DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission(s) filed on 12/11/2025 and 01/21/2026 has been entered.
Response to Remarks
1. Applicant’s remarks (see pgs. 7-8), filed 12/11/2025, regarding the prior art rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C 102 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant appears to make arguments that “the second optical element 3 of Farcella does not include curved second portions opposing each other in the second direction, as the second optical element 3 has four linear sides”, directed to newly amended claim 1 limitation. However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees and notes that FIG. 2 (annotated and reproduced below) of Farcella clearly depict the coupling element 3 comprising linear first portions “LP” opposing each other in the first direction and curved second portions “CP” opposing each other in the second direction, wherein the coupling member 3 coupled to the lens barrel 24+26, disposed on one side of the lens 1 and configured to fix the lens 1 to the lens barrel (c. 2 ¶3-5: second optical element 3 [coupling member] includes extensions 8 extending away from optical axis 40 which have a thickness in the axial direction designed to properly space the elements. Axially directed pins 11 and 13 are molded into extensions 8… two clips 10 are used to secure the optical elements together with the hole 12 in each clip fitting over one of pins 11 and 13, respectively; c. 3 ¶2: a housing 24 with a support structure 26 that is fixed to element 3; see FIG. 3 of Farcella). Thus, Applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive and Examiner maintains that the limitation directed to the portions of the coupling member are disclosed by Farcella, as stated previously and further below.
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2. Applicant’s remaining remarks regarding the prior art rejection of the claims, namely directed to the newly amended limitation of “the step” (pgs. 7-9 of Remarks filed 12/11/2025) have been fully considered but are moot upon further consideration because the new grounds of rejection in light of 35 U.S.C. 112 (a)-(b) are necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments (on 12/11/2025), as detailed further below.
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, a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s) 1, 16 and 19. No new matter should be entered.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—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 or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-11, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 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 or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 16 and 19 contain 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 inventors, at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The replacement claims submitted 12/11/2025 were not filed with the original disclosure filed on 12/29/2021 and are therefore examined for new matter, see MPEP 608.04(b) and 714.01(e). Claims 1 and 16 limitation “wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction” amounts to prohibited new matter. Specifically, the limitation lacks support in the original specification and claims submitted 12/29/2021 because all embodiments corresponding to FIGS. 1-9 fail to disclose and/or depict any details directed to “a step” as recited in claims 1 and 16 (See also corresponding Drawings objection directed to said limitation). Applicant’s Remarks (see pgs. 7-9 filed 12/11/2025) appear to be completely silent with regard to any support in the disclosure for the newly amended limitation of “a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction”.
Claims 2-11 fail to cure the deficiencies of the rejected base claims. Therefore, claims 1-11, 16 and 19 fail to comply with the written description requirement and are rejected under 35 USC 112(a).
The Examiner respectfully suggests that the claims be amended to recite limitations that are supported by the originally-filed specification.
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.
Claims 1-11, 16 and 19 are 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.
Claims 1, 16 and 19 recites the limitation: “wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction”. It is unclear what is meant by a step being formed on a surface of the first portion and a surface on the second portion, i.e., where on the surface(s) is this step located and/or formed? There appears to be no reference frame or context whereby one could envisage the positional relationship between such a step and the other structures as recited. Furthermore, the limitation states that the step is formed “in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction”, which appears to be subjective terminology since the object side direction itself is not sufficiently defined and the optical axis direction is also not sufficiently defined. It is also unclear in what manner ‘the object side direction’ can be “of an optical axis direction”. The as-filed specification appears to be silent with regard to ‘a step’ as claimed, thereby failing to elucidate the recited positional relationships. See also MPEP § 2173.05(b), Section II, citing Ex parte Miyazaki, 89 USPQ2d 1207 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 2008) (precedential) and Ex parte Brummer, 12 USPQ2d 1653 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1989). For the purposes of examination, the limitation will be treated as inherent.
Claims 2-11 inherit the deficiencies of Claim 1, and are thus rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
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.
Claims 1-2, 5 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Farcella et al. (US 5,680,260 A).
