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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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.
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:
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 9, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2022/0252964 A1).
Claim 1, Kim teaches a camera module (Fig. 1), comprising:
a housing (housing 700; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3):
a lens barrel (lens barrel 100, 200; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3) disposed within an internal space of the housing (Fig. 3) and comprising a plurality of lenses provided therein in an optical axis direction (see lens group LG and lenses L1-L7; paragraph 0083 and Fig. 3);
a holder (barrel holder 400; paragraph 0084) disposed between the housing and the lens barrel along a direction intersecting the optical axis direction (see Fig. 3) such that the holder is coupled to the lens barrel (barrel 100 may be fixed by being coupled to the barrel holder 400; paragraph 0094) and coupled to the housing in a manner in which the lens barrel is coupled to an inner surface of the holder (paragraph 0094 and Fig. 3) and an outer surface of the holder is coupled to the housing (barrel holder 400 and cover member 700 seal the camera module 10; paragraph 0089 and Fig. 3);
a sensor substrate fixed to the holder (image sensor 910 disposed on first substrate 902; paragraph 0134 and Fig. 3), and including an image sensor (image sensor 910; Fig. 3); and
a main substrate provided in the housing (second substrate 904; paragraph 0134 and Fig. 3).
Claim 3, Kim further teaches wherein the sensor substrate is coupled to a lower end portion of the holder in the optical axis direction (sensor substrate 902 is coupled to holder 400 by a plurality of leg members 406; paragraph 0121 and Fig. 1).
Claim 9, Kim further teaches wherein the housing comprises an upper housing (cover member 500; paragraph 0090 and Fig. 4) and a lower housing (housing 700; paragraph 0093 and Fig. 4) that are coupled to each other to form an internal space, and the housing is configured to accommodate the holder and the image sensor in the internal space (see Fig. 4).
Claim 10, Kim further teaches wherein the main substrate is connected to the sensor substrate (first substrate 902 and second substrate 904 are connected via power supply terminal 920; paragraph 0133-0134 and Fig. 1), and is provided in the lower housing.
Claim 12, Kim further teaches wherein the holder has a substantially cylindrical shape (see cylindrical hole 404 of holder 400 in Fig. 1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 4-8, 11, and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Dreiocker (US 2023/0247275 A1).
Claim 4, Kim teaches the camera module of claim 3, but is silent regarding wherein the sensor substrate is coupled to the holder by bonding with an adhesive material.
Dreiocker teaches wherein the sensor substrate is coupled to the holder by bonding with an adhesive material (adhesive 40 disposed between imager PCB 24 and flange 29; see Figs. 2-3).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the teaching of Dreiocker with that of Kim in order to improve the heat transfer of heat generating components and to dissipate heat efficiently to reduce noise (see paragraph 0047, 0059 of Dreiocker).
Claim 5, Dreiocker further teaches wherein an adhesive application line that couples the holder to the sensor substrate has a round shape (see shape of adhesive 40; Fig. 2, 9).
Claim 6, Dreiocker further teaches wherein an adhesive application line that couples the holder to the sensor substrate has a circular shape (see shape of adhesive 40; Fig. 2, 9).
Claim 7, Dreiocker further teaches wherein the sensor substrate has a substantially quadrangular shape (see shape of imager PCB 24; Fig. 2).
Claim 8, Dreiocker further teaches wherein a center of the image sensor substantially coincides with a center of the adhesive application line (see Fig. 2 and 9).
Claim 11, Kim in view of Dreiocker teaches the camera module of claim 1, but is silent regarding wherein the holder is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is less than a CTE of the lens barrel or a CTE of the housing.
However, Dreiocker teaches wherein “flange 29 may be formed from a material having a different coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) or temperature threshold as compared with the material of a body portion 31 of the lens barrel 28,” paragraph 0044.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have selected a holder/flange material having a CTE less than the CTE of the body portion or housing in order to prevent the holder from over-expanding and damaging the housing in extreme temperatures (see paragraph 0044 of Dreiocker).
