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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 04/16/2026 has been entered. Claims 2 and 7 have been canceled. The amendments have overcome each and every 112(b) rejection and drawing objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 02/11/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/16/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the 103 rejections, applicant’s arguments have been fully considered and are appreciated. However, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
Applicant argues that the currently applied prior art fails to disclose the limitations “wherein the base comprises: a lower mounting plate, the linear magnetic drive structure being disposed on the lower mounting plate; an upper mounting plate provided apart from the lower mounting plate along up and down, the fixed lens assembly being disposed on the upper mounting plate; and a plurality of support columns provided between the upper mounting plate and the lower mounting plate.” However, Lin discloses the base (103) comprises: a lower mounting plate (1034; Fig. 3; ¶0036), the linear magnetic drive structure (magnets, coils, guide unit) being disposed on the lower mounting plate (1034) (the linear magnetic drive structure includes 1052 and 1054, which is disposed on 1034; Figs. 2-3); an upper mounting plate (1033; Fig. 3; ¶0036) provided apart from the lower mounting plate (1034) along up and down, the fixed lens assembly (1021, 1024) being disposed on the upper mounting plate (1033) (Figs. 2-3); and a plurality of support columns (1031, 1032; Fig. 3; ¶0036) provided between the upper mounting plate (1033) and the lower mounting plate (1034) (Fig. 3).
Applicant additionally argues that “Lin does not have the technical effect of the highlight features, that is, utilizing the space of the base to improve the space utilization of the zoom lens and help to reduce the volume of the zoom lens.” However, this is just a motivation. Further, this is taught by ¶0002 of Lin.
Applicant argues the other references – Ohtake and Wu – do not disclose the above limitations. However, these references were not used to teach these limitations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4-6, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 20220252827 A1), hereinafter Lin, in view of Ohtake (US 20060291071 A1).
Regarding independent claim 1, Lin discloses a zoom lens, wherein an optical axis is formed within the zoom lens (Figs. 2-3; ¶0004), the zoom lens is provided with an object side and an image side opposite to the object side along an optical axis direction (Figs. 2-3; ¶0004), the zoom lens comprises:
a base (103; Fig. 3; ¶0036),
a fixed lens assembly (1021, 1024; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) mounted on the base (103) (Figs. 2-3), wherein the fixed lens assembly (1021, 1024) comprises a first fixed lens group (1021; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) and a second fixed lens group (1024; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) provided at intervals along the optical axis direction (Figs. 2-3),
a moving lens assembly (1022, 1023; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) movably mounted on the base (103) along the optical axis direction (Figs. 2-3), wherein the moving lens assembly (1022, 1023) comprises a first moving lens group (1022; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) and a second moving lens group (1023; Fig. 3; ¶0038-¶0039) provided at intervals along the optical axis direction (Figs. 2-3); and
a linear magnetic drive structure (magnets and coils to drive the lenses, plus the guide unit comprising the guide rods and the connections between the elements of the guide unit; ¶0007-¶0008, ¶0042) provided on the base (103) (¶0007-¶0008, ¶0042) and driven to move the moving lens assembly (1022, 1023) (¶0042-¶0043);
wherein the base (103) comprises:
a lower mounting plate (1034; Fig. 3; ¶0036), the linear magnetic drive structure (magnets, coils, guide unit) being disposed on the lower mounting plate (1034) (the linear magnetic drive structure includes 1052 and 1054, which is disposed on 1034; Figs. 2-3);
an upper mounting plate (1033; Fig. 3; ¶0036) provided apart from the lower mounting plate (1034) along up and down1, the fixed lens assembly (1021, 1024) being disposed on the upper mounting plate (1033) (Figs. 2-3); and
a plurality of support columns (1031, 1032; Fig. 3; ¶0036) provided between the upper mounting plate (1033) and the lower mounting plate (1034) (Fig. 3).
Lin does not disclose the first fixed lens group, the first moving lens group, the second fixed lens group and the second moving lens group are arranged in sequence along the object side to the image side.
However, Ohtake teaches a similar zoom lens (Fig. 1; ¶0065) comprising a fixed lens assembly (G1, G3; Fig. 1; ¶0132), wherein the fixed lens assembly comprises a first fixed lens group (G1; Fig. 1; ¶0132) and a second fixed lens group (G3; Fig. 1; ¶0132), a moving lens assembly (G2, G4; Fig. 1; ¶0132), wherein the moving lens assembly comprises a first moving lens group (G2; Fig. 1; ¶0132) and a second moving lens group (G4; Fig. 1; ¶0132) provided at intervals along the optical axis direction (Fig. 1), a drive structure (¶0180), and further wherein the first fixed lens group (G1), the first moving lens group (G2), the second fixed lens group (G3) and the second moving lens group (G4) are arranged in sequence along the object side to the image side (Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the lens groups to be in the order of first fixed lens group, first moving lens group, second fixed lens group, and second moving lens group for the purpose of achieving a high power variation ratio and a high performance (¶0019 of Ohtake).
