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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 17, 2026 has been entered.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is 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. More specifically, Claim 4 cites “an average particle diameter” of the particles that are in the claimed filler. It is unclear what the average particle diameter means (i.e., how is the average is determined (mean, median, or mode), and/or how outliers (e.g., incongruously large or small particles) are interpreted). Thus, and with regard to Claim 4, for purposes of examination Examiner interprets the phrase “a height of the projecting portion is larger than an average particle diameter of the filler” as “a height of the projecting portion is greater than a predetermined distance”.
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.
The present rejection(s) reference specific passages from cited prior art. However, Applicant is advised that the rejections are based on the entirety of each cited prior art. That is, each cited prior art reference “must be considered in its entirety”. Therefore, Applicant is advised to review all portions of the cited prior art if traversing a rejection based on the cited prior art.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6, 9, 11-12, 16, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitano ‘780 (US PGPUB 2016/0249780 – “Kitano ‘780”) in view of Kobayashi et al. (US PGPUB 2014/0128669 – “Kobayashi”).
Regarding Claim 1, Kitano ‘780 discloses:
An endoscope image pickup device (Examiner-annotated Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2 shown below, imaging unit 20) that acquires an image of an observation target,
PNG
media_image1.png
492
704
media_image1.png
Greyscale
the endoscope image pickup device comprising:
a lens barrel (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, lens barrel 22) provided with an internal image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 6, showing lenses within lens barrel 22);
an image pickup element (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, image sensor 21) that receives light which has passed through the image pickup lens to perform photoelectric conversion (Kitano ‘780 paragraph [0025], “an imaging optical system for forming a subject image on a photodetecting surface 21a of the image sensor 21”);
a holder (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, holder 23) that holds the lens barrel (Kitano ‘780 paragraph [0025], “holder 23 which holds the image sensor 21 and the lens barrel 22”);
a signal cable (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, electric wires 27) electrically connected to the image pickup element (Kitano’780 paragraph [0031], “circuit board 24 and the image sensor 21 mounted on it are connected to the processor unit 4 via the plural electric wires 27”); and
a connecting member (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, cover portion 34) that connects the holder and the signal cable to each other (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, pressure pieces 38 of cover portion 34 that attach to the electric wires 27, and Examiner-annotated Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3 shown below, showing cover portion 34 connected to holder flange of holder 23),
PNG
media_image2.png
524
752
media_image2.png
Greyscale
wherein the holder and the connecting member are engaged with each other at an engaging portion (Kitano ‘780, FIG. 2, surface of projecting portion of holder flange engaged with arm portion of cover portion 34),
the connecting member has a pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, arm portion of side walls 35) facing each other,
the holder has a projecting portion (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, projecting portion) on a side surface (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, proximal side surface of holder flange),
the projecting portion protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the side surface (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, showing projecting portion protruding in a direction perpendicular to the proximal side surface of holder flange) in a state in which each of the pair of arm portions is bonded to the side surface of the holder (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing arm portion bonded to side surface of holder flange of holder 23);
the projecting portions are disposed on the side surface of the holder so as to face each other at an interval along a height direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing pairs of projecting portions disposed on the holder flange and facing each other at a height (distance) direction that is orthogonal to the optical axis of lens barrel 22, which, as shown in Kitano ‘780 FIG. 6, supports lenses within lens barrel 22);
each of the pair of arm portions is disposed between the projecting portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing a pair of arm portions circumferentially disposed between offset projection portions), and
a gap between the projecting portion and each of the pair of arm portions in the height direction is 5 µm or more (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, showing vertical/height gap between projection portion and one or the arm portions).
Kitano ‘780 does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the engaging portion of the holder and the connecting member are connected by an adhesive containing a filler, and wherein the filler has a form of particles.
