DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This office action is in response to a reply filed 4/14/2026.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election of specie 1 (claims 1-6 and 9-11) without traverse in the reply filed on 4/14/2026 is acknowledged, Claims 7-8 are withdrawn as being drawn to a non-elected. Specie 1 and claims 1-6 and 9-11 are examined herein.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0037], reference numeral 2 is described but missing in Figs.2 to 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 10, The term “a moving group” (line 3) should be “the moving group“.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al. (CN112242785, English translation attached) in view of Ren et al. (CN114845023, English translation attached).
Regarding claim 1, Guo teaches a driving assembly (figs.1-36, abstract, a lens assembly), comprising:
a seat body structure (see figs.34, 36, the lens support 032 has been referred to as the seat body structure);
a voice coil motor (figs.1-36, the linear motor 10 has been referred to as the voice coil motor) comprising a mounting base (see fig.29, housing 220 has been referred to as the mounting base; as described in paragraph [0098] “housing 220”) fixedly connected to the seat body structure (see paragraph [0105], the stator assembly 200 of the linear motor 10 is fixedly connected to the lens support 032), a magnetic body structure (fig.29, the magnet array 210 has been referred to as the magnetic body structure; paragraph [0008] “the magnet array 210”) and a drive coil (see fig.29, the coil 310 has been referred to as the drive coil), wherein the magnetic body structure (the magnet array 210) is fixed at the mounting base (the housing 220), and the magnetic body structure (the magnet array 210) comprises two magnetic circuit assemblies provided at intervals in an up and down direction (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, have two magnetic assemblies provided at intervals in an up and down direction); each of the magnetic circuit assemblies comprises two magnetic bodies provided at intervals in the up and down direction (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, each of the magnetic circuit assemblies comprises two magnetic bodies provided at intervals in the up and down direction; also, as described in paragraph [0090] “central magnet 111a forms a magnetic circuit with magnets 211, 212, and 213);
magnetic poles on sides of the two magnetic bodies close to each other are provided differently (see annotated image, Guo fig.20, magnetic poles on sides of the two magnetic bodies close to each other are provided differently), and the two magnetic bodies are configured to form a magnetic gap extending along a front and rear direction (see annotated image, Guo fig.20, the two magnetic bodies are configured to form a magnetic gap extending along a front and rear direction); the drive coil (310) comprises two wire groups (see fig.20, coils 310a/310b/310c/310d become at least two wire groups) provided oppositely in the up and down direction (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, the up and down direction); one of the wire groups (the 310a+310b) is provided in a magnetic gap (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, the magnetic gap) formed by two magnetic bodies of one magnetic circuit assembly (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, one of the wire groups 310a+310b is provided in a magnetic gap formed by two magnetic bodies of one magnetic circuit assembly; also, see paragraph [0008] “at least one coil is located in the magnetic gap of the at least one magnetic circuit”), and the other of the wire groups is provided in a magnetic gap formed by two magnetic bodies of the other magnetic circuit assembly (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, the other of the wire groups 310c+310d is provided in a magnetic gap formed by two magnetic bodies of the other magnetic circuit assembly); when the drive coil (310) is energized (paragraph [0004] “an electric motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy”), the two magnetic circuit assemblies are configured to generate electromagnetic force with the drive coil, so as to drive the drive coil (310) to drive a moving group (see fig.33, an adjustable lens assembly 021 has been referred to as a moving group) fixed to the drive coil to move along the front and rear direction (see paragraph [0104] “the adjustable lens assembly 021 can move relative to the fixed lens assembly 022 in the direction of the optical axis, left and right directions in the figure. The rotor assembly of the linear motor 10 is connected to the adjustable lens assembly 021 and is used to drive the adjustable lens assembly 021 to move along the direction of the optical axis. To achieve the function of focal length adjustment.”; thus, Guo teaches wherein when the drive coil is energized, the two magnetic circuit assemblies are configured to generate electromagnetic force with the drive coil, so as to drive the drive coil to drive a moving group fixed to the drive coil to move along the front and rear direction);
a control device (fig.33, the controller 700) electrically connected to the position detection device (see paragraph [0103] the Hall device 330 has been referred to as the position detection device) and the voice coil motor (10), wherein the control device is configured to control operation of the voice coil motor according to the position detection device (as described in paragraph [0103] “The controller 700 can control the power supply and de-energization state of the coil in the rotor assembly 300 according to the electrical signal fed back by the Hall device 330, thereby controlling the working position of the rotor assembly 300”; thus, Guo, teaches wherein the control device 700 electrically connected to the position detection device 330 and the voice coil motor 10, wherein the control device is configured to control operation of the voice coil motor according to the position detection device).
But Guo does not explicitly teaches wherein a position detection device configured for detecting a relative position of the drive coil and the magnetic body structure in real time.
