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.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) filed on April 5, 2024 have/has been acknowledged and considered by the examiner. Initialed copies of supplied IDS(s) forms are included in this correspondence.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)/(a2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (TW 2022-35989; cited by Applicant; herein Lee; text references below are made to the accompanying English machine translation).
As to claim 1, Lee teaches a defogging lens barrel structure (Lee Figs. 1-9) comprising
a lens barrel having a receiving groove (Lee Fig. 2 - 20, 21a), wherein an inner portion of the receiving groove includes an abutting surface and a recess disposed on the abutting surface (Lee Fig. 2 - abutting surface (22) serving as a recess in barrel (20));
a lens assembly disposed inside the lens barrel and comprising a first lens (Lee Fig. 2 - 11), wherein the first lens is disposed in the receiving groove and has a lens abutting surface correspondingly facing the abutting surface (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 22; Fig. 3 - 11b);
a heating module disposed between the abutting surface of the lens barrel and the lens abutting surface of the first lens and adapted to provide a heat source (Lee Fig. 2 - 30; Figs. 4A,B; Fig. 5 - 30; Fig. 7 - 31; Fig. 8 - 31; page 2 of English translation - As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the imaging lens 100 includes an optical lens group 10 , a lens barrel 20 and a heating element 30 . Wherein, the optical lens group 10 is assembled in the lens barrel 20; the heating element 30 is arranged between the optical lens group 10 and the lens barrel 20; the heating element 30 includes a heating sheet 31 and a wire 32; the heating sheet 31 is at least connected to the optical lens group 10);
a temperature sensing module engaged with the heating module and received in the recess of the lens barrel (Lee Fig. 7 - 70; Fig. 8 - 170; Fig. 9 - 270; page 4 of English translation - further includes a temperature sensing element 70 for detecting the temperature of the lens internal temperature… As shown in Figure 8, the temperature sensing element 170 of the imaging lens 400 of the fourth embodiment of the present invention is arranged below the heating portion 31a of the heating plate 31…As shown in FIG. 9 , the temperature sensing element 270 of the imaging lens 500);
a thermal insulating material enclosing the temperature-sensing module to be filled into the recess (Lee Fig. 5 - 50; page 4 of English translation - More specifically, the heat insulating sheet 50 is disposed between the heating portion 31a of the heating sheet 31 and the abutting surface 22 of the lens barrel 20 . The heat insulating sheet 50 can block the thermal energy of the heating sheet 31 from being transferred to the lens barrel),
wherein the thermal insulating material is a solid material, a gel layer, or a liquid material (Lee Fig. 5 - 50; page 4 of English translation - The material of the thermal insulation sheet 50 is, for example, hollow micro-nanospheres, airgel composite materials, ultra-fine glass wool, polystyrene or foamed plastics),
a thermal conductivity coefficient of the thermal insulating material less than or equal to 0.1 W/mK (Lee page 2 English translation - According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thermal conductivity of the heat insulating sheet is less than 0.5 W/mK; such range is an overlapping range with sufficient specificity (MPEP 2131.03)).
Examiner’s note: while Lee’s thermal insulating material is only shown in Fig. 5 (50), Lee explicitly teaches (50) to be between the heater (31) and abutting surface (22), thus such placement in the context of Fig. 8 would “enclose around” the temperature sensor (170) which is on the underside of heater (31).
PNG
media_image1.png
1151
777
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As to claim 2, Lee teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Lee further teaches an axis is defined on the lens barrel (Lee Fig. 2 - I); the lens barrel has an object-side opening communicating with the receiving groove along the axis (Lee Fig. 2 - 20, 21a); the abutting surface faces the object-side opening and is located on a bottom of the receiving groove (Lee Fig. 2 - 22); the first lens comprises a peripheral portion (Lee Fig. 2 - 11; Fig. 3 - 11b), wherein a side of the peripheral portion has the lens abutting surface and is disposed on the abutting surface (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 22).
As to claim 16, Lee teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 2, and Lee further teaches a lens cover fitting around the lens barrel (Lee Fig. 2 - 40), wherein an end of the lens cover has a blocking ring partially covering the object side opening (Lee Fig. 2 - upper ring of (40) overlapping object side surface of lens (11));
a side of the blocking ring racing the object side opening has a thermal insulating ring (Lee Fig. 2 - 24; page 3 English translation - A sealing ring 24 is further included between the front cover 40 and the first lens 11 to prevent external moisture from entering the imaging lens 100 . The material of the sealing ring 24 is, for example, elastic plastic or silicon rubber);
when an object side surface of the first lens protrudes out of the object side opening (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 40), the thermal insulating ring abuts against the object side surface to be fixed between the object side surface and the blocking ring (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 24, 40).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3, 5, 7, 9 ,11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Inaba et al. (US 2022/0146777 - Inaba).
