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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-3, 8, 9, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alasirnio et al. (US 2016/0170166) in view of Wippermann et al. (US 2012/0200946).
Regarding Claim 1, Alasirnio discloses a lens assembly comprising:
a first lens (Fig. 1D, lens 34, Fig. 5, lens 26);
a second lens (Fig. 1E, lens 38, Fig. 5, lens 28), wherein the first lens is stacked with the second lens Fig. 5, lenses 26 and 28 are stacked);
a limiting component (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), comprising a first limiting piece and a second limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), wherein the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece are arranged on a side of the first lens near the second lens (Fig. 5, as shown), and each of the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece abuts against the second lens (Fig. 5, as shown), the second limiting piece is spaced from the first limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), a receiving groove is formed between the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below);
a positioning component (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), wherein the positioning component comprises a positioning bulge, the positioning bulge is arranged on a surface of the second lens near the first lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), a positioning groove is defined on a side of the first lens near the second lens (Fig. 5, as shown), the positioning bulge is received in the positioning groove (Fig. 5, as shown); and
a connecting component (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), wherein the connecting component is arranged in the receiving groove (Fig. 5, as shown), the connecting component comprises a first connecting structure and a second connecting structure (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, below), the first connecting structure is arranged on the first lens, the second connecting structure is arranged on the second lens (Fig. 5, as shown).
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Alasirnio does not specifically disclose the second connecting structure is bonded with the first connecting structure.
However, Wippermann, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the second connecting structure is bonded with the first connecting structure (Fig. 2C, adhesive 118, Paragraph 0036), for the purpose of firmly affixing two lens elements to each other.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the lens assembly of Alasirnio with the second connecting structure is bonded with the first connecting structure, of Wippermann, for the purpose of firmly affixing two lens elements to each other.
Regarding Claim 2, Alasirnio in view of Wippermann, discloses as is set forth above and Alasirnio further discloses wherein the first limiting piece is protruded toward the second lens from the side of the first lens near the second lens, a protruding distance of the first limiting piece is a first distance, the second limiting piece is protruded toward the second lens from the side of the first lens near the second lens, a protruding distance of the second limiting piece is a second distance, the second distance is the same as the first distance (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above, the first and second limiting pieces are the same length).
Regarding Claim 3, Alasirnio in view of Wippermann, discloses as is set forth above and Alasirnio further discloses wherein the first lens comprises a center portion and an outer portion, the outer portion is arranged on a periphery of the center portion, the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece are arranged on a side of an outer portion near the second lens, and the second limiting piece is arranged around an outer edge of the outer portion (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above, as shown at the outer portion of both lenses).
Regarding Claim 8, Alasirnio in view of Wippermann, discloses as is set forth above and Alasirnio further discloses wherein the positioning bulge is protruded outwards from a side of the first lens near the second lens to the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece, and the positioning groove is concaved inward from the surface of the second lens near the first lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, and Fig. 5, as shown).
Regarding Claim 9, Alasirnio in view of Wippermann, discloses as is set forth above and Alasirnio further discloses wherein the positioning bulge is contained in the positioning groove, and an end surface of the positioning bulge near the first limiting piece is located at a same height as the surface of the second lens near the first lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, and Fig. 5, as shown).
Regarding Claim 14, Alasirnio discloses a lens assembly comprising a
processing method of a lens assembly (Fig. 5, as shown), the processing method comprising: aligning (Paragraphs 0004-0008 and 0037) a first lens (Fig. 1D, lens 34, Fig. 5, lens 26) with a second lens (Fig. 1E, lens 38, Fig. 5, lens 28) by a positioning component (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above);
providing a first limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above) having a protruding distance of a first distance (Fig. 5, as shown);
providing a second limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above) having a protruding distance of a second distance (Fig. 5, as shown);
arranging the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece on a side of the first lens near the second lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above);
abutting the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece against the second lens (Fig. 5, as shown), the second limiting piece is spaced from the first limiting piece (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above);
stacking the first lens with the second lens by setting the first distance to be the same as the second distance when the side of the first lens near the second lens is parallel to a side of the second lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, above, the first and second limiting pieces are the same length).