Regarding Claim 1, as best understood, Farcella discloses: A lens module (¶0047: a lens device 20), comprising:
A. a lens barrel (c. 3 ¶2: housing 24 with a support structure 26); a lens accommodated in the lens barrel and in contact with the lens barrel (c. 2 ¶3: lens element 1; see FIG. 3 showing contact between lens 1 accommodated in barrel 24+26); and
B. a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel, disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel (FIG 2: 3+10; c. 2 ¶3-5: second optical element 3 [coupling member] includes extensions 8 extending away from optical axis 40 which have a thickness in the axial direction designed to properly space the elements. Axially directed pins 11 and 13 are molded into extensions 8… two clips 10 are used to secure the optical elements together with the hole 12 in each clip fitting over one of pins 11 and 13, respectively; c. 3 ¶2: a housing 24 with a support structure 26 that is fixed to element 3 [coupling]),
C. wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction (c. 3 ¶3: The elements 1 and 3 are shown as rectangular in general shape; see e.g., FIG. 1 showing a width of the rectangular-shaped lens 1 in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis 40 is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction), and
D. wherein the lens barrel is disposed to at least partially expose the coupling member in the first direction and to at least partially overlap the coupling member in the second direction (see e.g., FIG. 3 showing the lens barrel 24 disposed to at least partially expose the coupling member 3+10 in the first direction and to at least partially overlap the coupling member (see portion 26 of 24) in the second direction);
E. wherein the coupling member contacts a surface of the lens barrel that faces a direction parallel to the optical axis and extends along a direction that intersects the optical axis (¶0055: the second carrier 233 further includes four connecting elements 233e extended beyond the edges of the side walls 233a…the lower end of the axial elastomer 25 is welded to the base 21 [lens barrel] while the upper end of the axial elastomer 25 [coupling member contact portion] is connected to the connecting element 233e; see e.g., FIG. 3 showing coupling member portion 3 contacting the lens barrel 24 that faces a direction parallel to the optical axis 40 and extends along a direction that intersects the optical axis (see extended portion 26 of 24)).
F. wherein the coupling member comprises first portions corresponding to the linear portions and second portions corresponding to the curved portions (c. 3 ¶3; see FIGS. 1-2 showing coupling member 3 comprises first portions corresponding to the linear portions of 1 and second portions corresponding to the curved portions of 1).
G. wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction (see FIG. 2 annotated and reproduced below, showing formation of step between first and second portion of coupling member 3 in an object side direction of optical axis direction)
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Regarding Claim 2, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella further discloses: wherein a width of the coupling member in the first direction is the same or substantially the same as a width of the lens barrel in the first direction (see FIG. 3).
Regarding Claim 5, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella further discloses: wherein the first portion has a width of the coupling member in the first direction and the second portion has a width of the coupling member in the second direction, and wherein the first portion is at least partially exposed in the first direction, and the second portion at least partially overlaps the lens barrel in the second direction (c. 2; see e.g., FIG.2 showing first portion having a width of the coupling member in the first direction and a second portion having a width of the coupling member in the second direction; see FIG. 3 showing the first portion is at least partially exposed in the first direction, and the second portion at least partially overlaps the lens barrel 24 in the second direction).
Regarding Claim 19, as best understood, Farcella discloses: A lens module, comprising: a lens barrel; a lens accommodated in the lens barrel; and a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel, disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel, wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction, and wherein the lens barrel is disposed to at least partially expose the coupling member in the first direction and to at least partially overlap the coupling member in the second direction, wherein the coupling member contacts a surface of the lens barrel that extends along a direction that intersects the optical axis, and wherein each of the first portions of the coupling member is in contact with the lens barrel in a direction parallel to the optical axis; and wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction (see rejection of claim 1 supra), the lens comprising linear portions opposing each other in the first direction and curved portions opposing each other in the second direction, wherein the coupling member comprises first portions corresponding to the linear portions and second portions corresponding to the curved portions (c. 3 ¶3; see FIGS. 1-2 showing coupling member 3 comprises first portions corresponding to the linear portions of 1 and second portions corresponding to the curved portions of 1), and each of the second portions of the coupling member is in contact with the lens barrel in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (see FIG. 3 showing second portions (on other side of portion 8) of the coupling member 3 is in contact with the lens barrel 26 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis 40).
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.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farcella et al. (US 5,680,260 A).
Regarding Claim 8, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the lens comprises linear portions opposing each other in the first direction and curved portions opposing each other in the second direction.
However, it has been held that where a mere rearrangement of parts without modification of the operation of the device is disclosed in the prior art, a prima facie case of obviousness has been established. See MPEP § 2144.04, Section VI, citing In re Japikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950), wherein the court upheld that claims to a hydraulic power press which read on the prior art except with regard to the position of the starting switch were held unpatentable because shifting the position of the starting switch would not have modified the operation of the device.) See also In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975).
In the present case, Farcella discloses a lens comprising linear portions opposing each other in the second direction and curved portions opposing each other in the first direction (FIG. 1:1; c. 3 ¶3; see FIG. 1 showing lens 1 comprises linear portions opposing each other in the second direction and curved portions opposing each other in the first direction).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to slightly rearrange Farcella’s lens system by rotating the optical system by 90 ° to satisfy the claimed condition of the lens possessing linear portions opposing each other in the first direction and curved portions opposing each other in the second direction, since a prima facie case of obviousness exists where a mere rearrangement of an element involves only routine skill in the art as a matter of design choice.
