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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are pending, claims 5-7, 9-11, and 14-20 have been withdrawn from consideration, claims 12-20 have been added, and claims 1-4, 8, and 12-13 are currently under consideration for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I and Species 1 and Subspecies 1, readable on claims 1-4, 8, and 12-13, in the reply filed on 12/02/2025 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 5-7, 9-11, 14-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Group II and Species 2-3 and Subspecies 2-3, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/02/2025.
Claim Objections
Claim 12 is objected to because of the following informalities: change “at least one lens” to “at least one first lens” (i.e., consistent terminology in claim 1). Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida (US 2019/0079280), in view of Shimohata (US 2019/0076002).
Regarding claim 1, Yoshida discloses a lens unit comprising: a first optical element (10-11, figures 2-3) including a first glass substrate (10, figure 3 | parallel flat glass [0029]) and at least one first lens (resin lens 11, figure 3; [0029]), the first optical element having a first principal surface (10SA, figures 2-3) that is an incident surface (light incident surface [0029]), a second principal surface (10SB, figure 3) on a side opposite to the first principal surface (see figure 3), and four first side surfaces (see the sides of 10, figures 2-3), and including a frame-shaped cutout at an outer peripheral edge (see location of 70, figures 2-3); and a first resin (70 composed of an epoxy resin [0038]) disposed only in the cutout. Yoshida is silent regarding the frame-shaped cutout at an outer peripheral edge of the first principal surface.
Shimohata teaches a lens unit (2, figure 1) with a plurality of optical elements (10 to 30, figure 1). The optical elements include respective through holes which are annular continuous recess portions surrounding the optical path, and respective light shielding walls (15 to 35, figures 1-2) that have a frame-like shape and a same size in respective cross-sections surrounding the optical path ([0036]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to modify the lens unit, specifically the frame-shaped cutout, of Yoshida to have light shielding walls (15-35, figures 1-2) that extends longitudinally throughout the optical elements as taught by Shimohata. Doing so would provide walls of a same size in respective cross-sections surrounding the optical path, and surround the optical path with no discontinuation ([0036]). The modified lens unit would have the frame-shaped cutout (see how 15 extends through 10, figures 1-2; Shimohata) at an outer peripheral edge of the first principal surface.
Regarding claim 2, Yoshida further discloses a second optical element (30 and 31, figure 3) including a second glass substrate (30…parallel flat glass [0031]) and at least one second lens (resin lens 31, figure 3), the second optical element including a third principal surface (30SA, figure 3), a fourth principal surface on a side opposite to the third principal surface (see proximal end surface of 30, figure 3), and four second side surfaces (see the sides of 30, figure 3), the third principal surface being arranged to face the second principal surface (see 10SB and 30SA, figure 3); and an adhesive layer bonding the first optical element and the second optical element (optical elements 10 to 55 are bonded to one another with a resin adhesive [0028]).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshida further discloses at least one of the first optical element or the second optical element is a hybrid lens element (optical element 10…hybrid lens [0029]), wherein at least one of the first lens and the second lens is a resin lens (resin lens 11, figure 3; [0029]).
Regarding claim 4, Yoshida further discloses the first resin has light-shielding properties (prevent external light…resin material including black particles…70 [0041]).
Regarding claim 8, Yoshida discloses an image pickup apparatus comprising: a lens unit (figures 2-3); and an image sensor (50, figures 2-3) disposed in an optical path of the lens unit (see figure 3), the lens unit including a first optical element (10-11, figures 2-3) including a first glass substrate (10, figure 3 | parallel flat glass [0029]) and at least one lens (resin lens 11, figure 3; [0029]), the first optical element having a first principal surface (10SA, figures 2-3) that is an incident surface (light incident surface [0029]), a second principal surface (10SB, figure 3) on a side opposite to the first principal surface (see figure 3), and four first side surfaces (see the sides of 10, figures 2-3), and including a frame-shaped cutout at an outer peripheral edge (see location of 70, figures 2-3), and a first resin (70 composed of an epoxy resin [0038]) disposed only in the cutout. Yoshida is silent regarding the frame-shaped cutout at an outer peripheral edge of the first principal surface.
Shimohata teaches a lens unit (2, figure 1) with a plurality of optical elements (10 to 30, figure 1). The optical elements include respective through holes which are annular continuous recess portions surrounding the optical path, and respective light shielding walls (15 to 35, figures 1-2) that have a frame-like shape and a same size in respective cross-sections surrounding the optical path ([0036]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of filing to modify the lens unit, specifically the frame-shaped cutout, of Yoshida to have light shielding walls (15-35, figures 1-2) that extends longitudinally throughout the optical elements as taught by Shimohata. Doing so would provide walls of a same size in respective cross-sections surrounding the optical path, and surround the optical path with no discontinuation ([0036]). The modified lens unit would have the frame-shaped cutout (see how 15 extends through 10, figures 1-2; Shimohata) at an outer peripheral edge of the first principal surface.
Regarding claim 12, Shimohata further teaches the cutout has a linear shape when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to an optical axis of the at least one lens (see how 15 extends through 10, figures 1-2; Shimohata).
Regarding claim 13, Shimohata further teaches the cutout has a linear shape when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to an optical axis of the at least one lens (see how 15 extends through 10, figures 1-2; Shimohata).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Kikumori (US 2012/0323078) and Igarashi (US 2019/0175002).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAMELA F WU whose telephone number is (571)272-9851. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-4 PM.
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, Michael Carey can be reached at 571-270-7235. 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.
PAMELA F. WU
Examiner
Art Unit 3795
January 8, 2026
/RYAN N HENDERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795