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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 6/29/2026 has been entered. Claim(s) 1-12 is/are pending. Claim(s) 9-12 is/are newly added.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 6/29/2026 is/are being considered by the examiner.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kamiyoshihara et al. (US 2017/0045779) (hereinafter Kamiyoshihara).
Claim 1: Kamiyoshihara discloses a display device comprising a display panel (107, fig. 1); and a backlight (100-1, fig. 1) for the display panel (107), comprising: a reflector (103, fig. 1) (high reflectance, see para [0044]) having a plurality of reflective cavities (cavities formed between 103, fig. 1) and a fastening element (105, fig. 1) surrounding the plurality of cavities (cavities formed between 103) and extending longitudinally from external edges (edges of 103, fig. 1) of the reflector (103); and a circuit board (102, fig. 1) which has a plurality of light sources (101, fig. 1), wherein the plurality of light sources are each arranged in respective cavities of the reflector (see fig. 1).
Claim 2: Kamiyoshihara discloses he reflector (103) and the fastening element (109) are formed in one piece (103 and 105 are connected to be one piece).
Claim 3: Kamiyoshihara discloses the fastening element (105) is connectable in a force-fitting, material-fitting, or form-fitting manner (105 form fits onto 108, fig. 1) to a housing (108, fig. 1).
Claim 4: Kamiyoshihara discloses the reflector (103) has a mount (109, fig. 1) for holding (see fig. 3) the circuit board (102).
Claim 6: Kamiyoshihara discloses a holding element (108, fig. 1) for illumination films (106, 107, fig. 1).
Claim 7: Kamiyoshihara discloses a transport comprising: a display device (100-2, fig. 1) comprising: a display panel (107, fig. 1); and a backlight (100-1, fig. 1) for the display panel (107), comprising: a reflector (103, fig. 1) having a plurality of reflective cavities (cavities formed between 103, fig. 1) and a fastening element (105, fig. 1) surrounding the plurality of cavities (cavities formed between 103) and extending longitudinally from external edges (edges of 103, fig. 1) of the reflector (103); and a circuit board (102, fig. 1)which has a plurality of light sources (101, fig. 1), wherein the plurality of light sources are each arranged in respective cavities of the reflector (see fig. 1).
Claim 8: Kamiyoshihara discloses the fastening element (105) is connectable in a force-fitting, material-fitting, or form-fitting manner (105 form fits onto 108, fig. 1) to a housing (108, fig. 1).
Claim 9: Kamiyoshihara discloses the plurality of reflective cavities (cavities of 103, fig. 1) are formed by substantially V-shaped portions of the reflector (see fig. 1).
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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiyoshihara et al. (US 2017/0045779) in view of Valeo (WO 2023198716).
Claim 5: Kamiyoshihara fails to teach the circuit board has a heat-conducting plate.
Valeo teaches a circuit board (40, fig. 1) has a heat-conducting plate (61, fig. 1) (see para [0061]).
Therefore, in view of Valeo, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add a heat-conducting plate to the circuit board of Kamiyoshihara, in order to improve heat dissipation of the circuit board.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiyoshihara et al. (US 2017/0045779) in view of Park et al. (US 2008/0043463) (hereinafter Park).
Claim 10: Park teaches illumination films (106, 107) face the plurality of light sources (101) and are spaced apart from an apex of the substantially V-shaped portions (apex of 103 and 109, fig. 1).
However, Kamiyoshihara fails to teach the illumination films directly face the plurality of light sources.
Park teaches illumination films (140, fig. 2) directly face the plurality of light sources (110, fig. 2) and are spaced apart from an apex (124, fig. 3) of the substantially V-shaped portions (120, fig. 2).
Therefore, in view of Park, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to rearrange the illumination films such that to the illumination films directly face the plurality of light sources and are spaced apart from an apex of the substantially V-shaped portions as taught by Park, in order to adjust the light output distribution of the display device.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamiyoshihara et al. (US 2017/0045779) in view of Yasuda (US 2016/0033821).
Claim 11: Kamiyoshihara fails to teach the fastening element has a further connector that is directly connected to a step in a housing.
Yasuda teaches a fastening element (106b, fig. 1) has a further connector (101, fig. 1) that is directly connected to a step (step of 107 under 101, fig. 1) in a housing (107, fig. 1).
Therefore, in view of Yasuda, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fastening element of Kamiyoshihara by adding a further connector to the fastening element that is directly connected to a step in a housing, in order to further fasten the components together.
Claim 12: Kamiyoshihara fails to teach the fastening element has a recess formed in the fastening element and a housing has a recess formed in the housing, and wherein a connector is inserted into the recess formed in the housing and is fixedly connected to the fastening element via the recess formed in the fastening element.
Yasuda teaches a fastening element (106b, fig. 1) has a recess (opening of 106b where 101 passes, fig. 1) formed in the fastening element (106b) and a housing (107, fig. 1) has a recess (opening of 107 where 101 passes, fig. 1) formed in the housing (107), and 0wherein a connector (101, fig. 1) is inserted into the recess formed in the housing and is fixedly connected to the fastening element via the recess formed in the fastening element (see fig. 1).
Therefore, in view of Yasuda, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fastening element of Kamiyoshihara by forming a recess in the fastening element and add a housing with a recess formed in the housing and add a connector is inserted into the recess formed in the housing and is fixedly connected to the fastening element via the recess formed in the fastening element, in order to further fasten the components together.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicant’s argument that “Kamiyoshihara fails to disclose the claimed fastening element surrounding the plurality of cavities and extend longitudinally from external edges of the reflector” and “Given the teaching in Kamiyoshihara, one skilled in the art would not modify Kamiyoshihara to move the fixing members from their central locations to the longitudinal edges as disclosed and claimed”, the examiner notes that the claim language can be broadly interpreted where the fastening element can be member 105 which surrounds the plurality of cavities of 103 and extend longitudinally from the external edges of the reflector 103.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fan (US 2021/0011326) disclose a similar device.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENG B SONG whose telephone number is (571)272-9402. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9AM - 5PM.
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/ZHENG SONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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