Regarding Claim 9, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 8, as above. Farcella further discloses: wherein each of the first portions of the coupling member is in contact with the lens barrel in the direction parallel to the optical axis, and each of the second portions of the coupling member is in contact with the lens barrel in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (c. 3 ¶3; see FIG. 3 showing second portions (on other side of portion 8) of the coupling member 3 is in contact with the lens barrel 26 in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis 40).
Claims 3-4, 6-7, 10-11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farcella et al. (US 5,680,260 A) in view of Yang et al. (US 2019/0174032 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose the limitation recited in claim 3.
Yang is related to Farcella with respect to an analogous lens module comprising a lens barrel (FIG. 2: 180; ¶0053: housing 180), a lens accommodated in the lens barrel (FIG. 4: L1-L6; ¶0054); a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel (FIG. 3: 110; ¶0057: lens barrel 110), disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel (¶0054: inside the lens barrel 110, a plurality of lenses are sequentially stacked from an object side to an image side, and the lenses may be fixed to the lens barrel 110), wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction (see FIG. 6 showing first and second directions; ¶0060: two lenses L5 to L6 on the image side are each D-cut lenses including straight line portions L5-3 or L6-3 on their respective rims; ¶0014-15: long and short side of D-cut lens), and Yang teaches: wherein the lens barrel comprises a first recess at least partially defined by a surface recessed from an object-side end surface of the lens barrel toward an image-side, and the first recess is configured to partially accommodate the coupling member (see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below, showing first recess of lens barrel 180 partially defined by a surface recessed from an object-side end surface of the lens barrel toward an image-side (longer arrow), and the first recess is configured to partially accommodate the coupling member 110 (shorter arrow portion of recess)).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a lens barrel is utilized for efficiency of arrangement to remove any unnecessary spaces of the lens barrel, thereby resulting in miniaturization of the camera module and reduction of the flare and ghost phenomenon, as taught in paragraphs ¶0057-58, 0063, 0066-67 of Yang.
Regarding Claim 4, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose the limitation recited in claim 4.
Yang is related to Farcella with respect to an analogous lens module comprising a lens barrel (FIG. 2: 180; ¶0053: housing 180), a lens accommodated in the lens barrel (FIG. 4: L1-L6; ¶0054); a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel (FIG. 3: 110; ¶0057: lens barrel 110), disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel (¶0054: inside the lens barrel 110, a plurality of lenses are sequentially stacked from an object side to an image side, and the lenses may be fixed to the lens barrel 110), wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction (see FIG. 6 showing first and second directions; ¶0060: two lenses L5 to L6 on the image side are each D-cut lenses including straight line portions L5-3 or L6-3 on their respective rims; ¶0014-15: long and short side of D-cut lens), and Yang teaches: wherein the lens barrel comprises a first side portion defining a width of the lens barrel in the first direction and a second side portion defining a width of the lens barrel in the second direction (see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below, showing a first side portion “SP1” defining a width of the lens barrel 180 in the first direction d1 and a second side portion 181+182 defining a width of the lens barrel in the second direction d2), and wherein the first side portion includes a first recess configured to at least partially expose the coupling member in the first direction (see FIG. 1 showing first recess “R1” configured to at least partially expose the coupling member 110 in the first direction; see also FIG. 3), and the second side portion overlaps the coupling member in the second direction (see FIG. 3, showing second side portion overlapping the coupling member 110 in the second direction d2).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a lens barrel is utilized to remove any unnecessary spaces of the lens barrel, thereby resulting in miniaturization of the camera module, as taught in paragraphs ¶0057-58, 0063 of Yang.
Regarding Claim 6, Yang discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 1, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose the limitation recited in claim 6.
Yang is related to Farcella with respect to an analogous lens module comprising a lens barrel (FIG. 2: 180; ¶0053: housing 180), a lens accommodated in the lens barrel (FIG. 4: L1-L6; ¶0054); a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel (FIG. 3: 110; ¶0057: lens barrel 110), disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel (¶0054: inside the lens barrel 110, a plurality of lenses are sequentially stacked from an object side to an image side, and the lenses may be fixed to the lens barrel 110), wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction (see FIG. 6 showing first and second directions; ¶0060: two lenses L5 to L6 on the image side are each D-cut lenses including straight line portions L5-3 or L6-3 on their respective rims; ¶0014-15: long and short side of D-cut lens), and Yang teaches: wherein, when the coupling member and the lens barrel are coupled to each other (see FIGS. 1-3 showing coupling member 110 coupled to lens barrel 180; ¶0054), the coupling member or the lens barrel is configured to define a groove connecting to a coupling surface between the lens barrel and the coupling member (see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below on left, showing coupling surface; see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below on right, showing lens barrel 180 with groove defined therein).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a coupling member is utilized to remove any unnecessary spaces of the lens barrel, thereby resulting in miniaturization of the camera module, as taught in paragraphs ¶0057-58, 0063 of Yang.
