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 .
Election/Restrictions
The restriction requirement is withdrawn after careful review of claims. Thus, claims 1-37 are treated on the merit.
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.
Claims 1-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oh (US 2005/0238348 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Oh discloses an optical lens module (Figs. 1-4) comprising:
at least one lens element (Fig. 1 and para 64 “focusing lens module 30”) having an optical axis; and
an adjustable aperture module (Fig. 2) disposed at an object side (13) of the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture module comprising:
a blade assembly (Figs. 1-4 and para 64 “diaphragm unit 40”) comprising a plurality of rotatable blades (para 80 “plurality of lens shutters 41, 42, 43”), wherein the plurality of rotatable blades is rotatably disposed around the optical axis so as to form a light passing aperture (see L passing through as shown in Fig. 2), each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a rotatable portion (Fig. 2 and para 81, portion at “holes 41a, 42a, 43a”) and a light blocking portion (lens shutters 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion is adjacent to the light blocking portion (Fig.2, see holes 41a, 42a, 43a and 41, 42, 43), the light blocking portion extends and tapers in a direction away from the rotatable portion (see 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion has a positioning hole (42a, 42a, 43a) and a dynamic hole (Fig. 2 and para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b”, see Fig. 4), the positioning hole enables rotation of the corresponding rotatable blade with respect to the positioning hole, and the dynamic hole is disposed close to the positioning hole (see Fig. 2); and
a driving component (rotor 70) comprising a rotatable element (Fig. 2 and para 78 “driving pins 71”), wherein the rotatable element (71) is disposed corresponding to the dynamic holes (41b, 42b, 43b) of the plurality of rotatable blades (41, 42, 43) so as to rotate the plurality of rotatable blades to thereby vary a size of the light passing aperture (para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b adapted to receive driving pins 71… when the driving pins 71 rotate along the cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b, naturally the lens shutters 41, 42, 43 engaged with them rotate at the same time… the size of the aperture 65a may be adjusted”);
wherein, the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a
protruding segment, the protruding segment extends and tapers toward the light passing aperture (see the protruding segment at the end of the light blocking portion 41, 42, 43 as shown in Fig. 2).
However, the prior art does not positively disclose a maximum height of the protruding segment h0, satisfying the following condition:
0.08 mm < h0 ≤ 0.50 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 2, the optical lens module of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises:
an outer peripheral portion, comprising a part of the rotatable portion and a part of the light
blocking portion (outer peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43); and
an inner peripheral portion (inner peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43), comprising another part of the rotatable portion and another part of the light blocking portion, wherein the inner peripheral portion is closer to the optical axis than the outer peripheral portion (see inner peripheral portion is closer to L as shown in Fig. 2), and the inner peripheral portion comprises the protruding segment of the light blocking portion (Fig. 2, see the protruding segment is on the inner peripheral portion).
Regarding claim 3, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Further, the prior art does not disclose an average maximum height of the light blocking structure h1 satisfying the following condition:
0.001 mm ≤ h1 ≤ <0.050 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 4, the optical lens module of claim 3, wherein the protruding segment comprises the light blocking structure (protruding segment inherently block light when closed).
Regarding claim 5, the optical lens module of claim 3, wherein the light blocking structure is
integrally included in the corresponding rotatable blade (Fig. 2, see 41, 42, 43).
Regarding claims 6 and 7, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments within the claimed ranges.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 8, the optical lens module of claim 1, wherein the rotatable element (71) of the
driving component (70) comprises a plurality of rotatable structures (Fig. 4 shows three 71s), the plurality of rotatable structures are respectively disposed corresponding to the plurality of rotatable blades (41, 42, 43), each of the plurality of rotatable structures is movable in the dynamic hole (41b, 42b, 43b) of the corresponding rotatable blade so as to vary the size of the light passing aperture (see Figs. 8a, 8b, 9).
