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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed to date have been considered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/12/2023 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to the applicants remarks that the amendments made to clarify that: the bobbin forms a second curved surface connected to the first surface instead of separately forming a curved surface connected to the first surface overcome the prior art after further consideration the examiner respectfully disagrees, while D1 does not expressly teach a curved surface as part of the bobbin, D2 does teach a second curved surface formed as part of the bobbin. As such the rejection has been restated below to include the newly amended limitations and any necessary changes.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
With regard to claim 1, the claim recites second protrusions, it is not clear or definite to phosita whether first protrusions are required. for purposes of examination (one or two) protrusions are presumed.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-7, 10 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsuruta (US 20110103782) herein after referred to as D1, and further in view of Lee (US 20150309282) herein after referred to as D2.
With regard to claim 1, D1 in view of D2 teach a driving mechanism for driving an optical element to move, in at least figures (1a-3b); comprising: a fixed part (210), having a main body (210) that forms a recess and a first curved surface (recess of 210 has curved corners); a movable part (1), movably connected to the fixed part (210) and holding the optical element (200); a bobbin (2610), joined in the recess (area inside the shell of 210) of the fixed part (210) and forming a second curved surface (best seen in Fig. 10, bobbin 2310 has curved corners) connected to the first curved surface (210), wherein the bobbin (2610) and the main body (210) do not overlap when viewed along an optical axis of the optical element (1083); and a driving assembly (5), driving the movable part (1) to move relative to the fixed part (210) and having a coil (30s) disposed on the bobbin.
However, D1 Does not expressly disclose wherein the bobbin forms a second curved surface; and two second protrusions, one of the second protrusions is closer to the second curved surface and larger than the other second protrusion.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches a lens apparatus, in at least figure 2, wherein the bobbin (110) forms a second curved surface (internal circular area of bobbin 110); and two second protrusions (144 and 149), one of the second protrusions (149) is closer to the second curved surface (corner 143) and larger than the other second protrusion (144).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention as taught by D1 with a bobbin including a curved internal surface along with multiple protrusions capable of being different sizes as taught by D2 for the purpose of better alignment of components and better purchase of the components once seated.
With regard to claim 3, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); further comprising a circuit unit (154), wherein the main body (210) is located between the coil (30s) and the circuit unit (154).
With regard to claim 4, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the main body (210) further forms an opening, and the coil (30s) is offset relative to the center of the opening.
With regard to claim 5, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the driving assembly (5) has a plurality of magnets (17) and coils (30s), the magnets are disposed on the movable part (1), and the coils are disposed on the main body (210) and the bobbin (2610).
With regard to claim 6, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 5, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the coils include a first coil (30s) and a second coil (30t), the main body (210) further forms a plurality of first protrusions (131a, 131b, 131c), and the bobbin (2610) forms a plurality of second protrusions (Fig. 9(b); element 2610 there appear to be 4 2610 bobbin parts) , wherein the first coil (30s) is wound around the first protrusions (131a, 131b, 131c), and the second coil (30t) is wound around the second protrusions (2610).
With regard to claim 7, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 does not expressly disclose a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the second protrusions have different sizes.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches wherein the bobbin forms two second protrusions (144 and 149), and one of the second protrusions (149) is closer to the second curved surface (corner 143) and larger than the other second protrusion (144).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention as taught by D1 with multiple protrusions capable of being different sizes, for the purpose of better alignment of components and better purchase once seated.
With regard to claim 10, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 5, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the second coil (figure 3b; 30t) protrudes from the second curved surface (coils 30s, and 30t, wrap around the entire structure).
With regard to claim 11, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 6, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b); wherein the main body further forms two first protruding portions (131a, 131b, 131c), wherein ends of the first coil (30s) are wounded around the first protruding portions (131a, 131b, 131c), wherein the first protruding portions (131a, 131b, 131c) have a first distance, and the first distance (distance between 131a and 131c) is greater.
However, D1 does not teach the bobbin further forms two second protruding portions, and ends of the second coil are wounded around the second protruding portions, two second protrusions, one of the second protrusions is closer to the second curved surface and larger than the other second protrusion. the second protruding portions have a second distance, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.
In a related endeavor, D2 teaches a bobbin (110), In at least figure 2; further forms two second protruding portions, and ends of the second coil (120) are wounded around the second protruding portions (144 and 149), two second protrusions (144 and 149), one of the second protrusions (149) is closer to the second curved surface (corner 143) and larger than the other second protrusion (144). the second protruding portions have a second distance (between 144 and 149) is lesser.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the invention as taught by D1 with a bobbin including a curved internal surface along with multiple protrusions capable of being different sizes and distances as taught by D2 for the purpose of better alignment of components and better purchase of the components once seated.
With regard to claim 12, D1 in view of D2 teach all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 2, wherein D1 further teaches a driving mechanism, in at least figures (1a-3b, and 9b); further comprising a circuit unit (154), wherein the main body (210) is located between the coil (30s) and the circuit unit (154A), the bobbin (2610) forms a hole, and the circuit unit has a substrate ([0041]) and a position sensor ([0041]) disposed on the substrate ([0041]), wherein the position sensor ([0041]) is received in the hole.
Conclusion
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 GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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