Kobayashi teaches:
wherein the holder (Kobayashi FIG. 4, lens frame 47) and the connecting member (Kobayashi FIG. 4, distal end cover 24) are engaged with each other at an engaging portion (Kobayashi FIG. 4, distal end hard section 23), and the engaging portion is provided with an adhesive layer (Kobayashi FIG. 4, adhesive layer 25) containing a filler (Kobayashi paragraph [0034], “adhesive composition according to the embodiment includes alumina as a filler”), and wherein the filler has a form of particles (Kobayashi paragraph [0011], “filler may further contain spherical alumina having an average particle diameter of 1 µm”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize Kobayashi’s adhesive composition with filler in the endoscope image pickup device disclosed by Kitano ‘780. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of a securely assembled endoscope (see paragraph [0005] of Kobayashi, “A medical instrument such as an endoscope device or the like is generally configured such that a plurality of members are assembled using an adhesive”).
Regarding Claim 2, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kobayashi further teaches wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness of 5 µm or more (Kobayashi paragraph [0093], “The adhesive composition was applied on the flat plate formed of SUS, and cured at 80.degree. C. for two hours to manufacture an appearance estimation specimen 1 in which an adhesive layer (a film thickness of 100 µm) was formed on the flat plate.”).
Regarding Claim 4, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kobayashi further teaches:
wherein the filler has a form of particles (Kobayashi paragraph [0011], “filler may further contain spherical alumina having an average particle diameter of 1 µm”).
Kitano ‘780 further discloses a height of the projecting portion (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, projecting portion) is greater than a predetermined distance (which is unlimited, and thus has no patentable weight).
Regarding Claim 6, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kitano ‘780 further discloses:
wherein each of the pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, arm portion(s)) has a latch portion that latches onto the projecting portion of the holder (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 1, interfacing surfaces between projecting portion and arm portion) in an optical axis direction of an optical axis of the image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing interface between projecting portion and arm portion in the optical axis of the imaging optical system 22).
Kobayashi teaches a position of the connecting member in the optical axis direction is restricted by the latch portion (Kobayashi FIG. 4, lens frame 47 and distal end cover 24 secured to distal end hard section 23 by adhesive layer 25, such that the position of the distal end cover 24 is restricted by the adhesive layer 25).
Regarding Claim 9, Kitano in view of Kobayashi and Yamaya teach the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kobayashi further teaches:
wherein the adhesive layer has the filler and a resin containing the filler (Kobayashi paragraph [0009], “adhesive composition…includes one or more kinds of epoxy resin…and a filler which contains alumina”), and
a thermal conductivity of the filler is higher than a thermal conductivity of the resin. (Examiner notes that the thermal conductivity of alumina filler is 16-30 W/m·K, and thermal conductivity of epoxy resin is approximately 0.2 W/m·K. See attached documents “Epoxy Technology” and “Associated Ceramics”: “Understanding How to Choose an Appropriate Thermally Conductive Epoxy, Epoxy Technology, November 2, 2021, https://www.epotek.com/docs/en/Related/Tech%20Tip%2030%20Understanding%20How%20to%20Choose%20an%20Appropriate%20Thermally%20Conductive%20Epoxy.pdf – “Epoxy Technology”; and “Alumina Ceramic – Aluminum Oxide”, Associated Ceramics, March 5, 2020, https://www.associatedceramics.com/alumina.php - “Associated Ceramics”).
Regarding Claim 11, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 4, as described above.
Kitano ‘780 further discloses wherein each of the pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, arm portion(s)) has a latch portion that latches onto the projecting portion of the holder (Kitano FIG. 1, interfacing surfaces between projecting portion and arm portion) in an optical axis direction of an optical axis of the image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing interface between projecting portion and arm portion in the optical axis of the imaging optical system 22).
Kobayashi further teaches a position of the connecting member in the optical axis direction is restricted by the latch portion (Kobayashi FIG. 4, lens frame 47 and distal end cover 24 secured to distal end hard section 23 by adhesive layer 25, such that the position of the distal end cover 24 is restricted by the adhesive layer 25).
Regarding Claim 12, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kitano ‘780 further discloses wherein each of the pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, arm portion(s)) has a latch portion that latches onto the projecting portion of the holder (Kitano FIG. 1, interfacing surfaces between projecting portion and arm portion) in an optical axis direction of an optical axis of the image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing interface between projecting portion and arm portion in the optical axis of the imaging optical system 22).