Regarding claim 9, the optical lens module of claim 8, wherein the adjustable aperture module
further comprises:
a positioning element (Fig. 2 and para 89 “cover 80” and also 51) comprising a plurality of positioning structures (para 89 “plurality of holes 85”), wherein the plurality of positioning structures (85) are respectively disposed corresponding to the positioning holes (para 81 “41a, 42a, 43a adapted to engage the bosses 65c”; para 89 “a plurality of holes 85 in the cover 80 correspond to the bosses 65c”) of the
plurality of rotatable blades so as to position the plurality of rotatable blades (see Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 10, the optical lens module of claim 9, wherein the driving component (70) further comprises:
a magnet (para 74 “magnet 73”); and
a coil (para 72 “coil 52a”) disposed corresponding to the magnet, and one of the magnet and the coil is disposed on the positioning element (52a is disposed on 51).
Regarding claim 11, the optical lens module of claim 10, wherein the driving component (70) further comprises:
at least two bearing elements (para 74 “A plurality of bearing mounting grooves 75a are formed on the outside circumference of the sleeve tube 75. The bearing 78 mounted in the grooves 75a is fitted inside the motor housing 60 and is supported thereby”), disposed between the rotatable element and the positioning element in a direction parallel to the optical axis (see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 12, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for a maximum field of view of the optical lens module is FOV, and the following condition is satisfied:
50 degrees ≤ FOV ≤ 105 degrees.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for a maximum field of view, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make an excellent lens module.
Regarding claim 13, Oh discloses an optical lens module (Figs. 1-4) comprising:
at least one lens element (Fig. 1 and para 64 “focusing lens module 30”) having an optical axis; and
an adjustable aperture module (Fig. 2) disposed at an object side (13) of the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture module comprising:
a blade assembly (Figs. 1-4 and para 64 “diaphragm unit 40”) comprising a plurality of rotatable blades (para 80 “plurality of lens shutters 41, 42, 43”), wherein the plurality of rotatable blades are rotatably disposed around the optical axis so as to form a light passing aperture (see L passing through as shown in Fig. 2), each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a rotatable portion (Fig. 2 and para 81, portion at “holes 41a, 42a, 43a”) and a light blocking portion (lens shutters 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion is adjacent to the light blocking portion (Fig.2, see holes 41a, 42a, 43a and 41, 42, 43), the light blocking portion extends and tapers in a direction away from the rotatable portion (see 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion has a positioning hole (42a, 42a, 43a) and a dynamic hole (Fig. 2 and para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b” see Fig. 4), the positioning hole enables rotation of the corresponding rotatable blade with respect to the positioning hole, and the dynamic hole is disposed close to the positioning hole (see Fig. 2); and
a driving component (rotor 70) comprising a rotatable element (Fig. 2 and para 78 “driving pins 71”), wherein the rotatable element (71) is disposed corresponding to the dynamic holes (41b, 42b, 43b) of the plurality of rotatable blades (41, 42, 43) so as to rotate the plurality of rotatable blades to thereby vary a size of the light passing aperture (para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b adapted to receive driving pins 71… when the driving pins 71 rotate along the cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b, naturally the lens shutters 41, 42, 43 engaged with them rotate at the same time… the size of the aperture 65a may be adjusted”);
a fixed aperture element having a fixed aperture (Fig. 2 and para 79 “second housing 65”), wherein the fixed aperture element is disposed corresponding to the plurality of rotatable blades, and the fixed aperture element is disposed close to the blade assembly and coaxial with the blade assembly (see 65 and 40);
wherein, the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a
protruding segment, the protruding segment extends and tapers toward the light passing aperture (see the protruding segment at the end of the light blocking portion 41, 42, 43 as shown in Fig. 2).
However, the prior art does not positively disclose a maximum height of the protruding segment h0, satisfying the following condition:
0.08 mm < h0 ≤ 0.50 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for a distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly h satisfying the following condition:
0.002 mm ≤ h ≤ 0.600 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for a distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly h satisfying the following condition:
0.002 mm < h ≤ 0.060 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 16, the optical lens module of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises:
an outer peripheral portion, comprising a part of the rotatable portion and a part of the light
blocking portion (outer peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43); and
an inner peripheral portion (inner peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43), comprising another part of the rotatable portion and another part of the light blocking portion, wherein the inner peripheral portion is closer to the optical axis than the outer peripheral portion (see inner peripheral portion is closer to L as shown in Fig. 2), and the inner peripheral portion comprises the protruding segment of the light blocking portion (Fig. 2, see the protruding segment is on the inner peripheral portion).