Claim 13, Kim teaches a camera module (Fig. 1), comprising:
a housing (housing 700; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3):
a lens barrel (lens barrel 100, 200; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3) disposed within an internal space of the housing (Fig. 3) and comprising a plurality of lenses provided therein in an optical axis direction (see lens group LG and lenses L1-L7; paragraph 0083 and Fig. 3);
a holder (barrel holder 400; paragraph 0084) disposed between the housing and the lens barrel along a direction intersecting the optical axis direction (see Fig. 3) such that the holder is coupled to the lens barrel (barrel 100 may be fixed by being coupled to the barrel holder 400; paragraph 0094) and coupled to the housing in a manner in which the lens barrel is coupled to an inner surface of the holder (paragraph 0094 and Fig. 3) and an outer surface of the holder is coupled to the housing (barrel holder 400 and cover member 700 seal the camera module 10; paragraph 0089 and Fig. 3); and
a sensor substrate (first substrate 902; paragraph 0134 and Fig. 3), fixed to a lower end portion of the holder in the optical axis direction, and including an image sensor (paragraph 0121 and Fig. 1),
but Kim is silent regarding wherein the sensor substrate is fixed by bonding with an adhesive, wherein an adhesive application line to couple the holder to the sensor substrate has a circular shape.
Dreiocker teaches wherein the sensor substrate is fixed by bonding with an adhesive (PCB 24 bonded with adhesive 40; Fig. 2-3), wherein an adhesive application line to couple the holder to the sensor substrate has a circular shape (see shape of adhesive 40; Fig. 2, 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the teaching of Dreiocker with that of Kim in order to improve the heat transfer of heat generating components and to dissipate heat efficiently to reduce noise (see paragraph 0047, 0059 of Dreiocker).
Claim 14, Dreiocker further teaches wherein optical axes of the plurality of lenses provided in the lens barrel substantially coincide with a center of the adhesive application line (Fig. 2).
Claim 15, Dreiocker further teaches wherein the holder has a lower end portion having a substantially cylindrical shape (Fig. 3).
Claim 16, Kim teaches a camera module (Fig. 1), comprising:
a housing (housing 700; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3):
a lens barrel (lens barrel 100, 200; paragraph 0084 and Fig. 3) disposed within an internal space of the housing (Fig. 3) and comprising a plurality of lenses provided therein in an optical axis direction (see lens group LG and lenses L1-L7; paragraph 0083 and Fig. 3);
a holder (barrel holder 400; paragraph 0084) disposed between the housing and the lens barrel along a direction intersecting the optical axis direction (see Fig. 3) such that the holder is coupled to the lens barrel (barrel 100 may be fixed by being coupled to the barrel holder 400; paragraph 0094) and coupled to the housing in a manner in which the lens barrel is coupled to an inner surface of the holder (paragraph 0094 and Fig. 3) and an outer surface of the holder is coupled to the housing (barrel holder 400 and cover member 700 seal the camera module 10; paragraph 0089 and Fig. 3), the holder comprising a main frame coupled to the housing (flange 430 of barrel holder 400 coupled to housing 700; paragraph 0085), an auxiliary frame coupled to the lens barrel (screw portion 414 fastened to first lens barrel 100; paragraph 0073), and a bridge connecting the main frame to the auxiliary frame (see structure of holder 400 in Fig. 1);
a sensor substrate fixed to a lower end of the holder (paragraph 0121 and Fig. 1),
but Kim is silent regarding an adhesive application line, provided in an aspherical shape, and configured to connect the sensor substrate to the holder.
Dreiocker teaches an adhesive application line, provided in an aspherical shape, and configured to connect the sensor substrate to the holder (see shape of adhesive 40; Fig. 2, 9).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the teaching of Dreiocker with that of Kim in order to improve the heat transfer of heat generating components and to dissipate heat efficiently to reduce noise (see paragraph 0047, 0059 of Dreiocker).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 attached.
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 CHIAWEI A CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1707. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 12:00pm - 9:00pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sinh Tran can be reached at (571)272-7564. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHIAWEI CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2637
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