Appeal No. 96-2305
Application No. 08/149,627
Notwithstanding the presence of the particulates 209 in the
gap, "the intermediate sheet 203 is inclined to be deformed
downwardly by a negative pressure to increase the dimension of
the gap" (specification, page 8). According to the admitted
prior art (specification, page 8), "even if the particulates
209 are sprayed at random so as to be present in the gap, they
float in the liquid crystal layer 208 and do not function
effectively."
The examiner mistakenly concludes (Answer, page 4) that
the particulates 209 in the admitted prior art are adhesive
spacers, but correctly concludes that they are not in a
pattern.
Kim discloses spacers 22 that are in a predetermined
pattern between the two substrates 10a and 10b of a matrix-
type liquid crystal display device (Figure 3 and column 2,
lines 56 through 68). The spacers 22 are sandwiched between
the black stripes 20 (or non-display regions) on one side of
the display and the thin-film transistors 14 on the other side
of the display. Kim never describes how the black stripes 20
and the spacers are "formed together" (column 4, lines 1
4
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