`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
`
` F ING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
`
`
`
`
`CONF {MATION NO.
`
`12/320,589
`
`01/29/2009
`
`Setsuo Kobayashi
`
`HITA—1241
`
`6544
`
`7590
`10’2””
`W
`JuanCaflosAMmq —
`c/o Stites & Harbison PLLC
`SNYDER, ZACHARYJ
`1199 North Fairfax Street
`Sulte 900
`Alexandria, VA 223 14- 1437
`
`2889
`
`
`
`
`NOT *ICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`10/23/2012
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/0r attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`iplaw @ stites.com
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`12/320,589
`
`KOBAYASHI ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`ZACHARY .I. SNYDER
`
`Art Unit
`2889
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTH(S) OR THIRTY (30) DAYS,
`WHICHEVER IS LONGER, FROM THE MAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`In no event however may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 6/22/2012.
`
`a)IZl This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)I:l This action is non-final.
`
`3)|:l Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`
`4)IXI Claim(s) 1-16is/are pending in the application.
`
`4a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`5)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are allowed.
`
`6)|Zl Claim(s)_1-16 is/are rejected.
`
`7)I:l Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`8)I:l Claim(s) _ are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`
`Application Papers
`
`9)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`10)IX| The drawing(s) filed on 29 January 2009 is/are: a)lZ| accepted or b)|:l objected to by the Examiner.
`
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`11)I:I The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner. Note the attached Office Action or form PTO-152.
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`12)IZI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`
`a)lX| AII
`
`b)I:I Some * c)|:l None of:
`
`1.IZI Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No. _
`
`3.|:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) I] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2) D Notice of Draftsperson‘s Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)
`3) El Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/OS)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date _.
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`4) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper N°(5 )/Mai| Date. _
`5)I:I Notice of Informal Patent Application
`)6|:| Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 08-06)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20121016
`
`
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Response to Amendment
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`Receipt is acknowledged of applicant's amendment 6/22/2012. Claims 1—16 are pending
`
`and an action on the merits is as follows.
`
`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant's arguments filed 6/22/2012 have been fully considered but they are not
`
`persuasive.
`
`l) The Applicant has argued on page 9 that “Even considering the standards set forth
`
`under the Supreme Court's KSR decision, Applicant will contend that the body of prior art
`
`teachings presented by the combination of Matsuhira '21 l, Matsuhira 8%, Yu and Matsumoto
`
`fails to
`
`(a) yield predictable results even relevant to the present invention,
`
`(b) solve any problem even remotely similar to that addressed by the present invention, or
`
`(c) show much less suggest that the present invention embodies a combination that one of
`
`ordinary skill in the art would have found "obvious to try" in light of Matsuhira '21 l, Matsuhira
`
`8%, Yu and Matsumoto.
`
`In response:
`
`la) The Examiner has not seen the Applicant demonstrate what specific results (expected
`
`or unexpected) can be achieved by the present invention by “applying the adhesive to the display
`
`panel or the transparent substrate in a predetermined pattern having more than 39 dots and
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`at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column” or “in the bonding step, in a
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`condition in which the adhesive applied in the applying step is spreading, with air bubbles
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`surrounded by three or four dots remaining, and a maximum size of the air bubbles is 0.5 mm
`
`or less, the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded together by means of the
`
`adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure” as claimed
`
`in claim 1. The Applicant has not adequately disclosed any testing or analytical data which
`
`establishes criticality for these modifications, or recites any specific advantage the invention
`
`benefits from over the prior art from this modification. As shown in the rejection below, the
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`general conditions of the claim are disclosed in the prior art: such as the substrate, the display
`
`panel, the adhesive, the viscosity of the adhesive, the bonding time, the air bubble presence, and
`
`the curing step. The placement of the adhesive in the claimed predetermined pattern appears to
`
`only be for the purpose of reducing the visibility of air bubbles formed during manufacturing, the
`
`same predictable result desired by Matsuhira (paragraph 8).
`
`(b) Aside from figures 3a, 3b, 4a, and 4b, showing “one example of a pattern in which
`
`the adhesive is applied,” there is no support in the original disclosure for “applying the adhesive
`
`to the display panel or the transparent substrate in a predetermined pattern having more than
`
`39 dots and at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column.” There is no
`
`support to be found for the limitation “in the bonding step, in a condition in which the adhesive
`
`applied in the applying step is spreading, with air bubbles surrounded by three or four dots
`
`remaining, and a maximum size of the air bubbles is 0.5 mm or less, the display panel and the
`
`transparent substrate are bonded together by means of the adhesive under a reduced pressure
`
`atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure.” Therefore, the Examiner is unable to
`
`determine what specific problem is being addressed by these particular limitations. As discussed
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`

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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`above, it is assumed these limitations are for reducing the visibility of air bubbles formed during
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`manufacturing, the same problem being addressed by Matsuhira (paragraph 8).