Regarding claim 4, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 1, as set forth above. Lin further discloses both the first moving lens group (1022) and the second moving lens (1023) group comprise a moving lens group (¶0039); and the moving lens assembly (1022, 1023) further comprises a connecting seat (sections of frames 1022a, 1023a that contact guide rod 104 and the lens 1022b, 1023b; Figs. 2-3) extending up and down (Figs. 2-3), and both ends of the connecting seat are respectively disposed on the linear magnetic drive structure (connects to guide rods 104, which is part of the linear magnetic drive structure) and the moving lens group (1022, 1023) (Figs. 2-3; ¶0038).
Regarding claim 5, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 4, as set forth above. Line further discloses the connecting seat (sections of 1022a, 1023a that contact guide rod 104 and the lens 1022b, 1023b) is detachably mounted to the linear magnetic drive structure (guide rods 104) (Figs. 2-3; ¶0041) and/or the moving lens group.
Regarding claim 6, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 5, as set forth above. Lin does not disclose the zoom lens further comprises an infrared assembly disposed on the base, and the infrared assembly is provided between the second moving lens group and the image side.
However, Ohtake teaches the zoom lens further comprises an infrared assembly (¶0129), and the infrared assembly is provided between the second moving lens group (G4) and the image side (¶0129). It is further follows that the infrared assembly of Ohtake would be disposed on the base of Lin in the combined invention.
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 Lin to include an infrared assembly as taught by Ohtake for the purpose of filtering out infrared light.
Regarding claim 8, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 1, as set forth above. Lin further discloses the linear magnetic drive structure comprises:
a motor guide rail (guide rail corresponding to the protruding portion; ¶0040) disposed on the base (103) (¶0040);
a stator structure (protruding portion; ¶0040) disposed on the motor guide (¶0040); and
a mover structure (1022a, 1023a; Figs. 2-3; ¶0041) configured to move along the optical axis direction relative to the stator structure (Figs. 2-3; ¶0040-¶0041),
wherein the moving lens group (1022, 1023) is disposed on the mover structure (1022a, 1023a; Figs. 2-3; ¶0041).
Regarding claim 9, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 8, as set forth above. Lin further discloses two linear magnetic drive structure are provided (first: 1051 and 1052, second: 1053 and 1054; ¶0043), and the two linear magnetic drive structures (1051/1052, 1053/1054) are respectively driven to move the first moving lens group (1022) and the second moving lens group (1023) (¶0043).
Regarding claim 10, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses an imaging device (¶0001), comprising the zoom lens according to claim 1.
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 20220252827 A1) in view of Ohtake (US 20060291071 A1) and further in view of Wu et al. (US 20240295744 A1), hereinafter Wu.
Regarding claim 3, Lin in view of Ohtake discloses the zoom lens according to claim 1, as set forth above. Neither Lin nor Ohtake disclose the base further comprises an alignment reference plate extending up and down, the alignment reference plate is provided with an alignment reference surface, the upper mounting plate is disposed on an upper end of the alignment reference surface, and the lower mounting plate is disposed on a lower end of the alignment reference surface.
However, Wu teaches a similar movable lens comprising a base (120; Fig. 1B; ¶0046), wherein the base comprises a lower mounting plate and an upper mounting plate (sidewalls of 120; Fig. 1B) and a plurality of support columns (sections connecting sidewalls of 120; Fig. 1B), and further comprises an alignment reference plate (130, 140; Fig. 1B; ¶0045) extending up and down, the alignment reference plate (130, 140) is provided with an alignment reference surface (Fig. 1B), the upper mounting plate is disposed on an upper end of the alignment reference surface (Fig. 1B), and the lower mounting plate is disposed on a lower end of the alignment reference surface (Fig. 1B).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lin in view of Ohtake to include the alignment reference plates as taught by Wu for the purpose of strengthening the structure of the optical module (¶0049 of Wu).
Examiner’s Comment
The examiner notes that the features of instant application Fig. 1 are different from the currently applied prior art, particularly regarding the stacked structure with the lenses outside of and above the base, and the linear magnetic drive structure being mounted inside the base. Therefore, if applicant were to amend the independent claim to better reflect these features as shown in instant application Fig. 1, the current rejection would be overcome. However, further search and consideration would be required.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Osaka et al. (US 20230029605 A1) and Osaka et al. (US 20230022577 A1) disclose similar zoom lenses with a base.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA NIGAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5423. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8-5.
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, Ricky Mack can be reached at (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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/NATASHA NIGAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 June 9th, 2026
/RICKY L MACK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 The terms “along up and down” is not interpreted to mean a particular direction/orientation, since no frame of reference is established.
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