Kobayashi further teaches a position of the connecting member in the optical axis direction is restricted by the latch portion (Kobayashi FIG. 4, lens frame 47 and distal end cover 24 secured to distal end hard section 23 by adhesive layer 25, such that the position of the distal end cover 24 is restricted by the adhesive layer 25).
Regarding Claim 16, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 2, as described above.
Kobayashi further teaches, as evidenced by attached documents “Understanding How to Choose an Appropriate Thermally Conductive Epoxy”, Epoxy Technology, November 2, 2021, https://www.epotek.com/docs/en/Related/Tech%20Tip%2030%20Understanding%20How%20to%20Choose%20an%20Appropriate%20Thermally%20Conductive%20Epoxy.pdf – “Epoxy Technology”; and “Alumina Ceramic – Aluminum Oxide”, Associated Ceramics, March 5, 2020, https://www.associatedceramics.com/alumina.php - “Associated Ceramics”), the features of :
wherein the adhesive layer has the filler and a resin containing the filler (Kobayashi paragraph [0009], “adhesive composition…includes one or more kinds of epoxy resin…and a filler which contains alumina”), and
a thermal conductivity of the filler is higher than a thermal conductivity of the resin. (Examiner notes that the thermal conductivity of alumina filler is 16-30 W/m·K, and thermal conductivity of epoxy resin is approximately 0.2 W/m·K. See attached documents “Epoxy Technology” and “Associated Ceramics”.)
Regarding Claim 18, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kitano ‘780 further discloses an endoscope (Kitano ‘780 Fig. 1, endoscope 10).
Regarding Claim 19, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 2, as described above.
Kitano ‘780 further discloses an endoscope (Kitano ‘780 Fig. 1, endoscope 10).
Claims 7 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitano ‘780 (US PGPUB 2016/0249780 – “Kitano ‘780”) in view of Kobayashi et al. (US PGPUB 2014/0128669 – “Kobayashi”), Kitano ‘790 (US PGPUB 2016/0249790 – “Kitano ‘790”), and Deutschendorf et al. (US PGPUB 2017/0347861 – “Deutschendorf”).
Regarding Claim 7, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teaches the features of Claim 1, as described above.
Kobayashi teaches an adhesive used in constructing an endoscope (“the groove is provided with the adhesive layer in a state in which the distal end portion is locked to the groove”), as described in the Abstract of Kobayashi.
Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi does not explicitly teach the feature of wherein a distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions is bent inward.
Kitano ‘790 teaches wherein a distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions is bent inward (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 5, showing arm sections 40c bent inward as engaging pawls 40d and 34b).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kitano ‘790’s engaging pawls with the endoscope image pickup device taught by Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of an endoscope image pickup device having backup (engaging pawls) attachments for the lens barrel.
Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi and Kitano ‘790 does not explicitly teach wherein the holder has a groove that is engaged with the distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions,
Deutschendorf teaches wherein the holder (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, sleeve 21 holding rod lens 11 via sleeve-shaped coupling element 12) has a groove (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, groove 23 in sleeve 21) that is engaged with the distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, latching hook 25 engaged with groove 23).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Deutschendorf’s hook and groove with the endoscope image pickup device taught by Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi and Kitano ‘790. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of an endoscope having an optical system that is securely (using Deutschendorf’s hook and groove with Kobayashi’s adhesive) attached to the endoscope.
Regarding Claim 13, Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi teach the features of Claim 4, as described above.
Kobayashi teaches an adhesive used in constructing an endoscope (“the groove is provided with the adhesive layer in a state in which the distal end portion is locked to the groove”), as described in the Abstract of Kobayashi.
Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi does not explicitly teach the feature of wherein a distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions is bent inward .
Kitano ‘790 teaches wherein a distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions is bent inward (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 5, showing arm sections 40c bent inward as engaging pawls 40d and 34b).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kitano ‘790’s engaging pawls with the endoscope image pickup device taught by Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi and Yamaya. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of an endoscope image pickup device having backup (engaging pawls) attachments for the lens barrel.
Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi and Kitano ‘790 does not explicitly teach wherein the holder has a groove that is engaged with the distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions,
Deutschendorf teaches wherein the holder (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, sleeve 21 holding rod lens 11 via sleeve-shaped coupling element 12) has a groove (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, groove 23 in sleeve 21) that is engaged with the distal end portion of each of the pair of arm portions (Deutschendorf FIG. 2, latching hook 25 engaged with groove 23).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Deutschendorf’s hook and groove with the endoscope image pickup device taught by Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi and Kitano ‘790. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of an endoscope having an optical system that is securely (using Deutschendorf’s hook and groove with Kobayashi’s adhesive) attached to the endoscope.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kitano ‘780 (US PGPUB 2016/0249780 – “Kitano ‘780”) in view of Kobayashi et al. (US PGPUB 2014/0128669 – “Kobayashi”) and Kawula et al. (US PGPUB 2016/0278615 – “Kawula”).
Regarding Claim 8, Kitano ‘780 discloses:
An endoscope image pickup device (Examiner-annotated Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, imaging unit 20) that acquires an image of an observation target, the endoscope image pickup device comprising:
a lens barrel (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, lens barrel 22) provided with an internal image pickup lens (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 6, showing lenses within lens barrel 22);
an image pickup element (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, image sensor 21) that receives light which has passed through the image pickup lens to perform photoelectric conversion (Kitano ‘780 paragraph [0025], “an imaging optical system for forming a subject image on a photodetecting surface 21a of the image sensor 21”);
a holder (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, holder 23) that holds the lens barrel (Kitano ‘780 paragraph [0025], “holder 23 which holds the image sensor 21 and the lens barrel 22”);
a signal cable (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, electric wires 27) electrically connected to the image pickup element (Kitano paragraph [0031], “circuit board 24 and the image sensor 21 mounted on it are connected to the processor unit 4 via the plural electric wires 27”); and
a connecting member (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, cover portion 34) that connects the holder and the signal cable to each other (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, pressure pieces 38 of cover portion 34 that attach to the electric wires 27, and Examiner-annotated Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, showing cover portion 34 connected to holder flange of holder 23),
wherein the holder and the connecting member are engaged with each other at an engaging portion (Kitano ‘780, FIG. 2, surface of projecting portion of holder flange engaged with arm portion of cover portion 34),
the connecting member has a pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 3, arm portion of side walls 35) facing each other (Kitano FIG. 2, showing arm portions facing each other),
the holder has engaging projecting portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, projecting portion) disposed so as to face each other in a disposition direction of the pair of arm portions (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, showing projecting portions facing each other in the disposition direction of the arm portions), and the engaging projecting portion has a polygonal outer shape (Kitano ‘780 FIG. 2, rectangular shape of projecting portions).
Kitano ‘780 does not explicitly disclose the engaging portion is provided with an adhesive layer containing a filler.
Kobayashi teaches: wherein the holder (Kobayashi FIG. 4, lens frame 47) and the connecting member (Kobayashi FIG. 4, distal end cover 24) are engaged with each other at an engaging portion (Kobayashi FIG. 4, distal end hard section 23), and the engaging portion is provided with an adhesive layer (Kobayashi FIG. 4, adhesive layer 25) containing a filler (Kobayashi paragraph [0034], “adhesive composition according to the embodiment includes alumina as a filler”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize Kobayashi’s adhesive composition with filler in the endoscope image pickup device disclosed by Kitano ‘780. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of a securely assembled endoscope (see paragraph [0005] of Kobayashi, “A medical instrument such as an endoscope device or the like is generally configured such that a plurality of members are assembled using an adhesive”).
Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi does not explicitly teach:
an opening portion provided at a distal end of each of the pair of arm portions,
the opening portion of each of the pair of arm portions is engaged with the engaging projecting portion of the holder, and the opening portion surrounds at least three side surfaces of the engaging projecting portion, and
there is a gap between the engaging projecting portion and the opening portion and the gap is 5µm or more.