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`(c) Without some sort of unexpected results being presented to the Examiner, it has been
`
`assumed for the purpose of examination that the benefit afforded by “applying the adhesive to
`
`the display panel or the transparent substrate in a predetermined pattern having more than 39
`
`dots and at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column” and “in the bonding step,
`
`in a condition in which the adhesive applied in the applying step is spreading, with air bubbles
`
`surrounded by three or four dots remaining, and a maximum size of the air bubbles is 0.5 mm
`
`or less, the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded together by means of the
`
`adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure” is reducing
`
`the visibility of air bubbles that form between the transparent substrate and display panel.
`
`It has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art,
`
`discovering the optimum or workable arrangement of parts involves only routine skill in the art.
`
`Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention
`
`was made to arrange the adhesive as claimed, since optimization of adhesive arrangement is
`
`considered within the skill of the art. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would entertain the
`
`idea of providing adhesive in a predetermined pattern having more than 39 dots and at least
`
`seven dots per row and at least five dots per column as well as “in the bonding step, in a
`
`condition in which the adhesive applied in the applying step is spreading, with air bubbles
`
`surrounded by three or four dots remaining, and a maximum size of the air bubbles is 0.5 mm or
`
`less, the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded together by means of the
`
`adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure” in order to
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`

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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`ensure the best adhesion between the transparent substrate and display panel that also results in
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`the fewest Visible air bubbles.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 USC. 112:
`
`The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making
`and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it
`pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same and shall set forth the best mode
`contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
`
`Claim 1 is rejected under 35 USC. 112, first paragraph, as failing to comply with the
`
`written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described
`
`in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that
`
`the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
`
`Claim 1 no recites “in the bonding step, in a condition in which the adhesive applied in
`
`the applying step is spreading, with air bubbles surrounded by three or four dots remaining...”
`
`On page 5 of the arguments filed 6/22/2012, the Applicant has stated that no new matter
`
`is being introduced into this application through the submission of this response, but the
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`Examiner is unable to find any support in the original disclosure for the amendment.
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`Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 USC. 103(a) which forms the basis for all
`
`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in
`section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are
`such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person
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`

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`Page 6
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`having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the
`manner in which the invention was made.
`
`Claims 1—14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over WO
`
`2007/063751 to Matsuhira in View of US. Patent 6,204,896 B1 to Matsuhira et al. further in
`
`View of US. PG Publication 2006/0137901 A1 to Yu et al.
`
`US. PG Publication 2009/0283211 A1 to Matsuhira is the US. counter—part of WO
`
`2007/063751 and used for translation purposes.
`
`In regard to claim 1, Matsuhira discloses a display device manufacturing method in
`
`which a transparent substrate is bonded to a display panel by means of an adhesive, the method
`
`comprising:
`
`applying the adhesive to the display panel or the transparent substrate (bonding polygonal
`
`transparent plate and a plate—like member together with transparent adhesive, paragraph 34) in a
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`predetermined pattern (dot pattern, paragraph 41);
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`bonding the display panel and the transparent substrate together by means of the adhesive
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`after the applying step (transparent plate is lowered to bring adhesive in contact with bonding
`
`surface, paragraph 41); and
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`curing the adhesive after the bonding (adhesive is cured, paragraph 44),
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`a time from a finishing point of the application of the adhesive in the applying step until a
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`starting point of the bonding in the bonding step is 10 seconds or more and 120 seconds or less
`
`(adhesive is let drip by its own weight for about 30 to 120 seconds after applying, paragraph 38),
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`Page 7
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`in the bonding step, in a condition in which the adhesive applied in the applying step is
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`spreading, with air bubbles remaining, and a maximum size of the air bubbles is 0.5 mm or less
`
`(air bubbles 0.1 mm in diameter are formed during the bonding, paragraph 45), and
`
`in the curing step, after the maximum size of the air bubbles have reached 0.1 mm or less,
`
`ultraviolet light is applied, curing the adhesive (a UV—curable adhesive is used, air bubbles
`
`contained in the adhesive before curing become smaller as the adhesive shrinks from curing, the
`
`air bubbles are smaller than 0.1 mm in diameter, paragraph 36).
