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 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.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0382336, hereafter referred to as ‘Lee ‘336’. Regarding claim 1, Lee ‘336 discloses a display apparatus (figures 1-7), comprising: a display panel configured to display an image (see display panel described in para. # 30); a light source configured to supply light to the display panel (see backlight which includes a light source for illuminating display panel in para. #30), the light source being provided on a rear side of the display panel (display panel is illuminated by a backlight on a rear side thereof, see para. #’s 30-33); a chassis 10 is provided on a rear side of the light source (see figures 3-7 and para. #’s 30-36), the chassis 10 comprising a cover body (12, 12a, 12b) covering a rear surface of the light source (see figures 3-7 and para. #’s 30-36) and a support protrusion (12a, 12b), that is bent (figures 3-7), protruding from a rear surface of the cover body (figures 3-7); and a substrate 20 supported by the support protrusion (12a, 12b) and provided between the cover body and the support protrusion (figures 3-7), wherein the substrate 20 is configured to be soldered (see solder 24 in figures 3-7, para. #’s 53-60) to the chassis 10 from one surface thereof (figures 3-7).
Regarding claim 2, The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one surface of the substrate 20 is a rear surface of the substrate (figures 6-7), and the substrate is soldered rearward toward the support protrusion (figures 6-7).
Regarding claim 3, the display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the support protrusion (12a, 12b) comprises: a support portion (12-1, 12-2) connected to the cover body 12 (figures 3-7); and a bending portion (12a, 12b) extending from the support portion in parallel with the cover body (figures 4-7), and wherein the substrate 20 is soldered to the bending portion (via solder 24, see para. #’s 53-60 and figures 4-7).
Regarding claim 4, The display apparatus of claim 3, wherein the substrate 20 is spaced apart from the cover body and the bending portion (see figure 4 which shows substrate 20 is spaced from the bending portion and cover body before solder 24 fills in the space to hold the substrate in place).
Regarding claim 5, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one surface of the substrate 20 is a front surface of the substrate (see figures 3-5), and the substrate is soldered forward to be connected to the chassis (via solder 24, see para. #’s 53-60 and figures 3-5).
Regarding claim 6, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate 20 is soldered to the rear surface of the cover body 12 (as broadly claimed, rear surface is the surface which receives substrate 20 below the topmost surface of the cover body 12, see figures 4-7).
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 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee ‘336 in view of 2000-0009197 (cited by applicant in IDS on 07/07/25).
Regarding claim 7, Lee ‘336 discloses the claimed invention except for the teaching that a plurality of soldering portions are arranged in one direction, which is a length direction of the display panel.
Lee ‘336 discloses the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a soldering portion 24, which is provided to protrude from the one surface of the substrate 20 and be connected to the chassis 10.
2000-0009197 discloses a display (figures 1-4) which includes a plurality of soldering portions 20, which are provided to connect a substrate 50 to a chassis 51.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the display of Lee ‘336 so that the soldering portion includes a plurality of soldering portions that are arranged in one direction, which is a length direction of the display panel as taught by 2000-0009197 since such a modification would have merely been an obvious engineering design choice yielding the predictable results of using more soldering points for more efficiently securing the substrate to the chassis of Lee ‘336.
Regarding claim 8, wherein the plurality of soldering portions 20 are arranged spaced apart from each other in the one direction (see fig. 3 of 2000-0009197).
Regarding claim 9, wherein the plurality of soldering portions 20 are arranged continuously in the one direction (see fig. 3 of 2000-0009197).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee ‘336 in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,714,303, hereafter referred to as Li ‘303’.
Regarding claim 10, Lee ‘336 discloses the claimed invention except for the teaching that the substrate is provided on one rear side of the chassis so as to be connected to the display panel via a chip on film (COF).
Li ‘303 teaches a display 1 having a substrate (5, 6) provided on one rear side of the chassis (figures 3 and 5-6) so as to be connected to the display panel via a chip on film (col. 4, lines 25-62).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the display of Lee ‘336 so that substrate is provided on one rear side of the chassis so as to be connected to the display panel via a chip on film as taught by Li ‘303 in order to efficiently electrically connect the display panel to the main electronic control board of Lee ‘336.
Regarding claim 11, the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate 20 is provided on an upper rear side of the chassis 10 (figures 1-7), and wherein the support protrusion (12a, 12b) comprises: a support portion (12-1, 12-2) connected to the cover body 12; and a bending portion 12a, 12b that extends upward from the support portion (figures 3-7, bending portion extends upward and also leftward).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee ‘336.
Regarding claim 12, Lee ‘336 discloses the claimed invention except for the specific teaching that the chassis is made of metal.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the display of Lee ‘336 so that the chassis is made of metal since such a modification would have merely been an obvious engineering design choice yielding the predictable results of using well known materials for manufacturing the display of Lee ‘336 based on cost, strength, size, weight etc. for optimally making the display of Lee ‘336.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim ‘487 discloses a display which includes mounting portions 60 for connecting a chassis 40 to a substrate 50 which is similar to applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS M SEMBER whose telephone number is (571)272-2381. The examiner can normally be reached flexing generally from 7 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ABDULMAJEED Aziz can be reached at 571-270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THOMAS M SEMBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875