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 information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/13/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 5-9, 11-17, 19, 20, 23-27, and 33-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu Jie (JP2014047094, see translated document provided) hereafter Fu Jie.
Regarding claim 1, Fu Jie discloses an optical glass comprising: by mass%, 20% or more and 50% or less of a content rate of P205 (page 3, paragraph 1 P2O5 can be 20-45%); 12.66% or more and 35% or less of a content rate of TiO2 (page 3, paragraph 2, lines 2-5, Ti02 = 30%); 0% or more and 20% or less of a content rate of Nb2O5 (page 5, par. 2, lines 2-5); and 5% or more and 30% or less of a content rate of Bi2O3 (page 6, par. 2, lines 1-6), wherein a ratio of a content rate of TiO2 to a content rate of P2O5 (TiO2/P2O5) is 0.30 or more and 0.75 or less (TiO2 = 30%; P2O5 = 45%; TiO2/P2O5 = 0.66; 0.66 falls within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 2, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%, 0% or more and 10% or less of a content rate of A12O3 (page 3, par. 5, lines 4-6); and 0% or more and 20% or less of a content rate of Ta205 (page 5, par. 3, lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 3, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%,0% or more and 5% or less of a content rate of Li2O (page 4, par. 5, lines 5-7); 0% or more and 25% or less of a content rate of Na2O (page 4, par. 6, lines 1-4); and 0% or more and 25% or less of a content rate of K2O (page 4, par. 7, lines 3-4).
Regarding claim 5, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%, 0% or more and 5% or less of a content rate of SiO2 (page 3, par. 3, lines 3-4) ; and 0% or more and 10% or less of a content rate of B2O3 (page 3, par 7, lines 3-4).
Regarding claim 6, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%, 0% or more and 25% or less of a content rate of WO3 (page 5, par. 5); and 0% or more and 5% or less of a content rate of ZrO2 (page 5, par. 4).
Regarding claim 7, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%, 0% or more and 10% or less of a content rate of Y2O3 (page 5, par. 6); 0% or more and 8% or less of a content rate of La2O3 (page 5, par 7); and 0% or more and 10% or less of a content rate of Gd2O3 (page 5, par. 8).
Regarding claim 8, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass%, 0% or more and 1% or less of a content rate of Sb2O3 (page 6, par. 5).
Regarding claim 9, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein, by mass%, a total content rate of Li2O, Na2O, and K2O(IA2O; where, A = Li, Na, K) is 5% or more and 35% or less (page 4, par. 5-7, note the total content rate can be 15%).
Regarding claim 11, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a content rate of Al2O3 to a content rate of TiO2 (Al2O3/TiO2) is 0 or more and 0.60 or less (page 3, par. 2 and 5, Al2O3/TiO2 = 15/30 = 0.5, this is within the claimed range).
Regarding claim 12, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1 wherein a ratio of a content rate of B203 to a content rate of P2O5 (B2O3/P2O5) is 0 or more and 0.15 or less (page 3, par. 1 and 7, B2O3/P2O5 = 3/45 = 0.06).
Regarding claim 13, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a content rate of TiO2 to a total content rate of P2O5, B203, and Al2O3 (TiO2/(P2O5 + B203 + Al2O3)) is 0.25 or more and 0.75 or less (page 3, par. 1, 2, 5, and 7, (TiO2/(P2O5 + B203 + Al2O3) = (30/ (40 + 6 + 5)) = 0.588).
Regarding claim 14, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a content rate of TiO2 to a total content rate of TiO2, Nb2O5, WO3, Bi2O3, and Ta2O5 (TiO2/(TiO2 + Nb2Os + WO3 + Bi2O3 + Ta2O5)) is 0.20 or more and 0.90 or less (pages 3 and 5, TiO2/(TiO2 + Nb2Os + WO3 + Bi2O3 + Ta2O5 = 30/(30 + 4 + 20 + 15 + 10) = 0.379).
Regarding claim 15, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a total content rate of BaO and TiO2 to a content rate of P2O5 ((BaO + TiO2)/P2O5) is 0.30 or more and 1.00 or less (page 3, par. 1 and 2, page 4, par 4, ((BaO + TiO2)/P2O5) = (12+30)/40 = 0.8).