`
`Matsuhira ‘211 does not explicitly disclose that the predetermined pattern has more than
`
`39 dots and at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column.
`
`Although Matsuhira ‘2ll illustrates in figure 2 five dots of adhesive being applied, the
`
`figures are only considered illustrative and Matsuhira ‘211 provides no explicit or implied
`
`benefit by using exactly five dots. Figures 13 and 14 show the use of more than five dots.
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`Paragraph 39 also states that the adhesive is applied in an amount that is in respect to the area of
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`the bonding surface. Figure 14 shows the adhesive being applied in three rows with l, 2, or 3
`
`dots of adhesive per column.
`
`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211 before him or her, to apply the adhesive to
`
`the display panel or the transparent substrate in a predetermined pattern having more than 39
`
`dots and at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column because as the size of the
`
`display bonding surface increases, in order for the adhesive to be applied in the amounts
`
`disclosed in paragraph 39, the number of dots will have to increase as well. Therefore, in order
`
`to produce large screen display device, the number of adhesive dots will have to increase and for
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`displays of a certain size it would be obvious that this amount would be greater than 39 dots.
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`Extrapolating the lay out shown in figure 14 for a large device would similarly produce a method
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`with at least seven dots per row and at least five dots per column.
`
`Also, the Examiner contends that it would have been an obvious matter of design choice
`
`to have the predetermined pattern of adhesive having more than 39 dots and at least seven dots
`
`per row and at least five dots per column since the Applicant has not adequately disclosed any
`
`testing or analytical data which establishes criticality for these modifications, or recites any
`
`specific advantage the invention benefits from over the prior art from this modification. The
`
`specification never recites an advantage for the exact configuration the claim currently recites.
`
`Matsuhira “211 does not explicitly disclose that the application of the adhesive is carried
`
`out by means of a screen printing or any other particular method. Matsuhira “211 only recites
`
`that the adhesive is formed in a pattern (paragraph 41).
`
`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira “211 before him or her, to form the adhesive
`
`pattern of Matsuhira “211 via a screen printing method because screen printing is well known in
`
`the art as a quick way to apply a substance in a pattern and one of ordinary skill in the art would
`
`find it obvious to try screen printing due to the finite number of known methods for applying
`
`adhesive.
`
`Matsuhira teaches that not explicitly disclose that in the bonding step, in the condition in
`
`which the adhesive applied in the applying step is spreading, and the maximum size of the air
`
`bubbles is 0.5 mm or less, the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded together by
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`

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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`means of the adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure
`
`when the air bubbles surrounded by three or four dots remaining.
`
`Matsuhira teaches in paragraph 8 that one intended problem to be solved is the reduction
`
`of the visibility of air bubbles. When the air bubbles are surrounded by the three or four dots of
`
`adhesive that is remaining, one of ordinary skill in the art would realize that at this time the
`
`visibility of air bubbles has been significantly reduced and the display panel and substrate can be
`
`fully bonded together for the reasons discussed above.
`
`Matsuhira ‘211 also does not explicitly disclose that in the applying step, a viscosity of
`
`the adhesive being more than 5000 mPa s and 15000 mPa s or less. Matsuhira ‘211 states that a
`
`preferred viscosity of the adhesive is 2000 to 3000 cP (2000 to 3000 mPa s).
`
`Matsuhira ‘896 discloses a method of manufacturing a display unit wherein the adhesive
`
`used between a transparent substrate (transparent touch switch 4, COL. 3, LINE 63) and the
`
`display (display 11, COL. 3, LINE 65) has a viscosity of 1000 to 20000 cp (1000 to 20000 mPa
`
`s), particularly, a viscosity of 1000 to 6000 cp (1000 to 6000 mPa s, COL. 4, LINES 33—34 and
`
`49—54).
`
`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211 and Matsuhira ‘896 before him or her, to
`
`form the adhesive with a viscosity of 5000 to 15000 mPa s (1000 to 6000 cp COL. 4, LINES 33—
`
`34) as taught by Matsuhira ‘896 because the viscosity will be low enough to allow the adhesive
`
`to fully expand between the two substrates (COL. 4, LINE 50—52) before curing and high enough
`
`so that it can be formed into a pattern that will reduce air bubble presence (paragraph 35 of
`
`Matsuhira ‘21 l).
