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
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/06/2023 and 06/04/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
Preliminary Amendment that was filed on 12/06/2023 is entered.
Claim Objections
Claim 3, 8, 14 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 3, the citation “already in the absence of the axial compression” should read “without the axial compression”.
Claim 8, the citation “the second edge at least indirectly contacts the contact surface“ should read “the second edge directly contacts the contact surface” as the term “at least indirectly” is a relative term. Please consider revising and simplifying the claim language.
Claim 14 does not have a transitional phrase (see MPEP 2111.03). For examination purposes examiner will assume that the claim limitations are intended to be open-ended.
Claim 15 should depend from claim 14 as claim 1 cited “a motor vehicle” already. Thus claim 15 should read “A motor vehicle comprising a camera of claim 14.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-3, 6-7 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pahlitzsch et al. (US PUB 2015/0181086; herein after “Pahlitzsch”) in view of LI et al. (CN 113923320 B; herein after “Li”; Espacenet Machine Translate Attached)1.
Pahlitzsch and Li disclose a camera module comprising a sensor arranged on a circuit board, a lens, and a lens holder. Therefore, they are analogous art.
(below annotated FIGS. 3 and 4 of Pahlitzsch reference for clarity)
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Regarding claim 1, Pahlitzsch teaches a camera (an image collector device is a camera 1, FIG. 1), wherein the camera comprises a housing (e.g., a housing to which the circuit board is attached, para. [0030]), wherein a receiving space (a sensor space 6) is bounded by the housing, wherein a lens module (a lens 2) of the camera and a circuit board (4) of the camera are arranged in the receiving space (as shown in FIG. 1), wherein the circuit board and the lens module are arranged axially spaced apart from each other in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the camera so that between the circuit board and the lens module a clearance (6) is formed (i.e., the circumferential wall 11 of the sealing device (7) is compressed in a direction (a longitudinal axis) along said sensor space (6) between the lens (2) and the circuit board (4), para. [0006]), wherein between the circuit board and the lens module an elastic sealing (a sealing device 7 may be made from silicone or from another elastomeric material, para. [0031]) is arranged so that the clearance is sealed (e.g., arrangement enables a particularly tight sealing of the sensor space, para. [0007]), by the sealing, from the remaining volume space in the housing (see para. [0006], [0007], [0031] and [0032]), wherein the sealing comprises a predetermined bending point (i.e., the circumferential wall 11 is pleated and may be referred to as bellows-shaped (with bending points), para. [0026], FIGS. 1-4), at which a width (as shown in FIG. 3 above) of the sealing transverse to the longitudinal axis is minimal in comparison with the width of the sealing in regions of the sealing adjoining the predetermined bending point so that in case of an axial compression (i.e., the sealing device 7 is flexible enough to be compressible (adjust width/shape) to fit in the sensor space, para. [0026], FIG. 4, also see para. [0012], [0014], where elastomeric materials (e.g., silicone) of the sealing device that are easily workable to desired shapes), the sealing is bent transverse to the longitudinal axis at the predetermined bending point (i.e., the sealing device 7 is flexible enough to be compressible to fit in the sensor space, as will be discussed further below, and provides sufficient resilience to spring back when compressed, thus allowing a tight seal against the circuit board 4 and the lens holder 3, respectively, para. [0026], as shown in FIGS. 1-4, also see para. [0009], [0029] and [0035]).
Pahlitzsch fails to teach a motor vehicle.
However, in a related field of endeavor Li teaches the application of cameras can be seen everywhere, such as indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, vehicle cameras, etc., para. [n0002].
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 Pahlitzsch such that outdoor cameras, vehicle cameras, etc. as taught by Li, for the purpose of viewing outside images by the driver of a vehicle.
Pahlitzsch fails explicit teachings of a width of the sealing transverse to the longitudinal axis is minimal in comparison with the width of the sealing in regions of the sealing adjoining the predetermined bending point so that in case of an axial compression.
However, in a related field of endeavor Li further teaches ensuring that the annular groove 321 of the convex ring portion 32 has sufficient deformation thickness, para. [n0036] … The pressure ring 41 is positioned against the convex ring 32 and the second convex ring 12 is positioned against the ring groove 321, which are offset axially. This allows the convex ring 32 to have two deformation positions on both sides, thus ensuring its sealing effect, para. [n0038] and as shown in FIGS. 2-3,
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Pahlitzsch such that the convex ring portion (as sealing element) has sufficient deformation thickness (e.g., width), and this allows the convex ring (as sealing element) to have two deformation positions on both sides (desired comparison (minimal or maximal) with the width of the sealing), thus ensuring its sealing effect as taught by Li, for the purpose of having the sealing element substantially precludes water intrusion into the camera module housing.