Regarding Claim 7, Farcella-Yang discloses the lens module according to Claim 6, as above. Farcella further discloses: further comprising: an adhesive member disposed in the groove (c. 3 ¶2: a housing 24 with a support structure 26 that is fixed to element 3 by adhesive).
Regarding Claim 10, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 9, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose the limitation recited in claim 10.
Yang is related to Farcella and Yang further discloses: wherein the lens barrel comprises first recesses at least partially defined by surfaces recessed from object-side end surfaces of the lens barrel toward an image-side (see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below, showing first recesses (dotted arrow) from object toward image side), and each of the first recesses is configured to accommodate at least a portion of one of the first portions of the coupling member (see FIG. 3 below, showing first recesses configured to accommodate at least a portion of one of the first portions P1 of the coupling member).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a coupling member and lens barrel is utilized to remove any unnecessary spaces of the lens barrel, thereby resulting in miniaturization of the camera module, as taught in paragraphs ¶0057-58, 0063 of Yang.
Regarding Claim 11, Farcella discloses the lens module according to Claim 9, as above. Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose the limitation recited in claim 11.
Yang is related to Farcella (see claim 6 supra) and Yang teaches: wherein each of the second portions includes a second recess at least partially defined by a surface recessed from an object-side end surface of the respective second portion toward an image-side (see FIG. 3 annotated and reproduced below on left, showing second portions including a recess “R2” partially defined by a surface recessed from an object-side end surface of the respective second portion toward an image-side; see also FIG. 2 annotated and reproduced below on right, showing R2 from different perspective defined by said recessed surface).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such a coupling member is utilized to remove any unnecessary spaces of the lens barrel, thereby resulting in miniaturization of the camera module, as taught in paragraphs ¶0057-58, 0063 of Yang.
Regarding Claim 16, as best understood, Farcella discloses: A camera module (c. 1 ¶3: camera), comprising: an optical path changing member configured to change a traveling direction of light (c. 2: prism portion of optical element 3); a lens module disposed on one side of the optical path changing member and configured to move in an optical axis direction (FIG. 3); wherein the lens module comprises: a lens barrel; a lens accommodated in the lens barrel and in contact with the lens barrel; and a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel, disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel, wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction, wherein the lens barrel is disposed to at least partially expose the coupling member in the first direction and to at least partially overlap the coupling member in the second direction, and wherein the coupling member contacts a surface of the lens barrel that faces a direction parallel to the optical axis and extends along a direction that intersects the optical axis; wherein the coupling member comprises linear first portions opposing each other in the first direction and curved second portions opposing each other in the second direction; wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction (see rejection of claim 1 supra). Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose an image sensor.
Yang is related to Farcella with respect to an analogous lens module comprising a lens barrel (FIG. 2: 180; ¶0053: housing 180), a lens accommodated in the lens barrel (FIG. 4: L1-L6; ¶0054); a coupling member coupled to the lens barrel (FIG. 3: 110; ¶0057: lens barrel 110), disposed on one side of the lens and configured to fix the lens to the lens barrel (¶0054: inside the lens barrel 110, a plurality of lenses are sequentially stacked from an object side to an image side, and the lenses may be fixed to the lens barrel 110), wherein a width of the lens in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis is smaller than a width of the lens in a second direction perpendicular to the optical axis and intersecting the first direction (see FIG. 6 showing first and second directions; ¶0060: two lenses L5 to L6 on the image side are each D-cut lenses including straight line portions L5-3 or L6-3 on their respective rims; ¶0014-15: long and short side of D-cut lens), and Yang teaches: an image sensor (FIGS. 2-3: 150; ¶0053: image sensor 150).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Farcella’s lens module in view of Yang to satisfy the claimed condition, because such an image sensor is utilized for imaging light passing through the plurality of lenses, and providing the beneficial result of reducing flare and ghost phenomenon, as taught in paragraphs ¶0028, 0071 of Yang.
Farcella does not appear to explicitly disclose: wherein a surface of the first portion and a surface of the second portion form a step in an object-side direction of an optical axis direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMANVITHA SRIDHAR whose telephone number is (571)270-0082. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 930-1800 (EST).
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/SAMANVITHA SRIDHAR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872