Regarding claim 17, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Further, the prior art does not disclose an average maximum height of the light blocking structure h1 satisfying the following condition:
0.001 mm ≤ h1 ≤ <0.050 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 18, the optical lens module of claim 17, wherein the protruding segment comprises the light blocking structure (protruding segment inherently block light when closed).
Regarding claims 19 and 20, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments within the claimed ranges.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 21, Oh discloses an optical lens module (Figs. 1-4) comprising:
at least one lens element (Fig. 1 and para 64 “focusing lens module 30”) having an optical axis; and
an adjustable aperture module (Fig. 2) disposed at an object side (13) of the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture module comprising:
a blade assembly (Figs. 1-4 and para 64 “diaphragm unit 40”) comprising a plurality of rotatable blades (para 80 “plurality of lens shutters 41, 42, 43”), wherein the plurality of rotatable blades are rotatably disposed around the optical axis so as to form a light passing aperture (see L passing through as shown in Fig. 2), each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a rotatable portion (Fig. 2 and para 81, portion at “holes 41a, 42a, 43a”) and a light blocking portion (lens shutters 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion is adjacent to the light blocking portion (Fig.2, see holes 41a, 42a, 43a and 41, 42, 43), the light blocking portion extends and tapers in a direction away from the rotatable portion (see 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion has a positioning hole (42a, 42a, 43a) and a dynamic hole (Fig. 2 and para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b” see Fig. 4), the positioning hole enables rotation of the corresponding rotatable blade with respect to the positioning hole, and the dynamic hole is disposed close to the positioning hole (see Fig. 2); and
a driving component (rotor 70) comprising a rotatable element (Fig. 2 and para 78 “driving pins 71”), wherein the rotatable element (71) is disposed corresponding to the dynamic holes (41b, 42b, 43b) of the plurality of rotatable blades (41, 42, 43) so as to rotate the plurality of rotatable blades to thereby vary a size of the light passing aperture (para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b adapted to receive driving pins 71… when the driving pins 71 rotate along the cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b, naturally the lens shutters 41, 42, 43 engaged with them rotate at the same time… the size of the aperture 65a may be adjusted”);
a fixed aperture element having a fixed aperture (Fig. 2 and para 79 “second housing 65”), wherein the fixed aperture element is disposed corresponding to the plurality of rotatable blades, and the fixed aperture element is disposed close to the blade assembly and coaxial with the blade assembly (see 65 and 40);
wherein, the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a
protruding segment, the protruding segment extends and tapers toward the light passing aperture (see the protruding segment at the end of the light blocking portion 41, 42, 43 as shown in Fig. 2).
However, the prior art does not positively disclose a maximum height of the protruding segment h0, satisfying the following condition:
0.08 mm < h0 ≤ 0.50 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Further, the prior art does not disclose the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 22, the optical lens module of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises:
an outer peripheral portion, comprising a part of the rotatable portion and a part of the light
blocking portion (outer peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43); and
an inner peripheral portion (inner peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43), comprising another part of the rotatable portion and another part of the light blocking portion, wherein the inner peripheral portion is closer to the optical axis than the outer peripheral portion (see inner peripheral portion is closer to L as shown in Fig. 2), and the inner peripheral portion comprises the protruding segment of the light blocking portion (Fig. 2, see the protruding segment is on the inner peripheral portion).
Regarding claim 23, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for an average maximum height of the light blocking structure h1 satisfying the following condition:
0.001 mm ≤ h1 ≤ <0.050 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 24, the optical lens module of claim 23, wherein the protruding segment comprises the light blocking structure (protruding segment inherently block light when closed).
Regarding claim 25, the optical lens module of claim 23, wherein the light blocking structure is
integrally included in the corresponding rotatable blade (Fig. 2, see 41, 42, 43).
Regarding claim 26, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for a distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly h satisfying the following condition:
0.002 mm ≤ h ≤ 0.600 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 27, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for a distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly h satisfying the following condition:
0.002 mm < h ≤ 0.060 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for distance between the fixed aperture element and the blade assembly, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claims 28 and 29, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments within the claimed ranges.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 30, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for an f-number of the optical lens module is FNO, and the following condition is satisfied:
0.9 ≤ FNO ≤ 5.6.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for FNO, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make an excellent lens module.
