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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore,” ARE is a profile curve length measured from a start point where the optical axis passes therethrough, along a surface profile thereof, and finally to a coordinate point of a perpendicular distance where is a half of the entrance pupil diameter away from the optical axis” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1, 8, 12, 13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang et al. (US PUB 2021/0239944; herein after “Chang”) in view of HIRATA et al. (US PUB 2021/0294066; herein after “Hirata”).
Regarding claim 1, Chang teaches a temperature-adjustable optical imaging lens (as shown in FIG. 1A), comprising: an imaging lens assembly (an optical image capturing system, 10), comprising at least five lenses (L1-L5) with refractive power and an image plane (180), wherein the at least five lenses, in order along an optical axis from an object side to an image side, comprises a first lens (110), a second lens (120), a third lens (130), a fourth lens (140), and a fifth lens (150) (para. [0088], also see claim1); a positioning assembly (e.g., end device), comprising a lens barrel which is hollow and non-transparent, wherein the lens barrel has a cylindrical portion inside the lens barrel; the cylindrical portion is adapted to accommodate the imaging lens assembly (i.e., improve a spatial configuration of the optical image capturing system when disposed on an end device (e.g., lens barrel), para. [0086]); and a heating module (i.e., a heat effect may be controlled, para. [0080]); wherein the imaging lens assembly satisfies:
1.2 ≤ f/HEP ≤ 3.0; 1.5 ≤ HOS/f ≤ 10; 50 deg < HAF ≤ 100 deg; and 0.1 ≤ 2(ARE/HEP) ≤ 2.0 (f/HEP=1.6, HOS/f=3.4751, HAF=50.001 deg., and 0.1 ≤2 (ARE/HEP) ≤ 2.0, para. [0024], [0111] and [0115]);
wherein f is a focal length of the imaging lens assembly; HEP is an entrance pupil diameter of the imaging lens assembly; HAF is a half of a maximum field angle of the imaging lens assembly; HOS is a distance between an object-side surface, which faces the object side, of the first lens and the image plane on the optical axis; for any surface of any lens, ARE is a profile curve length measured from a start point where the optical axis passes therethrough, along a surface profile thereof, and finally to a coordinate point of a perpendicular distance where is a half of the entrance pupil diameter away from the optical axis.
Chang teaches all limitations except for explicit teaching of a positioning assembly, comprising a lens barrel which is hollow and non-transparent, wherein the lens barrel has a cylindrical portion inside the lens barrel; the cylindrical portion is adapted to accommodate the imaging lens assembly.
Chang fails to teach a thermoconductive module, disposed in the cylindrical portion of the positioning assembly, wherein the thermoconductive module is disposed between the first lens and the second lens and is in contact with the first lens and the second lens, and a heating module, connected to the thermoconductive module and adapted to provide a heat source to the first lens and the second lens.
However, in a related field of endeavor Hirata teaches the heater unit 40 is provided at a position between the flange portion 1b of the lens 1 and the flange portion 2b of the lens 2, para. [0090].
As shown in FIG. 1, the lens unit 100 includes lenses 1-4, a lens barrel 10, an optical filter 20, an O-ring 30, a heater unit 40, a wiring portion 50, and the like, para. [0079].
In the lens barrel 10, lenses 1-4 forming one lens group are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the lens barrel 10. Here, the lenses 1-4 are arranged in a manner such that their optical axes are aligned with each other and are arranged along the optical axis. At this time, the axis of the lens barrel 10 and the optical axis of the lens group (referred to as optical axis OA) are substantially coincident with each other, para. [0080], FIG. 1.
An O-ring 30 is disposed between the reduced diameter portion 1c and the inner peripheral surface A of the lens barrel 10, para. [0086], FIG. 1.
A flange portion 13 which is a plate-shaped portion projecting outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel 10, para. 0087].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Chang such that a flange portion (e.g., a positioning assembly) which is a plate-shaped portion projecting outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a lens barrel having lenses forming one lens group are arranged side by side along the axial direction, and an O-ring (e.g., a thermoconductive module) is disposed between the reduced diameter portion 1c and the inner peripheral surface A of the lens barrel as taught by Hirata, for the purpose of energizing a heater unit that generates heat such that a lens unit and a camera module having a snow melting function without causing an increase in size, also it is possible to realize a low cost and an improvement in productivity for camera manufacturing.
Regarding claim 8, Chang further teaches the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: 0.9 ≤ 2(ARE/HEP) ≤ 2.0, (para. [0024]).
Regarding claim 12, Chang further teaches the imaging lens assembly further comprises an aperture (100); the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: 0.2≤InS/HOS≤1.1 (para. [0059] and [0088]);
wherein InS is a distance between the aperture and the image plane on the optical axis of the imaging lens assembly.