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`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 10
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`Matsuhira ‘211 in view of Matsuhira ‘896 do not explicitly disclose that the display panel
`
`and the transparent substrate are bonded together by means of the adhesive under a reduced
`
`pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure.
`
`Yu teaches a method for manufacturing an electronic display device wherein two
`
`substrates are adhered together by means of the adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere
`
`lower than the atmospheric pressure (joining of the substrates is performed under vacuum or a
`
`pressure lower than atmospheric pressure, paragraph 70).
`
`At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
`
`art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘21 l, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or her, to modify
`
`the method of manufacturing so that the two substrates are adhered together by means of the
`
`adhesive under a reduced pressure atmosphere lower than the atmospheric pressure as taught by
`
`Yu in order to reduce the likelihood that bubbles will form and become trapped (paragraph 70).
`
`In regard to claim 2, Matsuhira ‘21 l, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the time from the adhesive application finishing
`
`point in the applying step until the bonding starting point in the bonding step is 30 seconds or
`
`more and 60 seconds or less (filling takes about 60 seconds, paragraph 42).
`
`In regard to claim 3, Matsuhira ‘21 l, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the predetermined pattern of the adhesive is a
`
`pattern of a plurality of dots (dot pattern, paragraph 41).
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`Page 11
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`In regard to claim 4, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 3 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the pattern of the plurality of dots is a pattern of
`
`staggered dots (shown in figure 2).
`
`In regard to claim 5, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the predetermined pattern of the adhesive is a grid
`
`pattern (adhesive applied in a manner that connects the spots of applied adhesive linearly,
`
`paragraph 34).
`
`In regard to claim 6, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 1 and Yu also teaches that in the bonding step, a vacuum is 1 to 50 Torr (pressure in range
`
`of 0.1 mTorr to 10 Torr, paragraph 70). The motivation to combine is the same as discussed in
`
`regard to claim 1.
`
`In regard to claim 7, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 1 and Yu also teaches that in the bonding step, the display panel and the transparent
`
`substrate are bonded together by means of the adhesive while the display panel is being bent in
`
`such a way as to be convex on a surface to be bonded (substrate 200 is curvable with contact
`
`point in the center, paragraph 71).
`
`At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
`
`art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or her, to modify
`
`the method of manufacturing so that the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded
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`

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`Art Unit: 2889
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`together by means of the adhesive while the display panel is being bent in such a way as to be
`
`convex on a surface to be bonded as taught by Yu because when joining substrates in this
`
`manner, gas and excess adhesive are forced from between the substrates and reduce the
`
`likelihood of bubbles or voids (paragraph 71).
`
`In regard to claim 8, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 7 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the display panel has a first substrate, and a
`
`second substrate disposed facing the first substrate (glass substrate 4, glass substrate 5, figure 4,
`
`paragraph 40).
`
`Matsuhira ‘211 does not explicitly disclose that a sum of a thickness of the first substrate
`
`and a thickness of the second substrate is 0.6 mm or less. Matsuhira gives a specific
`
`embodiment of the invention where the display has a total thickness of 1.3 mm. Matsuhira ‘211
`
`does not specify that the adhesion method will only apply to a display substrate with a particular
`
`thickness.
`
`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or
`
`her, to modify the sum of thicknesses of the first substrate and second substrate of the display
`
`panel to be 0.6 mm or less because the thinner display is more desirable in a commercial market
`
`and a thinner display will have a reduced resistance to deformation and Yu teaches the bending
`
`of the display substrate during bonding to reduce the likelihood of air bubbles being formed
`
`(paragraph 71).
`
`

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`Page 13
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`In regard to claim 9, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 7 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that in the curing step, the adhesive is cured using
`
`ultraviolet light (adhesive is cured by irradiation with ultraviolet rays, paragraph 44).
`
`Matsuhira ‘211 does not explicitly disclose the curing of the adhesive by both heat and
`
`the ultraviolet light.
`
`Yu teaches the bonding of two substrates together in a display device where the adhesive
`
`is cured by UV radiation, heat, or a combination of the two (paragraph 72).
`
`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or
`
`her, to cure the adhesive by using both heat and ultraviolet light as taught by Yu because Yu has
`
`established the equivalency of UV radiation, heat, and the combination of both in curing
`
`adhesives for display devices and the selection of a known equivalent for an expected result
`
`would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`In regard to claim 10, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 9 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses a light shield is included in one portion of the
`
`transparent substrate (transparent cover plate comprises electromagnetic shield formed in grid—
`
`like pattern, paragraph 7).
