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 .
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:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chang (US PG Pub. 20120285280).
Regarding claim 1, Chang discloses a projection lens module, comprising:
a projection lens, configured to project an image beam (para. 0063; transmission assembly 1 of the first preferred embodiment, the transmission assembly 2 of the second preferred embodiment further comprises a second frame 18, a second driving shaft 19 and a second knob 20; the transmission assembly 2 can be used to adjust the position of a lens module (not shown) of a projection apparatus); and
an adjustment device (transmission assembly 2 of fig. 11), connected to the projection lens and configured to adjust a movement of the projection lens (para. 0063), and the adjustment device comprising:
a turntable (first knob 17 of fig. 3), configured to rotate around an axis (illustrated in fig. 3);
a combination plate (contact piece 172 of fig. 4), fixed to the turntable (17) and having an elastic member (shown in examiners illustration of fig. 4 below), wherein the elastic member has at least one first combination unit (shown in examiners illustration of fig. 4 below); and
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an assembly member (first plate 124, second plate 125 and first end portion 121 of figs. 3-5), comprising a contact plate (124) and a screw rod (first driving shaft 12 of fig. 3), wherein the contact plate (124) has a first surface (shown below in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (shown below in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), the screw rod (12) connects the first surface (bottom of 124 contacts the driving shaft 12 through first frame 11 of fig. 5) of the contact plate, the second surface (top of 124 shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) of the contact plate (top of plate 124) has at least one second combination unit (recesses 1241 of fig. 4), and the at least one second combination unit (bosses 1721 of fig. 4) is clamped to the at least one respective first combination unit (via the loading the elastic spring 173 the two combination units are clamped together);
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wherein when the turntable rotates (para. 0032; first driving shaft 12 is defined with an imaginary first axis 123 extending through the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 122. When the first driving shaft 12 is rotating, it rotates about the first axis 123), the at least one first combination unit of the combination plate is configured to drive the at least one respective second combination unit of the assembly member to rotate around the axis (when the screws are attached into the sides of the knob 17, the screws are connecting the knob to the contact piece 172, which connects the knob to the drive shaft; para. 0032; The first driving shaft 12 is defined with an imaginary first axis 123 extending through the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 122. When the first driving shaft 12 is rotating, it rotates about the first axis 123.), wherein when the turntable (17) maintains rotation and the assembly member (2) is fixed, the elastic member is configured to generate elastic deformation by pushing between the at least one first combination unit and the at least one second combination unit (para. 0045; the contact piece 172 can rotate and slide with respect to the first plate 124. The elastic component 173 is located between the contact piece 172 and the second plate 125 to be compressed by the contact piece 172 and the first plate 124. When being compressed, the elastic component 173 will apply a force to the contact piece 172 so that a large static friction force can be generated between the contact piece 172 and the first plate 124), and therefore the at least one first combination unit and the at least one second combination unit are separated from each other so that the combination plate and the assembly member rotate relatively (para. 0045).
Regarding claim 2, Chang discloses wherein the adjustment device (2) further comprises a connection member (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), the connection member comprises a rod portion (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) and a cover portion (washer 125 of fig. 4), the cover portion (125) is connected to a first end of the rod portion (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), a second end of the rod portion is movably embedded in a first central hole of the elastic member (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) and a second central hole of the contact plate (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), so that the combination plate (172) is connected to the assembly member (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), and a central axis (123) of the rod portion overlaps with the axis (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), wherein the first end of the rod portion and the second end of the rod portion are opposite to each other (shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4).
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Regarding claim 6, Chang discloses wherein the elastic member (173) is a radial structure (illustrated in fig. 4.).
Regarding claim 11, Chang discloses the at least one first combination unit (including 1721) protrudes from the elastic member towards the assembly member (2), and the at least one second combination unit (1241) is a hole portion (para. 0047; first plate 124 may further be annularly formed with a plurality of recesses 1241).