Regarding claim 13, Chang teaches a temperature-adjustable optical imaging lens (as shown in FIG. 1A), comprising: an imaging lens assembly (an optical image capturing system, 10), comprising at least five lenses (L1-L5) with refractive power and an image plane (180), wherein the at least five lenses, in order along an optical axis from an object side to an image side, comprises a first lens (110), a second lens (120), a third lens (130), a fourth lens (140), and a fifth lens (150) (para. [0088], also see claim1); a positioning assembly (e.g., end device), comprising a lens barrel which is hollow and non-transparent, wherein the lens barrel has a cylindrical portion inside the lens barrel; the cylindrical portion is adapted to accommodate the imaging lens assembly (i.e., improve a spatial configuration of the optical image capturing system when disposed on an end device (e.g., lens barrel), para. [0086]); and a heating module (i.e., a heat effect may be controlled, para. [0080]); wherein the imaging lens assembly satisfies:
1.2 ≤ f/HEP ≤ 3.0; 1.5 ≤ HOS/f ≤ 10; 50 deg < HAF ≤ 100 deg; and 0.1 ≤ 2(ARE/HEP) ≤ 2.0 (f/HEP=1.6, HOS/f=3.4751, HAF=50.001 deg., and 0.1 ≤2 (ARE/HEP) ≤ 2.0, para. [0024], [0111] and [0115]);
wherein f is a focal length of the imaging lens assembly; HEP is an entrance pupil diameter of the imaging lens assembly; HAF is a half of a maximum field angle of the imaging lens assembly; HOS is a distance between an object-side surface, which faces the object side, of the first lens and the image plane on the optical axis; for any surface of any lens, ARE is a profile curve length measured from a start point where the optical axis passes therethrough, along a surface profile thereof, and finally to a coordinate point of a perpendicular distance where is a half of the entrance pupil diameter away from the optical axis.
Chang teaches all limitations except for explicit teaching of a positioning assembly, comprising a lens barrel which is hollow and non-transparent, wherein the lens barrel has a cylindrical portion inside the lens barrel; the cylindrical portion is adapted to accommodate the imaging lens assembly.
Chang fails to teach a thermoconductive module, disposed in the cylindrical portion of the positioning assembly, wherein the thermoconductive module is disposed between the first lens and the second lens and is in contact with the first lens and the second lens, and a heating module, disposed on the thermoconductive module and being in contact with the first lens, wherein the heating module is adapted to provide a heat source to the first lens and the second lens.
However, in a related field of endeavor Hirata teaches the heater unit 40 is provided at a position between the flange portion 1b of the lens 1 and the flange portion 2b of the lens 2, para. [0090].
As shown in FIG. 1, the lens unit 100 includes lenses 1-4, a lens barrel 10, an optical filter 20, an O-ring 30, a heater unit 40, a wiring portion 50, and the like, para. [0079].
In the lens barrel 10, lenses 1-4 forming one lens group are arranged side by side along the axial direction of the lens barrel 10. Here, the lenses 1-4 are arranged in a manner such that their optical axes are aligned with each other and are arranged along the optical axis. At this time, the axis of the lens barrel 10 and the optical axis of the lens group (referred to as optical axis OA) are substantially coincident with each other, para. [0080], FIG. 1.
An O-ring 30 is disposed between the reduced diameter portion 1c and the inner peripheral surface A of the lens barrel 10, para. [0086], FIG. 1.
A flange portion 13 which is a plate-shaped portion projecting outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the lens barrel 10, para. 0087].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Chang such that a flange portion (e.g., a positioning assembly) which is a plate-shaped portion projecting outward in the radial direction is formed on the outer peripheral surface of a lens barrel having lenses forming one lens group are arranged side by side along the axial direction, and an O-ring (e.g., a thermoconductive module) is disposed between the reduced diameter portion 1c and the inner peripheral surface A of the lens barrel as taught by Hirata, for the purpose of energizing a heater unit that generates heat such that a lens unit and a camera module having a snow melting function without causing an increase in size, also it is possible to realize a low cost and an improvement in productivity for camera manufacturing.
Regarding claim 18, Chang further teaches the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: 0.9≤ARS/EHD≤2.0 (see claim 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7, 9-11, 14-17 and 19-23 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:
Regarding claim 2, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the thermoconductive module is a washer made of heat-conductive material; the washer has an upper peripheral surface facing the first lens and a lower peripheral surface facing the second lens; the washer has an inner annular hole penetrating through the upper peripheral surface and the lower peripheral surface; two sides of the inner annular hole form an upper rim on an inner side of the upper peripheral surface and a lower rim on an inner side of the lower peripheral surface, respectively; the washer is disposed on the second lens; the second lens abuts against the lower rim; the first lens abuts against the upper peripheral surface and is disposed on the washer.
