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.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 filed on 5/11/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1, 3, 6-7, 10, 48 as they pertain to the prior art have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection, as necessitated by amendment.
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, “when viewed along the primary axis, the one or more lowest points of the envelope of motion of the second part are at one or more corners thereof, and wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the flexible connector does not occupy the corners of the second part which define the lowest points of the envelope of motion for the second part” of claim 1 and “the image sensor is on the first face” of claim 6 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). 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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraphs 0379 and 0381 state that the first part is 5002 and the second part is 5004, then states that each part is 5003 in the same paragraphs.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1, 3, 6, 10, 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naito et. al US 20130156412 (hereinafter “Naito”) of record in view of Choi et. al US 20200218082 (hereinafter “Choi”).
Regarding claim 1, Naito teaches a camera assembly comprising:
a first part (Naito fig. 2 - 14);
a second part (Naito fig. 1-2 – 3 and 9, see also para. 0033-0035) tiltable with respect to the first part (Naito para. 0037), the second part (3, 9) including an image sensor (Naito para. 0032-0033 – 3 is provided with an imaging element) and a lens system (Naito para. 0032 – 3 is provided with a lens), wherein the lens system is above the image sensor with respect to a primary axis (Naito fig. 2 - L) passing through the image sensor (Naito fig. 2 – L passes through 3 and 9, on which the imaging element is disposed, see para. 0035);
a drive system (Naito fig. 2 – 5 including 18 and 19, see also para. 0038-0039) configured, in response to drive signals, to cause tilting of the second part (3, 9) with respect to the first part (14), wherein the tilting is about first and/or second axes which are not parallel and which are perpendicular to the primary axis (Naito para. 0039 – the swing operation is performed in the left and right direction by 18 and 19); and
one or more flexible connectors (Naito fig. 2 - 10) operatively connected to the second part (Naito fig. 2 – 10 connects to 9 which is attached to 3, see also para. 0035), wherein the one or more flexible connectors (10) are routed to pass between the second part (3, 9) and the first part (14; Naito fig. 2 – 10 lies between 9 and 14 below 3 which has the imaging element, see also para. 0035) below the image sensor (Naito para. 0035 - imaging element of 3 disposed on 9) with respect to the primary axis (L, Naito figs. 2-3 – shows 10 between 9 and 14 below 3 which has the imaging element, see also para. 0035);
wherein each flexible connector (10) is routed so as to pass, with respect to the primary axis (L), at least partly above one or more lowest points of an envelope of motion of the second part (3, 9) relative to the first part (14; Naito fig. 3 below demonstrates the swing motion of 3 – since 9 is attached to 3 as stated in para. 0035 and shown in fig. 2 provided below fig. 3, 9 would swing with 3, thus the bottom corner of 9 now defines the lowest point of an envelope of motion, which 10 is above as shown in fig. 2 – 10 connects to the center of 9, putting it above the lowest points of an envelope of motion, see also para. 0035-0037).
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Naito does not teach wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the one or more lowest points of the envelope of motion of the second part are at one or more corners thereof, and wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the flexible connector does not occupy the corners of the second part which define the lowest points of the envelope of motion for the second part, however Naito does show how 3 tilts in fig. 3.
In the same field of endeavor, Choi teaches when viewed along the primary axis (Choi fig. 12 – shows a primary axis view), wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the one or more lowest points of the envelope of motion of the second part (Choi fig. 11-13 – 20 including a primary axis view, see also Choi fig. 1-7 – 300 and Choi fig. 8-10 – 330 detailing similar tilting movements) are at one or more corners thereof (Choi fig. 13 – defines tilting of 20 and the lower corners connected to 73), and wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the flexible connector (Choi fig. 11-13 - 71) does not occupy the corners of the second part which define the lowest points of the envelope of motion for the second part (Choi fig. 11-13 – 71 does not occupy the corners of 20 which define the lowest points of the envelope of motion) for the purpose of showing support for the tilting motion of the lens module and adjust the focus (Choi fig. 11-13 – shows how 71 supports the tilting motion of 20, see also para. 0130). 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, when viewed along the primary axis, the one or more lowest points of the envelope of motion of the second part are at one or more corners thereof, and wherein, when viewed along the primary axis, the flexible connector does not occupy the corners of the second part which define the lowest points of the envelope of motion for the second part as taught by Choi in the camera assembly of Naito in order to show support for the tilting motion of the lens module and adjust the focus (Choi fig. 11-13 – shows how 71 supports the tilting motion of 20, see also para. 0130).