As to claim 3, Lee teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 2, but doesn’t specify the recess comprises a receiving hole facing the object side opening and arranged on the abutting surface around the axis. In the same field of endeavor Inaba teaches a lens barrel having a receiving hole (Inaba Fig. 1 - 18; para. [0063]) facing the object side opening and arranged on the abutting surface around the axis (Inaba Fig. 1 - 18, O; para. [0063]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to provide a receiving hole since, as taught by Inaba, such grooves are well known in the art for the purpose of reducing the thickness of the barrel wall and helping molding tolerances (Inaba para. [0063]).
As to claim 5, Lee in view of Inaba teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 3, and Lee/Inaba further teaches the heating module comprises an electro-thermal heater correspondingly disposed on the abutting surface of the receiving groove around the axis and covering the recess (Lee Fig. 2 - 22, 30, 31, 32; page 2 of English translation; Inaba Fig. 1 - 18; Fig. 18 - 455, 27);
the lens abutting surface of the first lens abuts against the electro-thermal heater (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 30), the electro-thermal heater is connected to an external power source through a conducting wire to provide the heat source to the first lens (Lee Fig. 2 - 32).
As to claim 7, Lee in view of Inaba teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5, and Lee further teaches the lens barrel comprises a side opening passing through the receiving groove connected to the object-side opening (Lee Fig. 2 - 25), and adapted to be passed through by the conducting wire for being connected to the electro-thermal heater and to guide the conducting wire out of the lens barrel (Lee Fig. 2 - 25, 20, 32).
As to claim 9, Lee in view of Inaba teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5, and Lee further teaches the temperature-sensing module comprises at least one thermister sensor engaged with the electro-thermal heater and received in the recess (Lee Figs. 7, 8, 9 - 70, 170, 270; page 2 English translation - According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensing element includes a negative temperature coefficient thermistor (NTC);
the thermal insulating material is filled into the recess and is in contact with the at least one thermister sensor and the electro-thermal heater (Lee Fig. 5; Figs. 8 - Lee explicitly teaches (50) to be between the heater (31) and abutting surface (22), thus such placement in the context of Fig. 8 would be in contact with thermistor (170)).
As to claim 11, Lee in view of Inaba teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 9, and Lee further teaches the thermal insulating material is a gel material (Lee page 4 of English translation - The material of the thermal insulation sheet 50 is, for example, hollow micro-nanospheres, airgel composite materials, ultra-fine glass wool, polystyrene or foamed plastics).
Examiner’s note, claim 11 is directed to an optional condition of the solid material “when the thermal insulating material is the solid material”, therefore claim 11 is anticipated via Lee teaching a gel layer regardless of whether Lee teaches the optional limitations of claim 11.
Claims 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Inaba (cited above) and Lee (KR 10-2230492; herein KR492; text references below made to the accompanying machine translation).
As to claim 4, Lee teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 2, but doesn’t specify the recess comprises a plurality of receiving holes respectively facing the object side opening and arranged at intervals on the abutting surface around the axis, the recess forms a separating block between adjacent two of the plurality of receiving holes.
In the same field of endeavor Inaba teaches a lens barrel having a receiving hole (Inaba Fig. 1 - 18; para. [0063]) facing the object side opening and arranged on the abutting surface around the axis (Inaba Fig. 1 - 18, O; para. [0063]), but doesn’t specify a plurality of holes such that the holes are separated by blocks.
In the same field of endeavor KR492 teaches a lens barrel having a recess with holes (KR492 Fig. 3 - 55; para [0065]) and the recess forms separating blocks between the holes (KR492 Fig. 3 - 55, 11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to provide a receiving hole since, as taught by Inaba, such grooves are well known in the art for the purpose of reducing the thickness of the barrel wall and helping molding tolerances (Inaba para. [0063]), and to provide a plurality of such holes with the blocks between holes since, as taught by KR492 such holes allow for holding multiple insulating elements (KR492 - 55, 50, 51; para. [0065], [0068], [0077]).