Regarding claim 12, Chang discloses a projection device (para. 0063), comprising: a light source (although not explicitly stated in the specification, para. 0063 states that the transmission assembly 2 can be used to adjust the position of a lens module (not shown) of a projection apparatus), configured to provide an illumination beam; a light valve (projectors have light valves to create an image to be projected), configured to convert the illumination beam into an image beam; and
a projection lens module, comprising: a projection lens, configured to project an image beam (para. 0063; transmission assembly 1 of the first preferred embodiment, the transmission assembly 2 of the second preferred embodiment further comprises a second frame 18, a second driving shaft 19 and a second knob 20; the transmission assembly 2 can be used to adjust the position of a lens module (not shown) of a projection apparatus); and
an adjustment device (transmission assembly 2 of fig. 11), connected to the projection lens and configured to adjust a movement of the projection lens (para. 0063), and the adjustment device comprising:
a turntable (first knob 17 of fig. 3), configured to rotate around an axis (illustrated in fig. 3);
a combination plate (contact piece 172 of fig. 4), fixed to the turntable (17) and having an elastic member (shown in examiners illustration of fig. 4 below), wherein the elastic member has at least one first combination unit (shown in examiners illustration of fig. 4 below); and
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an assembly member (first plate 124, second plate 125 and first end portion 121 of figs. 3-5), comprising a contact plate (124) and a screw rod (first driving shaft 12 of fig. 3), wherein the contact plate (124) has a first surface (shown below in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) and a second surface opposite to the first surface (shown below in the examiners illustration of fig. 4), the screw rod (12) connects the first surface (bottom of 124 contacts the driving shaft 12 through first frame 11 of fig. 5) of the contact plate, the second surface (top of 124 shown in the examiners illustration of fig. 4) of the contact plate (top of plate 124) has at least one second combination unit (recesses 1241 of fig. 4), and the at least one second combination unit (bosses 1721 of fig. 4) is clamped to the at least one respective first combination unit (via the loading the elastic spring 173 the two combination units are clamped together);
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wherein when the turntable rotates (para. 0032; first driving shaft 12 is defined with an imaginary first axis 123 extending through the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 122. When the first driving shaft 12 is rotating, it rotates about the first axis 123), the at least one first combination unit of the combination plate is configured to drive the at least one respective second combination unit of the assembly member to rotate around the axis (when the screws are attached into the sides of the knob 17, the screws are connecting the knob to the contact piece 172, which connects the knob to the drive shaft; para. 0032; The first driving shaft 12 is defined with an imaginary first axis 123 extending through the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 122. When the first driving shaft 12 is rotating, it rotates about the first axis 123.), wherein when the turntable (17) maintains rotation and the assembly member (2) is fixed, the elastic member is configured to generate elastic deformation by pushing between the at least one first combination unit and the at least one second combination unit (para. 0045; the contact piece 172 can rotate and slide with respect to the first plate 124. The elastic component 173 is located between the contact piece 172 and the second plate 125 to be compressed by the contact piece 172 and the first plate 124. When being compressed, the elastic component 173 will apply a force to the contact piece 172 so that a large static friction force can be generated between the contact piece 172 and the first plate 124), and therefore the at least one first combination unit and the at least one second combination unit are separated from each other so that the combination plate and the assembly member rotate relatively (para. 0045).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 7-10 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 subject matter of claim 3 that was found to be allowable is wherein the first component is connected to the projection lens, the adjustment device is rotatably arranged on the first component, the screw rod has a connecting portion, a neck portion, and a threaded portion, a first end of the connecting portion is connected to the first surface of the contact plate, a first end of the neck portion is connected to a second end of the connecting portion, one end of the threaded portion is connected to a second end of the neck portion, and the assembly member is rotatably limited to the first component through the neck portion.
Claims 4 and 5 are allowable as being dependent on claim 3.
The subject matter of claim 7 that was found to be allowable because the combination plate further has an outer frame, the outer frame surrounds the elastic member, and the combination plate is combined with the turntable through the outer frame.
Claims 8 and 9 are allowable as being dependent on claim 7.
The subject matter of claim 10 that was found to be allowable is wherein the combination plate has a plurality of cantilevers extending in a radial direction of the axis from a center of the combination plate, a part of the plurality of cantilevers is suitable for serving as connecting arms for fixing the turntable, and another part of the plurality of cantilevers is suitable for serving as the elastic member.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANELL L OWENS whose telephone number is (571)270-5365. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANELL L OWENS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2882 27 February 2026
/BAO-LUAN Q LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882