Regarding claim 3, Naito and Choi teach the camera assembly of claim 1, and Naito further teaches wherein, for at least a portion of each flexible connector (10), the normal(s) to a major surface of the flexible connector (10) are at an acute angle to the primary axis (L, see annotated Naito fig. 2 below, shows a normal to a major surface of the flexible connector forming an acute angle with L); and/or
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wherein, for at least a portion of each flexible connector, the flexible connector does not include a fold in which a normal to a major surface thereof is perpendicular to the primary axis; and
optionally, wherein the portion corresponds to the portion of the flexible connector in which the major surfaces thereof are not attached to any other part of the camera assembly.
Regarding claim 6, Naito and Choi teach the camera assembly of claim 1, and Naito further teaches wherein the second part (3, 9) comprises a first face (Naito fig. 2 – side of 9 which the imaging element of 3 connects to, see also para. 0035) and a second face (Naito fig. 2 – side of 9 which faces 11) opposite to the first face (Naito fig. 2), and wherein the image sensor is on the first face (Naito para. 0035);
wherein each flexible connector (10) extends from the second part (3, 9) in a first direction (Naito fig. 2 – 10 extends from 9 along X) and curves around to span across the second face in a second direction which is substantially opposite to the first direction (Naito fig. 2 – 10 extends from 9 along X moving toward the provided axis, then curves around to span across the second face as indicated in the annotated fig. below in a direction opposite to the labeled X direction).
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Regarding claim 10, Naito and Choi teach the camera assembly of claim 1, and Naito further teaches wherein each flexible connector (10) is connected to the first part (14) at a position outside the lateral extent of the second part (3, 9) when viewed along the primary axis (Naito fig. 2 – 10 connects to 14, 14b at a position outside the outer edges of the second part when viewed along the L axis); and/or wherein the lens system further comprises:
a lens carriage (Naito para. 0011 – 3 has at least one lens within it);
a lens arrangement comprising at least one lens (Naito abstract and para. 0011 – 3 has at least one lens); and
an autofocussing system (Naito para. 0034 – 3 may include a lens drive mechanism for autofocusing) mechanically coupling the lens arrangement and the lens carriages to move the lens arrangement relative to the sensor (Naito para. 0034 – the autofocusing drive mechanism would be located in 3 as described, therefore would be mechanically coupled to anything within 3).
Regarding claim 48, Naito and Choi teach the camera assembly of claim 1, and Naito further teaches wherein the second part (3, 9) is rectangular (Naito fig. 2 – the combination of 3 and 9 is rectangular).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naito and Choi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Howarth et. al US Patent 9,609,219 (hereinafter “Howarth”) of record.
Regarding claim 7, Naito and Choi teach the camera assembly of claim 1, and Naito further teaches comprising a plurality of flexure arms (Naito fig. 2 – 6 on either side of 3, see also para. 0032) and the flexible connector (10).
Naito and Choi do not teach each flexure arm providing or supporting at least one of the one or more flexible connectors.
In the same field of endeavor, Howarth teaches each flexure arm (Howarth fig. 2 – 51, 61) providing or supporting at least one of the one or more flexible connectors (Howarth fig. 2 – 51, 61 support 80, see also col. 8 lines 26-36) for the purpose of moving the camera lens relative to the support structure (Howarth col. 8 lines 32-36). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have each flexure arm providing or supporting at least one of the one or more flexible connectors as taught by Howarth in the camera assembly of Naito and Choi in order to move the camera lens relative to the support structure (Howarth col. 8 lines 32-36).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yanagisawa US 20170176767, teaches the tilting of a lens module similar to the instant application.
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/ELIZABETH M HALL/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/RICKY L MACK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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