Regarding claim 16, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a total content rate of BaO, TiO2, Nb2Os, WO3, Bi2O3, and Ta2Os to a total content rate of P2Os, B2O3, SiO2, and Al2O3 ((BaO + TiO2 + Nb2Os + WO3 + Bi2O3 + Ta2Os)/(P2O5 + B203 + SiO2 + Al2O3)) is 0.50 or more and 2.50 or less (((BaO + TiO2 + Nb2Os + WO3 + Bi2O3 + Ta2Os)/(P2O5 + B203 + SiO2 + Al2O3)) = (12 + 30 + 4 +20 +15 +10)/40 + 3 + 10 +10) = 1.38).
Regarding claim 17, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a total content rate of Li2O, Na2O, and K2O(∑A2O; where, A = Li, Na, K) to a content rate of TiO2(IA2O/TiO2) is from 0.30 to 2.00 (see pages 3 and 4, (IA2O/TiO2) = (10 + 10+ 10)/30 = 1).
Regarding claim 19, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a refractive index (n.sub.d) with respect to a d-line is 1.61 or more and 1.90 or less (see page. 7, par 9, lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 20, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein an abbe number (ν.sub.d) is 20 or more and 32 or less (see page 7, par. 9, lines 4-6).
Regarding claim 23, Fu Jie discloses an optical element using the optical glass according to claim 1 (see page 8, par. 6, line 4).
Regarding claim 24, Fu Jie discloses an optical system comprising the optical element according to claim 23 (see page 8, par. 6, line 4).
Regarding claim 25, Fu Jie discloses an interchangeable camera lens comprising the optical system according to claim 24 (page 8, par. 6, line 4).
Regarding claim 26, Fu Jie discloses an objective lens for a microscope comprising the optical system according to claim 24 (page 8, par. 6, line 4).
Regarding claim 27, Fu Jie discloses an optical device comprising the optical system according to claim 24 (page 8, par. 6, line 4).
Regarding claim 33, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass %,15.02% or more and 35% or less of a content rate of TiO2 (see page, 3, par. 2, lines 2-4).
Regarding claim 34, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, further comprising: by mass %, 20.03% or more and 35% or less of a content rate of TiO2 (see page, 3, par. 2, lines 2-4).
Regarding claim 35, Fu Jie discloses the optical glass according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a content rate of TiO2 to a total content rate of P2O5, B203, and Al2O3 (TiO2/(P2O5 + B203 + Al2O3)) is 0.41 or more and 0.75 or less (see page 3, (TiO2/(P2O5 + B203 + Al2O3)) = 30/(40 + 6 + 10) = 0.535).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 10, 18, 21, 22, 28-32 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art does not disclose the claimed optical glass specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “comprising 0% or more and 10% or less of a content rate of MgO.”
Regarding claim 10, the prior art does not disclose the claimed optical glass specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein, by mass%, a total content rate of MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, and ZnO (CEO; where, E = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn) is 0% to 18%.”
Regarding claim 18, the prior art does not disclose the claimed optical glass specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein a ratio of a total content rate of MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, and ZnO (ΣEO; where, E=Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn) to a total content rate of Li.sub.2O, Na.sub.2O, and K.sub.2O (ΣA.sub.2O; where, A=Li, Na, K) (ΣEO/ΣA.sub.2O) is 0 or more and 1.50 or less.”
Regarding claim 21, the prior art does not disclose the claimed optical glass specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein a partial dispersion ratio (P.sub.g,F) is 0.60 or more and 0.66 or less.”
Regarding claim 22, the prior art does not disclose the claimed optical glass specifically including as the distinguishing features in combination with the other limitations the claimed “wherein abnormal dispersibility (ΔP.sub.g,F) is 0.015 or more and 0.042 or less.
Regarding claim 28 (and its dependents), the prior art does not disclose the claimed cemented lens wherein at least one of the first lens element and the second lens element comprises the optical glass.
Conclusion
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/JAMES C. JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872