of the specific through-hole is shaped such that it has a curvature toward the bending area”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Dong et al. (US 20210165454 A1, and Dong hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 1, Dong discloses a flexible display module comprising:
a display layer (“a flexible display screen”, [0031]); and
a substrate layer (fig. 1) attached to the display layer (“the flexible display screen is positioned on a side of the support substrate”, [0031], in view of “a support substrate for a flexible display device”, [0004]) and including a bending area in the middle (10, fig. 1), two transition areas arranged on two sides of the bending area (30, fig. 1), and two non-bending areas on outer sides of the two transition areas (20, fig. 1), a strip-shaped target through-hole being formed in a transition area (31, fig. 1) and having a length-to-width ratio greater than 50:1 (“a through hole satisfies at least one of the following conditions: L:D1 =10[Symbol font/0x7E]200; D1:D2=0.5[Symbol font/0x7E]4; W:D2=0.5[Symbol font/0x7E]5 … Wherein L is a hole length of the through hole in the first direction, … W is a hole width of the through hole in the second direction”, [0028]; the expressions can be rewritten as: L= (10[Symbol font/0x7E]200)D1; D1=(0.5[Symbol font/0x7E]4)D2; D2=(0.2[Symbol font/0x7E]2)W, which after combining leads to L=(10[Symbol font/0x7E]200) (0.5[Symbol font/0x7E]4) (0.2[Symbol font/0x7E]2)W, or equivalently: L:W=(1[Symbol font/0x7E]1600), therefore, ratios greater than 50:1 are disclosed. See also “the specific features structures materials or features described may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. In addition, without contradiction, those skilled in the art may combine different embodiments or examples as well as combine the characteristics of the different embodiments or examples described in this specification”, [0102]), and the target through-hole deforming in response to the flexible display module bending (“Specifically, the support substrate is provided with through holes, which can more easily realize the bending of the flexible display device”, [0078]).
Regarding Claim 2, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claim 1, wherein:
the target through-hole includes a body member (114, fig. 13) and two end members (112 and 113, fig. 13):
the body member is arranged between the two end members (fig. 13); and
the two end members extend toward the bending area relative to the body member (end members extend along the second direction, see arrows labeled “outside” shown in fig. 13).
Regarding Claim 3, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claim 2, wherein:
the two end members extend to form an arc shape (fig. 13).
Regarding Claim 4, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claim 1, wherein:
the target through-hole includes a body member (114, fig. 13) and two end members (112 and 113, fig. 13);
the body member is arranged between the two end members (fig. 13); and
a hole width of the two end members is different from a hole width of the body member (fig. 13).
Regarding Claim 6, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claim 1, wherein the end member of the target through-hole is formed into a droplet shape (e.g., shape of 112, fig. 13).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dong in view of Lin (US 20230409086 A1, and Lin hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 5, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose a curvature of an outer contour of the end member of the target through-hole away from the bending area is different from a curvature of an inner contour of the end member close to the bending area.
Lin discloses a flexible display module comprising a target through hole (arc-shaped elements in 300b, fig. 14) wherein a curvature of an outer contour of an end member of the target through-hole away from a bending area (300a, fig. 14) is different from a curvature of an inner contour of the end member close to the bending area (fig. 14: curvature of the right side of the through hole is different from the curvature of the left side of the through hole).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Dong to incorporate the teachings of Lin so that a curvature of an outer contour of the end member of the target through-hole away from the bending area is different from a curvature of an inner contour of the end member close to the bending area, in order to improve bending properties (“by means of the through hole 302 having a greater width in the hollow structure 300, bending property of a portion of the first bent region 100a in the supporting structure 100 may be improved”, [0043] of Lin). Implementing such modification would be equivalent to a change of shape. Changes of shape have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). See also, MPEP § 2144.04, IV, B).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dong in view of Park (US 20210233447 A1, and Park hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 7, Dong discloses the flexible display module according to claims 1, wherein:
each transition area includes a first row of through-holes and a second row of through-holes that are neighboring to each other (fig. 1, where the first row is defined as the row closest to the bending area or alternatively, as the one closes to the folding axis).
Dong does not explicitly disclose end members of the first row of through-holes and end members of the second row of through-holes have different shapes.
Park discloses a flexible display module comprising through holes wherein end members of a first row of through-holes and end members of a second row of through-holes have different shapes (fig. 5: top and bottom ends of HL1 and HL2, along DR2).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Dong to incorporate the teachings of Park so that end members of the first row of through-holes and end members of the second row of through-holes have different shapes, in order for the through holes to react differently when stretched during folding and thereby reduce unwanted deformation of the support plate when the display is folded (“the shape of the first hole HL1 may be changed from the generally rectangular shape to the generally convex hexagonal shape when the tensile stress is applied to the patterned portion 330 in the first direction DR1” and “the shape of the second hole HL2 may be changed from a generally concave hexagonal shape to the generally rectangular shape when the tensile stress is applied to the patterned portion 330 in the first direction DR1”, [0080-0081] of Park. See also [0082-0089]). This modification could be implemented by changing the shape of the end members of through holes in a second row (112 and 113, fig. 13 of Dong) so that said end members are similar to those of HL1 shown in fig. 5 of Park. A person of ordinary skill would recognize that said modification is equivalent to a mere change of shape. Changes of shape have been ruled to carry no patentable weight (In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). See also, MPEP § 2144.04, IV, B).
Regarding Claim 8, Dong/Park discloses the flexible display module according to claim 7, wherein:
the two end members of the target through-hole extend toward the bending area relative to the body member (fig. 13 of Dong: end members extend along the second direction, see arrows labeled “outside”);
the target through-hole is arranged in the first row of through-holes (fig. 1 of Dong. See also rejection of Claims 1 and 7 above); and
the first row of through-holes is a row of through-holes closest to the bending area (see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding Claim 9, Dong/Park discloses the flexible display module according to claim 8, wherein:
the first row of through-holes and the second row of through-holes are staggered with each other (fig. 1 of Dong);
the second row of through-holes include a specific through-hole, including a body member and two end members (HL1 including central portion, and top and bottom ends, fig. 13 of Dong. Also, see rejection of claims 1 and 7 above); and
the two end members of the specific through-hole have a same extension direction as the body member (fig. 13 of Park, extension direction being DR2).
Regarding Claim 10 (as best understood), Dong/Park discloses the flexible display module according to claim 9, wherein a middle member of the specific through-hole bends toward the bending area (Dong as modified by Park incorporates specific through hole with a middle section 114 as shown in fig. 13 of Park that comprises a curvature/bending in the direction indicated by the “outside” label. See also, rejection of claim 7 above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin A Asmat-Uceda whose telephone number is (571)270-7198. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L Parker can be reached at 303-297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARTIN ANTONIO ASMAT UCEDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2841 /ROCKSHANA D CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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