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 .
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) filed on 1/29/2026 and 4/29/2026 have been acknowledged and considered by the examiner. Initialed copies of supplied IDS(s) forms are included in this correspondence.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments filed 1/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s assertion that Lee does not teach that the bobbin moves in the optical axis direction due to an interaction between the magnet and the coil, examiner respectfully disagrees. In particular, Lee’s abstract teaches that the bobbin is moved in a first direction parallel to an optical axis within the housing via electromagnetic interaction between the driving magnet and the coil (Lee Abstract, see also para. 0126). Therefore, Lee does teach that the bobbin moves in an optical-axis direction by an interaction between the magnet and the coil.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 11, 13, 16, 22, 25-26, 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et. al US 20150309282 (hereinafter “Lee” of record) in view of Liu et. al US 20200366157 (hereinafter “Liu”) and Wu et. al US 20080175578 (hereinafter “Wu” of record).
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches a lens moving apparatus comprising:
a cover member (Lee fig. 1 - 300) comprising an upper plate and a side plate connected to the upper plate (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below);
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a housing (Lee fig. 2 - 140) disposed in the cover member (300);
a bobbin (Lee figs. 11-12 - 110) disposed in the housing (140, see also Lee fig. 2);
an upper elastic member (Lee fig. 2 - 150) comprising a first inner frame (Lee fig. 4 and 9 - 151) coupled to an upper portion of the bobbin (Lee para. 0090), a first outer frame (Lee figs. 4 and 9 - 152) coupled to an upper portion of the housing (Lee para. 0090), and a first frame connection portion (Lee figs. 3A-3B and 9 - 153) connecting the first inner frame (151) and the first outer frame (Lee para. 0090);
a coil (Lee fig. 2 and 11 - 120) coupled to the bobbin (110);
a magnet (Lee fig. 2 - 130, 131, 132) disposed on the housing (Lee fig. 5, see also para. 0053), the magnet being opposite to the coil (Lee fig. 2);
a base (Lee fig. 2 - 210) disposed under the bobbin (110); and
a first buffer (Lee fig. 18 - 410 and 420) disposed on the bobbin (Lee para. 0163) corresponding to or opposite to the upper plate of the cover member,
wherein the bobbin (110) is configured to move in an optical-axis direction by an interaction between the magnet (130, 131, 132) and the coil (Lee abstract, see also para. 0126),
wherein the bobbin (110) comprises an escape recess (Lee fig. 11 – 112, see also para. 0113-0114) provided in the upper surface of the bobbin (110) corresponding to the first frame connection portion (Lee para. 0113-0114),
wherein the escape recess (112) comprises a bottom surface located lower than the upper surface of the bobbin (110) and a side surface connecting the bottom surface and the upper surface of the bobbin (see annotated Lee fig. 11 below for the upper surface, bottom surface, and side surface),
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wherein the first buffer (410, 420) is not overlapped with the first frame connection portion (153) in an optical-axis direction (Lee fig. 22 – 420 is greyed out in the enlarged portion of the figure and shown to not overlap with 112 in the optical axis direction, which is the portion where 153 would be disposed, see also para. 0113), and spaced apart from the first frame connection portion (153, Lee fig. 22 – shows 420 spaced apart from 112, which is where 153 would be disposed, see also para. 0113).
Lee does not teach wherein the first buffer is spaced apart from the cover member and the housing in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing.
In the same field of endeavor, Liu teaches wherein the first buffer (Liu fig. 9 – 40’) is spaced apart from the cover member (Liu fig. 6 – 23 with inner surface 24, see also para. 0034, and fig. 9 – 24’ which is the inner surface of cover 23 as shown in fig. 6, where fig. 9 shows 40’ spaced apart from 24’ in the absence of shock) and the housing (Liu fig. 6 – 22 with an inner surface 25, and fig. 9 showing 40’ spaced apart from 25’ in the absence of shock) in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing (Liu fig. 9 – shows 40’ spaced apart from 24’ and 25’ in the absence of shock) for the purpose of avoiding a collision between the first surface and the first abutting surface (Liu para. 0043). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the first buffer is spaced apart from the cover member and the housing in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing as taught by Liu in the lens moving apparatus of Lee in order to avoid a collision between the first surface and the first abutting surface (Liu para. 0043).
