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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement (PTO-1449) filed 09/18/2025. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
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 1-4, 6-8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088).
Regarding claim 1, Noda discloses a lens barrel (see Fig. 1) comprising: a first lens barrel (10) configured to hold a first lens (see Fig. 1); and an optical unit (20) having a hold part for holding an optical element, wherein the first lens barrel (10) and the optical unit (20) are disposed adjacent to each other (see Fig. 2), wherein an interval between the first lens barrel (10) and the optical unit (20) in an optical axis direction is variable (Paragraph 27), wherein an annular portion of the first lens barrel (10) has first protruding portions (32) in two or more phases (see Figs. 3A, 3B, Paragraphs 29, 31, 32), wherein the first protruding portion (32) regulates a position of the first lens in the optical axis direction (see Figs. 3A, 3B, Paragraphs 29, 31, 32). Noda discloses the claimed invention, but does not specify wherein a second protruding portion of the hold part is disposed in a phase other than the two or more phases of the first protruding portion, and wherein, when the first lens barrel and the optical unit come close to each other in the optical axis direction, a state of the lens barrel changes from a first state to a second state, the first state being a state in which a part of the first protruding portion and a part of the second protruding portion are not disposed in the same plane perpendicular to an optical axis, the second state being a state in which the part of the first protruding portion and the part of the second protruding portion are disposed in the same plane perpendicular to the optical axis. In the same field of endeavor, Masuki discloses wherein a second protruding portion (13a) of the hold part is disposed in a phase other than the two or more phases of the first protruding portion (18a) (see Figs. 10, 11), and wherein, when the first lens barrel and the optical unit come close to each other in the optical axis direction, a state of the lens barrel changes from a first state to a second state (see Figs. 10, 11), the first state being a state in which a part of the first protruding portion and a part of the second protruding portion are not disposed in the same plane perpendicular to an optical axis, the second state being a state in which the part of the first protruding portion (18a) and the part of the second protruding portion (13a) are disposed in the same plane perpendicular to the optical axis (see Figs. 10, 11). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda with wherein a second protruding portion of the hold part is disposed in a phase other than the two or more phases of the first protruding portion, and wherein, when the first lens barrel and the optical unit come close to each other in the optical axis direction, a state of the lens barrel changes from a first state to a second state, the first state being a state in which a part of the first protruding portion and a part of the second protruding portion are not disposed in the same plane perpendicular to an optical axis, the second state being a state in which the part of the first protruding portion and the part of the second protruding portion are disposed in the same plane perpendicular to the optical axis of Masuki for the purpose of providing an apparatus that is reduced in size while maintaining the degree of freedom in the layout of elements (Paragraph 13).
Regarding claim 2, Noda further discloses wherein the optical element is a lens (Paragraph 22).
Regarding claim 3, Noda further discloses wherein the optical unit (20) is movable in the optical axis direction (Paragraph 22).
Regarding claim 4, Noda further discloses wherein the optical unit (20) is movable to perform a focusing or a zooming operation (Paragraph 23).
Regarding claim 6, Noda further discloses wherein the first lens barrel (10) is movable in the optical axis direction (Paragraphs 22, 23).
Regarding claim 7, Noda further discloses wherein the first lens barrel (10) is movable to perform a focusing or a zooming operation (Paragraph 23).
Regarding claim 8, Noda further discloses wherein the first protruding portion (32) is a caulking claw that protrudes from the annular portion of the first lens barrel (10) in the optical axis direction (see Figs. 3A, 3B).
Regarding claim 12, Noda further discloses wherein in a state in which the first lens barrel (10) and the optical unit (20) are closest to each other, a part of the first protruding portion (32) and a part of the second protruding portion (23) are arranged on a circumference centered on the optical axis, in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (see Figs. 4, 5).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Nomura et al. (USPG Pub No. 2001/0017736), hereinafter “Nomura”.