As to claim 6, Lee in view of Inaba and FR492 teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 4, and Lee/Inaba further teaches the heating module comprises an electro-thermal heater correspondingly disposed on the abutting surface of the receiving groove around the axis and covering the recess (Lee Fig. 2 - 22, 30, 31, 32; page 2 of English translation; Inaba Fig. 1 - 18; Fig. 18 - 455, 27);
the lens abutting surface of the first lens abuts against the electro-thermal heater (Lee Fig. 2 - 11, 30), the electro-thermal heater is connected to an external power source through a conducting wire to provide the heat source to the first lens (Lee Fig. 2 - 32).
As to claim 8, Lee in view of Inaba and FR492 teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 6, and Lee further teaches the lens barrel comprises a side opening passing through the receiving groove connected to the object-side opening (Lee Fig. 2 - 25), and adapted to be passed through by the conducting wire for being connected to the electro-thermal heater and to guide the conducting wire out of the lens barrel (Lee Fig. 2 - 25, 20, 32).
As to claim 10, Lee in view of Inaba and FR492 teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 6, and Lee further teaches the temperature-sensing module comprises at least one thermister sensor engaged with the electro-thermal heater and received in the recess (Lee Figs. 7, 8, 9 - 70, 170, 270; page 2 English translation - According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensing element includes a negative temperature coefficient thermistor (NTC);
the thermal insulating material is filled into the recess and is in contact with the at least one thermister sensor and the electro-thermal heater (Lee Fig. 5; Figs. 8 - Lee explicitly teaches (50) to be between the heater (31) and abutting surface (22), thus such placement in the context of Fig. 8 would be in contact with thermistor (170)).
As to claim 12, Lee in view of Inaba and FR492 teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 10, and Lee further teaches the thermal insulating material is a gel material (Lee page 4 of English translation - The material of the thermal insulation sheet 50 is, for example, hollow micro-nanospheres, airgel composite materials, ultra-fine glass wool, polystyrene or foamed plastics).
Examiner’s note, claim 12 is directed to an optional condition of the solid material “when the thermal insulating material is the solid material”, therefore claim 12 is anticipated via Lee teaching a gel layer regardless of whether Lee teaches the optional limitations of claim 12.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Van den Brink (US 2023/0244128).
As to claim 15, Lee in view of Inaba teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 10, and Lee further teaches the inner portion of the receiving groove comprises an inside wall connected to the abutting surface and the object-side opening (Lee Fig. 2 - 21a), the peripheral portion has an annular peripheral surface connected to the lens abutting surface and correspondingly facing the inside wall (Lee Fig. 2 - 21a, 11; Fig. 3 - 11b).
Lee doesn’t specify a thermal insulating portion on the inside wall, the thermal insulating portion is in contact between the inside wall and the annular peripheral surface.
In the same field of endeavor Van der Brink teaches a lens barrel having a lens with peripheral surface, an inside wall (Van der Brink Fig. 4 - lens (4) received in recess with inside wall of barrel (2)), a thermal insulating portion provided on the inside wall (Van der Brink Fig. 4 - 8; para. [0062]), the thermal insulating portion is in contact between the inside wall and the annular peripheral surface (Van der Brink Fig. 4 - 8; para. [0062]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to provide the thermal insulating portion since, as taught by Van der Brink, such materials are well known in the art for sealing and thermally isolating the lens and barrel (Van der Brink para. [0062]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 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:
As to claims 13, 14, although the prior art teaches the defogging lens as detailed above with respect to claims 3 and 4, the prior art taken either singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of claim(s) 13, 14, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. §102 or §103 would be proper, including providing the receiving hole(s) as claimed including all the numerical and structural limitations recited together in combination with the totality of particular features/limitations recited therein.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Moehrle et al. (US 11,785,317); Liu et al. (US 11,215,905; 2021/0325765); Huang et al. (US 12,345,877; 2022/0357572); Hwang et al. (US 12,386,142); Ha et al. (US 10,942,330); Choi (US 10,645,263; 2019/0033690); Lee et al. (US 10,648,444; 2018/0239105); Kim et al. (US 10,609,262; 2018/0176431); Stallard et al. (US 7,002,139; 2006/0211892); Huang et al. (US 2023/0161232); Hsiao et al. (US 2023/0221548); Gu et al. (US 2024/0214654); Suginome et al. (US 2022/0196963); Park et al. (US 2022/0163751); Hirata et al. (US 2021/0294066); Lee (US 2021/0103120); Hu et al. (CN 117092871); Zhu et al. (CN 114460794); Liu et al. (CN 114609847); Joo (KR 10-2020-0014971) are cite as additional examples of defogging lens barrels with heating elements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZACHARY W WILKES whose telephone number is (571)270-7540. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 (Pacific).
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.
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.
/ZACHARY W WILKES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 September 11, 2025