Lee and Liu do not teach wherein the first buffer is disposed on the bottom surface of the escape recess so as to contact the side surface of the escape recess, however Lee does teach using dampers on the side edge of the escape recess (Lee fig. 18 – 410 disposed on the side edge of the escape recess).
In the same field of endeavor, Wu teaches wherein the first buffer (Wu fig. 4a-b - 62) is disposed on the bottom surface of the escape recess (Wu fig. 4a-b – 61, which has a bottom surface and side surface which connects the bottom surface of 61 to the upper surface of the movable mechanism 50, see also para. 0022) so as to contact the side surface of the escape recess (Wu fig. 4a-b – 62 fills the space 61 and therefore contacts the bottom and side surfaces of 61 as shown in the figures) for the purpose of absorbing jitters produced by the movable mechanism (Wu para. 0022). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the first buffer disposed on the bottom surface of the escape recess so as to contact the side surface of the escape recess as taught by Wu in the lens moving apparatus of Lee and Liu in order to absorb jitters produced by the movable mechanism (Wu para. 0022).
Regarding claim 13, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Lee further teaches wherein the bottom surface of the escape recess (112a) is provided with a recess (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below),
wherein the cover member (300) comprises a boss extending in a direction from the upper plate to the bobbin (see annotated Lee fig. 1 below), and
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wherein at least a part of the boss is disposed in the recess (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below, how the "bosses" line up with the recesses of 110 - see also fig. 1 compared to fig. 2, the length of the boss changes when the whole apparatus is assembled versus when it is not), and
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wherein a distance between a bottom of the recess and the at least a part of the boss in the optical-axis direction is equal to or less than (though never specifically shown or stated, based on annotated figures 1 and 2, this limitation appears to be met since the bosses of the cover member line up with specific recesses in the bobbin in figure 2 and the bosses appear shorter in figure 1 when the apparatus is fully assembled. One of ordinary skill in the art would know that having recesses without any excess room from the bottom of the boss would consume less space) a distance between the first buffer and the inner surface of the upper plate of the cover member in the optical-axis direction (the buffers are on the upper surface of the bobbin, which has the upper elastic member resting between it and the inside of the cover member, making this distance longer).
Regarding claim 16, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Lee further teaches wherein a stiffness of the first buffer (410) is less than a stiffness of the cover member (300) and a stiffness of the bobbin (Lee para. 0142-0143).
Regarding claim 22, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Lee further teaches wherein the cover member (300) comprises a boss extending in a direction from the upper plate to the bobbin (see annotated Lee fig. 1 below), and
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the first buffer is not overlapped with the boss of the cover member in the optical-axis direction (410 does not overlap with the above labeled boss of the cover member in the optical-axis direction).
Regarding claim 25, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, comprising:
a second buffer (Wu fig. 6a-b – 62, see also para. 0023-0024) disposed on the upper surface of the base (Wu para. 0023 - 62 may be mounted to the rear cover 26, see also figs. 6a-b); and
a lower elastic member (Lee fig. 2 – 160) comprising a second inner frame (Lee fig. 10 - 161) coupled to a lower portion of the bobbin (Lee para. 0099), a second outer frame (Lee fig. 10 - 162) coupled to a lower portion of the housing (Lee para. 0099), and a second frame connection portion (Lee fig. 10 - 163) connecting the second inner frame (161) and the second outer frame (Lee para. 0090),
wherein the second buffer (62) is not overlapped with the second frame connection portion (163) in the optical-axis direction (Wu’s 62 as referenced in Wu fig. 6a-b would not overlap with Lee’s 163).
Regarding claim 26, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Lee further teaches wherein the first buffer is made of rubber, silicone, foam rubber, polyacetal or polyoxymethylene, or urethane (Lee para. 0142-0143).
Regarding claim 31, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Lee further teaches wherein the cover member (300) comprises a boss extending in a direction from the upper plate to the bobbin (see annotated Lee fig. 1 below), and
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wherein a distance between the boss and the upper surface of the bobbin in the optical-axis direction is equal to or less than a distance between the first buffer and an inner surface of the upper plate of the cover member in the optical-axis direction (see annotated Lee fig. 1 above, can see in fig. 1 how the boss extends to and past the upper surface of the bobbin, making it closer than the buffers on the upper surface of the bobbin are - see fig. 18 for the buffer locations).