Regarding claim 2, Pahlitzsch according to claim 1 further teaches the sealing is a ring (i.e., the sealing device could have another cross-sectional shape, such as circular (e.g., ring shape), para. [0035]).
Regarding claim 3, Pahlitzsch according to claim 1 further teaches in the regions adjoining the predetermined bending point (as shown in FIG. 1), the sealing is inclined by a respective angle relative to the longitudinal axis in mutually opposite directions, already in the absence of the axial compression (as shown in FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Pahlitzsch according to claim 1 further teaches the sealing (7), with a first edge (10), directly contacts a top side of the circuit board (4) (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4).
Regarding claim 7, Pahlitzsch according to claim 6 further teaches the first edge is rounded (as shown in FIG. 4).
Regarding claim 14, Pahlitzsch teaches a sealing (7) for a camera (1) (as shown in FIG. 1), wherein the sealing comprises a predetermined bending point (such as rounded corners as shown in FIG. 4, para. [0027]), at which a width (as shown in FIG. 3) of the sealing transverse to a direction of a longitudinal axis of the sealing (i.e., the sealing device (7) is compressed in a direction (a longitudinal axis) along said sensor space (6) between the lens (2) and the circuit board (4), para. [0006]) is minimal in comparison with a width (i.e., elastomeric materials (e.g., silicone) of the sealing device that are easily workable to desired shapes, see para. [0012], [0014]) of the sealing in regions of the sealing adjoining the predetermined bending point so that the sealing in case of an axial compression is bendable transverse to the longitudinal axis at the predetermined bending point (i.e., the sealing device 7 is flexible enough to be compressible to fit in the sensor space, as will be discussed further below, and provides sufficient resilience to spring back when compressed, thus allowing a tight seal against the circuit board 4 and the lens holder 3, respectively, para. [0026], as shown in FIGS. 1-4, also see para. [0035]).
Pahlitzsch fails explicit teachings of a width of the sealing transverse to a direction of a longitudinal axis of the sealing.
However, in a related field of endeavor Li teaches ensuring that the annular groove 321 of the convex ring portion 32 has sufficient deformation thickness, para. [n0036] … The pressure ring 41 is positioned against the convex ring 32 and the second convex ring 12 is positioned against the ring groove 321, which are offset axially. This allows the convex ring 32 to have two deformation positions on both sides, thus ensuring its sealing effect, para. [n0038] and as shown in FIGS. 2-3,
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Pahlitzsch such that the convex ring portion (as sealing element) has sufficient deformation thickness (e.g., width), and this allows the convex ring (as sealing element) to have two deformation positions on both sides (desired comparison (minimal or maximal) with the width of the sealing), thus ensuring its sealing effect as taught by Li, for the purpose of having the sealing element substantially precludes water intrusion into the camera module housing.
Regarding claim 15, Pahlitzsch teaches a camera of claim 14 (as set forth in
claim 14 above).
Pahlitzsch fails to teach a motor vehicle comprises a camera.
Pahlitzsch fails to teach a motor vehicle.
However, in a related field of endeavor Li teaches the application of cameras can be seen everywhere, such as indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, vehicle cameras, etc., para. [n0002].
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 Pahlitzsch such that outdoor cameras, vehicle cameras, etc. as taught by Li, for the purpose of viewing outside images by the driver of a vehicle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 and 8-13 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 4, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the sealing comprises a further predetermined bending point so that the sealing, in case of the axial compression, is bent transverse to the longitudinal axis at the further predetermined bending point, wherein the sealing, at the two predetermined bending points, is bent in mutually opposite directions.
Claim 5 depend upon allowable claim 4.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art does not teach, or renders obvious, regarding the sealing comprises a second edge and the housing comprises a front housing part, wherein the lens module is arranged in the front housing part, wherein the front housing part comprises a contact surface, which faces the circuit board and in particular radially directly adjoins the lens module, and the second edge at least indirectly contacts the contact surface.
Claims 9-13 depend upon allowable claim 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Winter et al. (US PUB 2017/0054882) teaches “with reference to FIGS. 8-12, the camera module may be assembled by placing a seal or sealing element 3 at the camera housing or bottom structure 2 and mating the lens holder 1 with the bottom structure 2 so that the lips 5 of the lens holder 1 and bottom structure 2 are mated together at the junction or joint,” paragraph 0073.
Wang et al. (US 9751155) teaches “an on-board camera, comprising a rear housing, a front housing, a lens mounted in the front housing and a sensor fixed on the rear housing; and its manufacturing method. The rear housing is welded to the front housing via a laser to form a seal cavity between the two housings to accommodate the lens and the sensor, and the focal length of the lens is adjusted by adjusting the distance between the sensor and the lens which is further adjusted by the welding height of the two housings,” see Abstract.
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
December 6, 2025
1 https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/5a/c3/21/459e52dac79509/CN113923320A.pdf