Kawula teaches:
an opening portion (Kawula FIG. 4, slots 718 and 719 on tip/shield 151/720 at distal end of conduit 150 of endoscope device 110 shown in Kawula FIG. 1) provided at a distal end of each of the pair of arm portions,
the opening portion of each of the pair of arm portions is engaged with the engaging projecting portion (Kawula FIG. 4, pins 715/716) of the holder (Kawula FIG. 4, baffle 705 that includes a lens washing system 710 for a lens that includes cutout 735), and the opening portion surrounds at least three side surfaces of the engaging projecting portion (Kawula FIG. 4, showing pins 715/716 that would be surrounded on three sides when fully engaged with slots 718/719), and
there is a gap between the engaging projecting portion and the opening portion and the gap is 5µm or more (Kawula FIG. 4, showing end opening of slots 718/719 when pins 715/716 are fully engaged).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kawula’s locking system with the endoscope image pickup device taught by Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi. A person having ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to combine these prior art elements according to known methods to yield the predictable result of an endoscope having a lens holder that is securely attached to an endoscope insertion portion.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, see page 6, filed February 17, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of Claim 4 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant correctly notes that the amendments to Claims 1 and 8 address and overcome the rejection based on “average particle diameter”. However, Claim 4 continues to claim an “average particle diameter”, and the rejection of Claim 4 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as described above, is maintained.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 6-9, filed February 17, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of Claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kitano ‘780 (US PGPUB 2016/0249780 – “Kitano ‘780”).
Applicant’s arguments on pages 6-8 regarding the teachings of Kitano ‘790 (US PGPUB 2016/0249790 – “Kitano ‘790”) are moot, since Kitano ‘790 is no longer cited in the rejection of Claim 1.
Applicant asserts on page 8 that “Applicant contends that Kobayashi does not disclose the concrete structure of independent claim 1”. Examiner is unable to respond to this argument, since 1) it is unclear what structure in independent claim 1 fails to be taught by Kobayashi, and 2) Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 using the teachings of Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi.
Applicant asserts on pages 8-9 that Yamaya (US PGPUB 2021/0068628 – “Yamaya”) fails to teach “the projecting portions are disposed on the side surface of the holder so as to face each other at an interval along a height direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the image pickup lens”. This argument is moot, since Kitano ‘780 is now cited as disclosing this feature.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-12, filed February 17, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of Claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Kitano ‘780 (US PGPUB 2016/0249780 – “Kitano ‘780”).
More specifically, Applicant’s arguments regarding the teachings of Kitano ‘790 on pages 9-11 are moot, since the features addressed by Applicant on these pages are not rejected under the teachings of Kitano ‘780.
Applicant asserts on page 11 that “Applicant contends that Kobayashi does not disclose the concrete structure of independent claim 8”. Examiner is unable to respond to this argument, since 1) it is unclear what structure in independent claim 1 fails to be taught by Kobayashi, and 2) Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 using the teachings of Kitano ‘780 in view of Kobayashi.
Applicant further asserts on page 11 that the application of “Ohki to Kitano (‘790) prevents the object of Kitano from being attained”, without further describing what or why the object of Kitano would be prevented from being attained.
As such, the rejection of Claims 1-2, 4, 6-9, 11-13, 16, and 18-19 under 35 U.S.C. 103 is maintained.
Finally, Examiner notes that the specific linear orientation of arm portions 29a between projecting portion 24d and projecting portion 24e shown in FIG. 5 of the present specification is not claimed in the presently pending claims.
Furthermore, the four-sided opening portion 40d of arm portion 40c, as depicted in FIG. 7 in the present specification is not specifically claimed in the presently pending claims.
Applicant is invited to call Examiner Jim Boice at the number shown below if Applicant wishes to discuss this matter further.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIM BOICE whose telephone number is (571)272-6565. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm Eastern.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached at (571)272-4963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
JIM BOICE
Examiner
Art Unit 3795
/JAMES EDWARD BOICE/Examiner, Art Unit 3795
/ANH TUAN T NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3795
3/18/26