Claims 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Liu, and Wu as applied to claim 11 above, further in view of Park et. al US 20160209621 (hereinafter “Park” of record).
Regarding claim 17, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11, and Wu further teaches comprising a second buffer (Wu fig. 6a-b – 62, see also para. 0023-0024) disposed on the upper surface of the base (Wu para. 0023 - 62 may be mounted to the rear cover 26, see also figs. 6a-b).
Lee, Liu, and Wu do not specify a stopper provided on a lower surface of the bobbin, a second stopper provided on the upper surface of the base, and a distance between the two.
In the same field of endeavor, Park teaches wherein a first stopper is provided on a lower surface of the bobbin (Park para. 0139),
wherein a second stopper is provided on the upper surface of the base so as to correspond to or to be opposite to the first stopper in the optical-axis direction (Park para. 0139), and
wherein a distance between the first stopper and the second stopper in the optical-axis direction is equal to or less than a distance between the second buffer and the lower surface of the bobbin in the optical-axis direction (since the stoppers of Park are inserted into each other, they are closer to each other than the second buffer of Wu is to the lower surface of the bobbin, as shown in Wu figs. 6a-b) for the purpose of allowing the initial position of the bobbin to adhere to the base (Park para. 0139). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first stopper on the lower surface of the bobbin and a second stopper on an upper surface of the base in order to allow the initial position of the bobbin to adhere to the base (Park para. 0139).
Regarding claim 18, Lee, Liu, Wu, and Park teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 17, and both further teach wherein the upper surface of the base comprises a 1-1 surface and a 1-2 surface having a stair formed together with the 1-1 surface in the optical-axis direction, the 1-2 surface being located lower than the 1-1 surface (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below), and
wherein the second stopper (Park para. 0139) and the second buffer (Wu 62) are disposed on the 1-2 surface.
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Regarding claim 19, Lee, Liu, Wu, and Park teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 18, and both further teach wherein the upper surface of the base comprises a 1-3 surface connecting the 1-1 surface and the 1-2 surface (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below), and wherein the second buffer (Wu 62) contacts the 1-2 and 1-3 surfaces of the base (Wu fig. 6a-b – 62 contacts multiple surfaces of 26).
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Regarding claim 20, Lee, Liu, Wu, and Park teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 18.
Lee, Liu, Wu, and Park do not specify wherein the second buffer is spaced apart from the second stopper.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the second buffer is spaced apart from the second stopper, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller 220 F.2d 454, 456,105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Regarding claim 21, Lee, Liu, Wu, and Park teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 17, and Lee further teaches wherein a stiffness of the second buffer (Wu 62) is less than a stiffness of the base (210) and a stiffness of the bobbin (Lee para. 0142-0143; Wu para. 0023).
Claim 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et. al US 20150309282 (hereinafter “Lee” of record) in view of Liu et. al US 20200366157 (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claim 27, Lee teaches a lens moving apparatus comprising:
a cover member (Lee fig. 1 - 300) comprising an upper plate and a side plate connected to the upper plate (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below);
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a housing (Lee fig. 2 - 140) disposed in the cover member (300);
a bobbin (Lee figs. 11-12 - 110) disposed in the housing (140, see also Lee fig. 2);
an upper elastic member (Lee fig. 2 - 150) coupled to an upper portion of the bobbin (Lee fig. 4 – 150 is disposed such that protrusions 113 are visible, which are part of 110 as shown in fig. 11, see also para. 0090) and an upper portion of the housing (Lee para. 0090);
a coil (Lee fig. 2 and 11 - 120) coupled to the bobbin (110);
a magnet (Lee fig. 2 - 130) disposed on the housing (Lee fig. 5, see also para. 0053), the magnet being opposite to the coil (Lee fig. 2);
a base (Lee fig. 2 - 210) disposed under the bobbin (110); and
a buffer (Lee fig. 18 - 410 and 420) disposed on the bobbin (Lee para. 0163) corresponding to or opposite to an inner surface of the upper plate of the cover member (Lee fig. 20 – 410, 420 is located opposite to an inner surface of the upper plate of 300),
wherein the bobbin (110) is configured to move in an optical-axis direction by an interaction between the magnet (130, 131, 132) and the coil (Lee abstract, see also para. 0126),