Regarding claim 31, Oh discloses an optical lens module (Figs. 1-4) comprising:
at least one lens element (Fig. 1 and para 64 “focusing lens module 30”) having an optical axis; and
an adjustable aperture module (Fig. 2) disposed at an object side (13) of the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture module comprising:
a blade assembly (Figs. 1-4 and para 64 “diaphragm unit 40”) comprising a plurality of rotatable blades (para 80 “plurality of lens shutters 41, 42, 43”), wherein the plurality of rotatable blades are rotatably disposed around the optical axis so as to form a light passing aperture (see L passing through as shown in Fig. 2), each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a rotatable portion (Fig. 2 and para 81, portion at “holes 41a, 42a, 43a”) and a light blocking portion (lens shutters 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion is adjacent to the light blocking portion (Fig.2, see holes 41a, 42a, 43a and 41, 42, 43), the light blocking portion extends and tapers in a direction away from the rotatable portion (see 41, 42, 43), the rotatable portion has a positioning hole (42a, 42a, 43a) and a dynamic hole (Fig. 2 and para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b” see Fig. 4), the positioning hole enables rotation of the corresponding rotatable blade with respect to the positioning hole, and the dynamic hole is disposed close to the positioning hole (see Fig. 2); and
a driving component (rotor 70) comprising a rotatable element (Fig. 2 and para 78 “driving pins 71”), wherein the rotatable element (71) is disposed corresponding to the dynamic holes (41b, 42b, 43b) of the plurality of rotatable blades (41, 42, 43) so as to rotate the plurality of rotatable blades to thereby vary a size of the light passing aperture (para 81 “cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b adapted to receive driving pins 71… when the driving pins 71 rotate along the cam slits 41b, 42b, 43b, naturally the lens shutters 41, 42, 43 engaged with them rotate at the same time… the size of the aperture 65a may be adjusted”);
wherein, the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises a
protruding segment, the protruding segment extends and tapers toward the light passing aperture (see the protruding segment at the end of the light blocking portion 41, 42, 43 as shown in Fig. 2).
However, the prior art does not positively disclose a maximum height of the protruding segment h0, satisfying the following condition:
0.08 mm < h0 ≤ 0.50 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Further, the prior art does not disclose the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 32, the optical lens module of claim 31, wherein each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises:
an outer peripheral portion, comprising a part of the rotatable portion and a part of the light
blocking portion (outer peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43); and
an inner peripheral portion (inner peripheral portion of 41, 42, 43), comprising another part of the rotatable portion and another part of the light blocking portion, wherein the inner peripheral portion is closer to the optical axis than the outer peripheral portion (see inner peripheral portion is closer to L as shown in Fig. 2), and the inner peripheral portion comprises the protruding segment of the light blocking portion (Fig. 2, see the protruding segment is on the inner peripheral portion).
Regarding claim 33, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Further, the prior art does not disclose an average maximum height of the light blocking structure h1 satisfying the following condition:
0.001 mm ≤ h1 ≤ <0.050 mm.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date choose the claimed range for maximum height of the protruding segment, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art, as being motivated to make the blades open and close with high precision and minimal energy.
Regarding claim 34, the optical lens module of claim 3, wherein the protruding segment comprises the light blocking structure (protruding segment inherently block light when closed).
Regarding claims 35 and 36, the prior art discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades comprises at least three protruding segments within the claimed ranges.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the light blocking portion of each of the plurality of rotatable blades to comprises at least three protruding segments, instead of one, for the purpose of establish a multipoint kinematic plane and eliminating mechanical flutter during aggressive, rapid lens movements or camera vibration.
Regarding claim 37, Oh discloses an electronic device, comprising:
the optical lens module of claim 1 (para 3).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Iida (US2004/0085473 A1) discloses a lens module comprising an adjustable aperture module (Figs. 1 and 4).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUNCHA P CHERRY whose telephone number is (571)272-2310. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 7am to 3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached at (571) 270-1284. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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7/11/2026
/EUNCHA P CHERRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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