Regarding claim 5, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention, but do not specify wherein the first lens barrel is fixed in the optical axis direction. In the same field of endeavor, Nomura discloses wherein the first lens barrel (11F) is fixed in the optical axis direction (Paragraph 68). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein the first lens barrel is fixed in the optical axis direction of Nomura for the purpose of providing free movement of the adjacent unit (Paragraph 70).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Honsho et al. (USPG Pub No. 2008/0180812), hereinafter “Honsho”.
Regarding claim 9, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention, but do not specify wherein the first protruding portion protrudes from the annular portion in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis. In the same field of endeavor, Honsho discloses wherein the first protruding portion (63/64) protrudes from the annular portion in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis (see Fig. 6, Paragraph 164). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein the first protruding portion protrudes from the annular portion in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of Honsho for the purpose of positioning the frame (Paragraph 160).
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Uno et al. (USP No. 10,073,237), hereinafter “Uno”.
Regarding claim 10, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention except for wherein a first light shielding sheet is disposed between the first lens and the first protruding portion. In the same field of endeavor, Uno discloses wherein a first light shielding sheet is disposed between the first lens and the first protruding portion (see Fig. 4, Col. 11, Lines 17-29). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein a first light shielding sheet (340) is disposed between the first lens and the first protruding portion of Uno for the purpose of blocking undesired light on an outer peripheral side of the frame (Col. 11, Lines 28-29). Additionally, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Regarding claim 11, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention except for wherein a second light shielding sheet is disposed on the first lens side of the second protruding portion. In the same field of endeavor, Uno discloses wherein a second light shielding sheet is disposed on the first lens side of the second protruding portion (see Fig. 4, Col. 11, Lines 17-29). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein a second light shielding sheet is disposed on the first lens side of the second protruding portion of Uno for the purpose of blocking undesired light on an outer peripheral side of the frame (Col. 11, Lines 28-29). Additionally, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Claims 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Noguchi (USP No. 7,414,802).
Regarding claim 13, Noda and Masuki teach the lens barrel set forth above for claim 1, Masuki further discloses wherein the first protruding portion (18a) protrudes from the annular portion of the first lens barrel (18) in the optical axis direction. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to provide the lens barrel of Noda with the teachings of Masuki for at least the same reasons as those set forth above with respect to claim 1. Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention, but do not specify and wherein the first protruding portion has a position regulating surface of the first lens in the optical axis direction. In the same field of endeavor, Noguchi discloses and wherein the first protruding portion (23a, 26) has a position regulating surface of the first lens (L1) in the optical axis direction (see Fig. 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with and wherein the first protruding portion has a position regulating surface of the first lens in the optical axis direction of Noguchi for the purpose of regulating the adjustment of the lens (Col. 9, Lines 10-12).
Regarding claim 15, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention, but do not specify wherein the first protruding portion has a protruding portion having a position regulating surface of the first lens in the optical axis direction. In the same field of endeavor, Noguchi discloses and wherein the first protruding portion (23a, 26) has a protruding portion having a position regulating surface of the first lens (L1) in the optical axis direction (see Fig. 7). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein the first protruding portion has a protruding portion having a position regulating surface of the first lens in the optical axis direction of Noguchi for the purpose of regulating the adjustment of the lens (Col. 9, Lines 10-12).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noda (USPG Pub No. 2020/0400914) in view of Masuki (USPG Pub No. 2010/0209088) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Moriya (USPG Pub No. 2002/0126398)
Regarding claim 14, Noda and Masuki disclose the claimed invention, but do not specify wherein the first protruding portion regulates a position of the first lens in the optical axis direction by contacting the first lens. In the same field of endeavor, Moriya discloses wherein the first protruding portion (11b) regulates a position of the first lens in the optical axis direction by contacting the first lens (12) (see Figs. 2B, 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the lens barrel of Noda and Masuki with wherein the first protruding portion regulates a position of the first lens in the optical axis direction by contacting the first lens of Moriya for the purpose of positioning the lens (Paragraph 45).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Masuki cures the deficiencies of Noda and addresses the subject matter challenged by Applicant.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MAHIDERE S SAHLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 3/19/2026