`
`In regard to claim 11, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
`
`claim 9 but none specifically disclose that the heat is of 50 to 80°C.
`
`

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`Page 14
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`However, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or her, to
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`cure the adhesive with a temperature of 50 to 80°C because the heat is not the lone component to
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`the curing process and the UV radiation will fully cure the adhesive when a temperature of 50 to
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`80°C would not be enough. A low heat temperature, particularly one of 50 to 80°C, one of
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`ordinary skill in the art would find without undue experimentation to be suitable to cure an
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`acrylic adhesive while minimizing the risk of damaging delicate electronic components due to
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`exposure to excessive levels of heat.
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`In regard to claim 12, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
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`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the transparent substrate contains one or more of
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`glass, an acrylic resin, and a polycarbonate resin (Employed for the transparent cover plate is an
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`acrylic, polycarbonate or other transparent plastic material, or glass, paragraph 7).
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`In regard to claim 13, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
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`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also discloses that the adhesive contains an acrylic resin or an epoxy
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`resin (Employed for the transparent cover plate is an acrylic, polycarbonate or other transparent
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`plastic material, or glass, paragraph 7).
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`In regard to claim 14, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
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`claim 1.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 15
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`Matsuhira ‘211 does not explicitly state that in the bonding step and the curing step, in a
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`condition in which the display panel and the transparent substrate are bonded together, each of
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`the display panel and the transparent substrate is fixed into position with a jig.
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`Matsuhira ‘211 does state that the substrate are preferably brought into contact at a rate of
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`about 20 m/sec (paragraph 38).
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`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
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`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘21 l, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu before him or
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`her, to fiX each of the display panel and the transparent substrate into position with a jig during
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`the bonding and curing step with a jig, in order to accurately align each substrate and to be able
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`to bring the substrates into contact at the rate taught by Matsuhira ‘211 so that a collision
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`between the adhesive and the bonding surface can be minimized and reduce the formation of air
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`bubbles (paragraph 41).
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`In regard to claim 16, Matsuhira ‘21 l, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
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`claim 1 and Matsuhira '211 also discloses that the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel
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`(liquid crystal display 3, paragraph 39).
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`Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over WO 2007/063751
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`to Matsuhira in view of US. Patent 6,204,896 B1 to Matsuhira et a1. further in view of US. PG
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`Publication 2006/0137901 A1 to Yu et a1 as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of US.
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`PG Publication 2003/0096086 A1 to Matsumoto et a1.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 16
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`US. PG Publication 2009/0283211 A1 to Matsuhira is the US. counter—part of WO
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`2007/063751 and used for translation purposes.
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`In regard to claim 15, Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, and Yu teach the limitations of
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`claim 1 and Matsuhira ‘211 also teaches that the elastic modulus of the cured adhesive is
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`1,600,000 Pa (paragraph 39). Matsuhira ‘211 does not give a range of acceptable values or a
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`temperature at which this specific modulus was calculated.
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`Matsumoto teaches a manufacturing method of a display panel wherein the adhesive that
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`holds two substrates together has a modulus of elasticity at room temperature set in the range
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`from 104 to 109 Pa.
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`Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary
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`skill in the art, having the teachings of Matsuhira ‘211, Matsuhira ‘896, Yu, and Matsumoto
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`before him or her, to have the elastic modulus of the adhesive after being cured be 1,000 to
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`250,000 Pa at 25°C as taught by Matsumoto because a coefficient too low cannot produce
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`enough bond strength and the two substrates tend to peel whereas a coefficient too high will
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`make it difficult to bond the substrates together due to the adhesive being too hard (paragraph
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`27).
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`Conclusion
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`Applicant's amendment on 6/22/2012 necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection
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`presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 17
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`Art Unit: 2889
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR l.l36(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed Within TWO
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`MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after
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`the end of the THREE—MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period
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`Will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37
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`CFR l.l36(a) Will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event,
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`however, Will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this
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`final action.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to ZACHARY J. SNYDER Whose telephone number is (571)270—
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`5291. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday, 9:30AM to 6PM.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Anh Mai can be reached on (571)—272—1995. The fax phone number for the
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`organization Where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571—273—8300.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/320,589
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`Page 18
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`Art Unit: 2889
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