CTNF 18/418,674 CTNF 91306 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Examiner Notes Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Priority As required by M.P.E.P. 201.14(c), acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for priority based on the application filed on May 4 th , 2023 (KR10-2023-0058519). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file. Information Disclosure Statement As required by M.P.E.P. 609, the applicant’s submissions of the Information Disclosure Statement dated January 22 nd , 2024 is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of invention I (claims 1-10) in the reply filed on March 4 th , 2026 is acknowledged. 08-06 AIA Claim s 11-15 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on March 4 th , 2026 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Takanashi (US 2003/0035228 A1) . Regarding claim 1, Takanashi teaches a lens assembly, comprising: a plurality of lenses disposed along an optical axis (See, e.g., Fig. 3, here the plurality corresponds to the lenses held in frame 8); a spacer disposed between a rearmost lens, disposed in a rearmost position in an optical axis direction, among the plurality of lenses, and a lens disposed adjacent to the rearmost lens (See, e.g., the three lenses in group of lenses 52 in Fig. 3, here the rearmost lens corresponds to the lens on the right, the spacer corresponds to the lens in the middle, and the lens disposed adjacent corresponds to the left lens); and a lens barrel in which the plurality of lenses and the spacer are accommodated (See, e.g., the combination of elements 2-6 in Figs. 1-3 which combine to form the lens barrel, note the lenses and spacer are shown to be accommodated inside), wherein the rearmost lens is configured to be screw-fastened to the lens barrel (See, e.g., screw 8i in Figs. 2-3 which show the cited lens barrel being screwed to the three lenses via an intermediate structure), wherein either the lens which is disposed adjacent to the rearmost lens, or the spacer is screw-fastened to the lens barrel (See, e.g., Fig. 3), wherein the lens barrel has a through-hole which passes through a side surface of the lens barrel (See, e.g., Fig. 1 which shows screw 8i in a through-hole), and wherein a side surface of a component that is screw-fastened to the lens barrel, among the lens disposed adjacent to the rearmost lens and the spacer, opposes the through-hole (See, e.g., Fig. 3 which shows this orientation). Regarding claim 8, Takanashi teaches the device set forth above and further teaches wherein the through-hole is configured to be sealed by a sealing member (See, e.g., sliding pin 8j in Fig. 1 which seals around the screw 8i) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-7, 9, and 10 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 an examiner’s reasons for indicating allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 2, the prior art, alone or in combination, fails to teach wherein an assembly groove is disposed in the side surface of the spacer. Regarding claim 5, the prior art, alone or in combination, fails to teach wherein an assembly groove is disposed in the side surface of the lens disposed adjacent to the rearmost lens. Regarding claim 9, the prior art, alone or in combination, fails to teach wherein the second pitch is narrower than the first pitch. Regarding claim 10, the prior art, alone or in combination, fails to teach a spring washer disposed to be in contact with each of two components screw-fastened to the lens barrel. Regarding claims 3, 4, 6, and 7, these claims depend on an allowable base claim and are therefore allowable for at least the reasons stated supra. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mitchell Oestreich whose telephone number is (571)270-7559. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-11:00 MT. 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, Bumsuk Won can be reached at 571-272-2713. 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. /MITCHELL T OESTREICH/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 /BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/418,674 Page 2 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/418,674 Page 3 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/418,674 Page 4 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/418,674 Page 5 Art Unit: 2872 Application/Control Number: 18/418,674 Page 6 Art Unit: 2872
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