Alasirnio does not specifically disclose bonding the first lens with the second lens by a connecting component.
However, Wippermann, in the same field of endeavor, teaches bonding the first lens with the second lens by a connecting component (Fig. 2C, adhesive 118, Paragraph 0036), for the purpose of firmly affixing two lens elements to each other.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the processing method of Alasirnio with bonding the first lens with the second lens by a connecting component, of Wippermann, for the purpose of firmly affixing two lens elements to each other.
Regarding Claim 15, Alasirnio in view of Wippermann, discloses as is set forth above and Alasirnio further discloses wherein further comprising: making a positioning groove on the side of the first lens near the second lens; providing the positioning component with a positioning bulge; arranging the positioning bulge on a side of the second lens near the first lens; and placing an end of the positioning bulge into the positioning groove of the first lens (see annotated Fig. 1D/1E, and Fig. 5, as shown).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7, 10-13, and 16 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: with respect to the allowable subject matter, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose or teach of the claimed combination of limitations to warrant a rejection under 35 USC 102 or 103.
Specifically, with respect to claim 4, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a lens assembly including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein the positioning groove is defined on a bottom wall of the receiving groove, the positioning groove is provided around a periphery of the first limiting piece, the positioning bulge is protruded outward from the surface of the second lens, the positioning bulge is partially received in the positioning groove, and the positioning bulge is away from an end of the second lens to abut against a bottom of the positioning groove.
Specifically, with respect to claim 10, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a lens assembly including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein the positioning groove is positioned between the first limiting piece and the second limiting piece, the positioning groove is concaved inward from a bottom of the receiving groove in the direction away from the second lens, the positioning bulge is protruded outward from the surface of the second lens near the first lens, and the positioning bulge abuts against a one inner wall of the positioning groove when the positioning bulge is received in the positioning groove.
Specifically, with respect to claim 11, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a lens assembly including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein a groove depth of the positioning groove is not greater than half a thickness of the outer portion, and a width of the positioning groove is not greater than half a width of the outer portion.
Specifically, with respect to claim 12, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a lens assembly including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein a first angle is formed between two inner walls of the positioning groove, the first angle is greater than 50°.
Specifically, with respect to claim 13, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a lens assembly including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein an inner wall of positioning groove is a first connecting surface, an outer wall of the positioning bulge is a second connection surface, a second angle is formed between the first connecting surface and the second connecting surface, the second angle is 1° to 10°.
Specifically, with respect to claim 16, none of the prior art either alone or in combination disclose a processing method including, as the distinguishing feature(s) in combination with the other limitations wherein the first lens is bonded with the second lens by the connecting component comprises: providing a first connecting structure on the first lens; providing a second connecting structure on the second lens; arranging the first connecting structure at an interval with the second connecting structure to form a gap; and filling the gap with an adhesive material.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Alasirnio et al. (US 10,459,187), Wippermann et al. (US 8,587,882), Yan et al. (US 9,921,386), Yan et al. (US 2015/0260941), Yan et al. (US 9,507,118), Yan et al. (US 2015/0260940), Yan et al. (US 9,465,185), Yan et al. (US 2015/0198778), Huang et al. (US 12,399,343), Huang et al. (US 2023/0236382), Huang (US 2006/0018036), Yasukochi et al. (US 9,641,732), Yasukochi et al. (US 2015/0172521), Wan (US 11,156,795), Wan (US 2020/0041747), Sohn (US 11,215,782), Sohn (US 2021/0080673), Wang (US 11,327,267), Wang (US 2020/0057235), Choi et al. (US 2022/0214515), Czinger (US 2022/0194020), Yu (US 2006/0140623), and Chen (US 2009/0015945) are cited to show similar lens assemblies and methods.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM R ALEXANDER whose telephone number is (571)270-7656. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Pinping Sun can be reached on (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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/WILLIAM R ALEXANDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872