wherein an upper surface of the bobbin (110) comprises;
a first surface (see annotated Lee fig. 11 below) coupled to the upper elastic member (Lee fig. 4 – 150 can be seen with protrusions 113 which are located on the upper surface of the bobbin 110 as shown in fig. 18);
a second surface (Lee fig. 11 - 112) being located lower than the first surface (see annotated Lee fig. 11 below), and
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a third surface connecting the first surface and the second surface (see annotated Lee fig. 11 above, the third surface is also the third surface that connects the first surface and the second surface);
wherein the bobbin (110) comprises a recess depressed from the second surface (see annotated Lee fig. 2 below),
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wherein the cover member (300) comprises a boss extending in a direction from the upper plate to the bobbin (see annotated Lee fig. 2 above and fig. 1 below for the boss), at least a part of the boss being disposed in the recess (see annotated Lee fig. 2 above with the bosses and corresponding recesses in the second surface labeled),
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wherein the buffer (410, 420) is disposed on the second surface (Lee fig. 20 – shows 420 disposed on 112), and
wherein a length of the buffer (Lee fig. 20 – 420 shown to encompass the whole of the protruding thickness of 112 and extend beyond it, and that part of 112 is shown in Lee fig. 16) in the optical-axis direction is equal to or greater than a length of the stair in the optical-axis direction.
Lee does not teach wherein the first buffer is spaced apart from the cover member and the housing in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing.
In the same field of endeavor, Liu teaches wherein the first buffer (Liu fig. 9 – 40’) is spaced apart from the cover member (Liu fig. 6 – 23 with inner surface 24, see also para. 0034, and fig. 9 – 24’ which is the inner surface of cover 23 as shown in fig. 6, where fig. 9 shows 40’ spaced apart from 24’ in the absence of shock) and the housing (Liu fig. 6 – 22 with an inner surface 25, and fig. 9 showing 40’ spaced apart from 25’ in the absence of shock) in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing (Liu fig. 9 – shows 40’ spaced apart from 24’ and 25’ in the absence of shock) for the purpose of avoiding a collision between the first surface and the first abutting surface (Liu para. 0043). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the first buffer is spaced apart from the cover member and the housing in the absence of shock so as not to contact the cover member and the housing as taught by Liu in the lens moving apparatus of Lee in order to avoid a collision between the first surface and the first abutting surface (Liu para. 0043).
Claim 32 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Liu, and Wu as applied to claim 11 above, further in view of Shin et. al US 20170052342 (hereinafter “Shin” of record).
Regarding claim 32, Lee, Liu, and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 11.
Lee, Liu, and Wu do not specify wherein an upper surface of the first buffer is positioned higher than the upper surface of the bobbin.
In the same field of endeavor, Shin teaches wherein an upper surface of the first buffer (Shin fig. 6 – 900, 900a) is positioned higher than the upper surface of the bobbin (Shin fig. 6 – 900, 900a have upper surfaces positioned higher than the surface of the bobbin) for the purpose of limiting movement of the bobbin (Shin para. 0150). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first buffer with a first surface positioned higher than the in order to limiting the movement of the bobbin (Shin para. 0150).
Claim 33 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee and Liu as applied to claim 27 above, further in view of Shin et. al US 20170052342 (hereinafter “Shin” of record).
Regarding claim 33, Lee and Wu teach the lens moving apparatus according to claim 27.
Lee and Wu do not specify wherein a upper surface of the buffer is positioned higher than the first surface of the bobbin.
In the same field of endeavor, Shin teaches wherein a upper surface of the buffer (Shin fig. 6 – 900, 900a) is positioned higher than the first surface of the bobbin (Shin fig. 6 – 900, 900a have upper surfaces positioned higher than the surface of the bobbin) for the purpose of limiting movement of the bobbin (Shin para. 0150). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a first buffer with a first surface positioned higher than the in order to limiting the movement of the bobbin (Shin para. 0150).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ELIZABETH M HALL whose telephone number is (703)756-5795. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5:30 pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached at (571)272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ELIZABETH M HALL/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/ZACHARY W WILKES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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