Claims 3-7 depend upon allowable claim 2.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the imaging lens assembly has a total of six lenses with refractive power and comprises a sixth lens; the sixth lens is located between the fifth lens and the image plane; the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: 0.1≤InTL/HOS≤0.95;
wherein InTL is a distance between the object-side surface of the first lens and an image-side surface of the sixth lens on the optical axis of the imaging lens assembly.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the imaging lens assembly has a total of seven lenses with refractive power and comprises a sixth lens and a seventh lens; the sixth lens and the seventh lens are located between the fifth lens and the image plane on the optical axis, wherein the sixth lens is located between the fifth lens and the seventh lens; the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: 0.1≤InTL/HOS≤0.95
wherein InTL is a distance between the object-side surface of the first lens and an image-side surface of the seventh lens on the optical axis of the imaging lens assembly.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the imaging lens assembly further satisfies: PLTA≤100μm; PSTA≤100μm; NLTA≤100μm; NSTA≤100μm; SLTA≤100μm; SSTA≤100μm; and |TDT|<100%;
wherein TDT is a TV distortion; HOI is a maximum height for image formation on the image plane perpendicular to the optical axis; PLTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane in a positive direction of a tangential fan of the imaging lens assembly after a longest operation wavelength of light passing through an edge of an entrance pupil; PSTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane in the positive direction of the tangential fan after a shortest operation wavelength of light passing through the edge of the entrance pupil; NLTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane in a negative direction of the tangential fan after the longest operation wavelength of light passing through the edge of the entrance pupil; NSTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane in the negative direction of the tangential fan after the shortest operation wavelength of light passing through the edge of the entrance pupil; SLTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane of a sagittal fan of the imaging lens assembly after the longest operation wavelength of light passing through the edge of the entrance pupil; SSTA is a transverse aberration at 0.7 HOI on the image plane of the sagittal fan after the shortest operation wavelength of light passing through the edge of the entrance pupil.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the thermoconductive module is a washer made of heat-conductive material; the washer has an upper peripheral surface facing the first lens and a lower peripheral surface facing the second lens; the washer has an inner annular hole penetrating through the upper peripheral surface and the lower peripheral surface; two sides of the inner annular hole form an upper rim located on an inner side of the upper peripheral surface and a lower rim located on an inner side of the lower peripheral surface, respectively; the washer is disposed on the second lens; the second lens abuts against the lower rim; the heating module is disposed on the upper peripheral surface of the washer; the first lens abuts against the heating module, so that the heating module is in contact with the first lens and the washer.
Claims 15-17 and 19-23 depend upon allowable claim 13.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24-37 are allowed.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art taken either singularly or in a combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the claimed features as presented in independent claim 24, for example:
a temperature-adjustable optical imaging lens, comprising: an imaging lens assembly, comprising at least five lenses with refractive power and an image plane, wherein the at least five lenses, in order along an optical axis from an object side to an image side, comprises a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens; a positioning assembly, comprising a lens barrel which is hollow and non-transparent, wherein the lens barrel has a cylindrical portion inside the lens barrel; the cylindrical portion is adapted to accommodate the imaging lens assembly; a thermoconductive module, disposed in the cylindrical portion of the positioning assembly, wherein the thermoconductive module is disposed between the first lens and the second lens and is in contact with the second lens, and a heating module, connected to the thermoconductive module and adapted to provide a heat source to the first lens and the second lens; wherein the imaging lens assembly satisfies: 1.6≤f/HEP≤2.31; 1.7≤HOS/f≤8.0; 60 deg< HAF ≤ 70deg; and 0.1≤2(ARE/HEP)≤2.0.
Claims 25-37 depend upon allowable claim 24.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. LEE et al. (US PUB 2018/0239105) teaches “a heating layer positioned on the lens so as to generate heat when power is supplied thereto; and a heating wire, which is positioned on the surface of the lens or of the heating layer, which generates heat when a current is supplied thereto from an external power supply, and which is electrically connected to the heating layer, and thus can reduce the time taken to supply a heating body with a current, and the reduced heating time accordingly enables rapid heating.”, see Abstract.
Takada (US PUB 2004/0223074) teaches “a focus adjusting mechanism and the camera using the same, and a lens module having a function of heating lenses and a camera using the same.”, see para. [0371].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUSTAK CHOUDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-5247. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8AM-5PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached on (571)272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUSTAK CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
January 21, 2026