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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it should be limited to a single paragraph and within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ito et al. (U.S. Pat. 6,117,071, hereinafter “Ito”).
As to claim 1, Ito discloses an endoscope imaging device (Fig.1) including, on a distal end side, a plurality of lenses (lenses 20a-20d, Fig.3) that include a first movable lens (lens 20b) which is movable along an optical axis direction (col.7, lines 61-67), and a sensor (CCD 24, Fig.3) that captures a subject image formed by the plurality of lenses (col.16, lines 3-20), the endoscope imaging device comprising:
a lens accommodating portion (portion A of member 27, see annotated figure below) that accommodates the first movable lens which is movable along the optical axis direction among the plurality of lenses (accomodates lens 20b, Figs.3,4);
a housing (portion B of member 27, see annotated figure below) that is disposed alongside the lens accommodating portion as viewed from the optical axis direction (adjacent portion A, Fig.4);
a coupling portion (portion C of member 27, see annotated figure below) that couples the lens accommodating portion and the housing to each other in a state in which the lens accommodating portion and the housing communicate with each other (connects portions A and B);
PNG
media_image1.png
276
318
media_image1.png
Greyscale
a lens drive unit (cable assembly 25, Fig.3,4) that is accommodated in the housing (as shown in Fig.4);
a receiving portion that is provided at an end part of the housing or an end part of the lens accommodating portion in an extension direction of the coupling portion as viewed from the optical axis direction (part of housing 10 that contacts and presses on the outside of either of the housing or lens accommodating portion, see annotated figure below);
PNG
media_image2.png
297
227
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
299
303
media_image3.png
Greyscale
a pressing member that is provided at the end part of the lens accommodating portion or the end part of the housing facing the receiving portion in the extension direction and presses the lens accommodating portion or the housing (part of housing 10 that contacts and presses on the outside of either of the housing or lens accommodating portion, see annotated figure above);
a first restricting portion that restricts a position of the lens accommodating portion in a cross direction crossing the extension direction of the coupling portion (portion of housing 10 that contacts and presses on the outside of the lens accommodating portion, see annotated figure above); and
a second restricting portion that restricts a position of the housing in the cross direction crossing the extension direction of the coupling portion(portion of housing 10 that contacts and presses on the outside of the housing, see annotated figure above).
As to claim 2, wherein the first restricting portion is provided on both sides of the lens accommodating portion in the cross direction (as shown in the annotated figure above)
As to claims 3 and 10, wherein the second restricting portion is provided on both sides of the housing in the cross direction (as shown in the annotated figure above).
As to claims 4 and 11, wherein the pressing member is provided on an outer edge of the lens accommodating portion, within a range between a first point and a second point: the first point being, as viewed from the optical axis direction, a point at which a first straight line passing through a center point of the lens accommodating portion and a position within one of the second restricting portions, which is farthest from a straight line passing through the center point of the lens accommodating portion and a center point of the housing, where the second restricting portion effectively acts as a restriction for the position in the cross direction, intersects the outer edge of the lens accommodating portion provided on a side opposite to the housing with respect to the center point of the lens accommodating portion; and the second point being, as viewed from the optical axis direction, a point at which a second straight line passing through the center point of the lens accommodating portion and a position within the other of the second restricting portions, which is farthest from the straight line passing through the center point of the lens accommodating portion and the center point of the housing, where the second restricting portion effectively acts as a restriction for the position in the cross direction, intersects the outer edge of the lens accommodating portion provided on the side opposite to the housing with respect to the center point of the lens accommodating portion (portion of housing 10 is within the “range” between the two points, as shown in the annotated figure below).
PNG
media_image4.png
262
281
media_image4.png
Greyscale
As to claim 5, wherein the pressing member is provided on an outer edge of the housing, within a range between a third point and a fourth point: the third point being, as viewed from the optical axis direction, a point at which a third straight line passing through a center point of the housing and a position within one of the first restricting portions, which is farthest from a straight line passing through a center point of the lens accommodating portion and the center point of the housing, where the first restricting portion effectively acts as a restriction for the position in the cross direction, intersects the outer edge of the housing provided on a side opposite to the lens accommodating portion with respect to the center point of the housing; and the fourth point being, as viewed from the optical axis direction, a point at which a fourth straight line passing through the center point of the housing and a position within the other of the first restricting portions, which is farthest from the straight line passing through the center point of the lens accommodating portion and the center point of the housing, where the first restricting portion effectively acts as a restriction for the position in the cross direction, intersects the outer edge of the housing provided on the side opposite to the lens accommodating portion with respect to the center point of the housing. (portion of housing 10 is within the “range” between the two points, as shown in the annotated figure below).
PNG
media_image5.png
265
278
media_image5.png
Greyscale
As to claims 6, 12, and 13, wherein the receiving portion and the second restricting portion are continuously disposed along an outer edge of the housing (all portions of housing 10 are continuously disposed along the outer edge of the housing, as shown in Fig.4).
As to claim 7, 14, and 15, wherein the receiving portion and the first restricting portion are continuously disposed along an outer edge of the lens accommodating portion (all portions of housing 10 are continuously disposed along the outer edge of the lens accommodating portion, as shown in Fig.4).
As to claim 8, 16 and 17, wherein the extension direction of the coupling portion is a first direction that passes through a center point of the lens accommodating portion and a center point of the housing, as viewed from the optical axis direction, and the cross direction is a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the same plane, as viewed from the optical axis direction (vertical dashed line in annotated figure below is extension direction and horizontal lines are orthogonal cross directions).
PNG
media_image6.png
291
346
media_image6.png
Greyscale
As to claim 9, Ito discloses an endoscope (Fig.1) that comprises the endoscope imaging device according to claim 1 (as set forth with respect to claim 1 above).
As to claim 18, Ito discloses an endoscope (Fig.1) that comprises the endoscope imaging device according to claim 2 (as set forth with respect to claim 2 above).
As to claim 19, Ito discloses an endoscope (Fig.1) that comprises the endoscope imaging device according to claim 3 (as set forth with respect to claim 3 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See references cited on PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN P LEUBECKER whose telephone number is (571)272-4769. The examiner can normally be reached Generally, M-F, 5:30-2:00.
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, Anhtuan T Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-4963. 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.
/JOHN P LEUBECKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795