However, Ren teaches the analogous lens device (Ren, abstract, the application relates to security monitoring and optical zoom lens technology field, especially relates to a driving method and device), and further teaches wherein (figs.1-19) a position detection device (Ren, TMR component has been referred to as the position detection device) configured for detecting a relative position of the drive coil and the magnetic body structure (as described in page 2: “the application claims a driving method, the lens comprising: a lens group, a voice coil motor and a tunnel magneto-resistance TMR component connected with the lens group respectively the voice coil motor is used for controlling the movement of the lens group”) in real time (as described in page 5, paragraph [4]: “TMR component to detect the real-time position”; also as described in page 2: “the application claims a driving method, the lens comprising: a lens group, a voice coil motor and a tunnel magneto-resistance TMR component connected with the lens group respectively the voice coil motor is used for controlling the movement of the lens group; TMR component used for generating electric signal in the process of moving the lens group; at least based on the target angle, determining the current position of the lens group at the current time; based on the current position of the lens group and the target position of the lens group, generating a driving signal; using the driving signal, driving the voice coil motor, so that the lens group is adjusted from the current position to the target position.”).
(note: Ren also teaches wherein a control device (fig.1, control device 200) electrically connected to the position detection device (the TMR component) and the voice coil motor (the voice coil motor 112), wherein the control device is configured to control operation of the voice coil motor according to the position detection device (see figs.1-19, knows the control device 200 is configured to control operation of the voice coil motor 112 according to the position detection device TMR; page 9: “control device 200, used for according to the variable TMR magnetic head 114 sends the target electric signal, generating a variable voice coil motor 112 of the drive signal, to drive the variable voice coil motor 112 to operate”).)
Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the position detection device of Guo to have the specific detector as taught by Ren for the purpose to be a fast zoom focusing solution, which can realize the zoom action and focusing action of the optical lens in a short time (Ren, page 2).
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Regarding claim 4, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Guo further teaches wherein each of the magnetic bodies comprises a plurality of magnets provided at intervals in sequence along the front and rear direction (see annotated image, Guo, fig.20, each of the magnetic bodies comprises a plurality of magnets 310d, 111b, 310d provided at intervals in sequence along the front and rear direction).
Regarding claim 9, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Guo further teaches wherein a zoom lens (Guo, fig.33, zoom lens 022, 021) comprising the driving assembly according to claim 1 (see claim 1).
Regarding claim 11, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 9 and Guo further teaches wherein the camera device comprises a security monitor, a photography camera, or an intelligent terminal equipment (as described in paragraph [0067]- [0068] “camera”).
Claim 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al. (CN112242785, English translation attached) in view of Ren et al. (CN114845023, English translation attached), and further in view of Tao et al. (CN218135680, English translation attached).
Regarding claim 2, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 1, Guo does not explicitly teaches wherein the position detection device comprises a magnetic grating transducer comprising a magnetic head and a magnetic grid; the magnetic head is fixedly connected to the drive coil, and the magnetic grid is fixedly connected to the seat body structure.
However, Tao teaches the analogous voice coil motor (Tao, figs.1-3, as described in paragraph [n0017] “Referring to Figures 1-3, an optical voice coil motor 3 focusing module includes a mounting base 1 and a lens barrel fixing seat 2 longitudinally slidably connected to the mounting base 1”), and further teaches wherein the position detection device (see Tao, figs.1-2, the mounting block 132 + magnetic scale sensing device 4 has been referred to as the position detection device; as described in paragraph [n0024] “The mounting block 132”; paragraph [n0015] “magnetic scale sensing device 4”) comprises a magnetic grating transducer (figs.1-2, the magnetic scale sensing device 4 has been referred to as the magnetic grating transducer) comprising a magnetic head (paragraph [n0024] “the magnetic grating ruler reading head 41”) and a magnetic grid (paragraph [n0024] “the magnetic grating base ruler 42”); the magnetic head (the head 41) is fixedly connected to the drive coil (figs.1-2, the voice coil motor 3 has been referred to as drive coil), and the magnetic grid (the 42) is fixedly connected to the seat body structure (see figs.1-2, the mounting base 1 has been referred to as the seat body structure; also, as described abstract, “a magnetic grid ruler reading head and a magnetic grid base ruler, the magnetic grid ruler reading head can detect the movement position of the lens barrel fixing seat through the magnetic grid base ruler”; paragraph [0015] “an optical voice coil motor focusing module, comprising a mounting base and a lens barrel fixing seat longitudinally slidably connected to the mounting base. The mounting base is provided with a voice coil motor capable of driving the lens barrel fixing seat to reciprocate longitudinally on the mounting base, and a magnetic scale sensing device coupled to the voice coil motor”; thus, Tao teaches wherein the magnetic head 41 is fixedly connected to the drive coil 3, and the magnetic grid 42 is fixedly connected to the seat body structure 1).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Guo to have the specific detector as taught by Tao for the purpose of processing of the workpiece, assembling is simpler, the control mode is more direct, strong stability and low cost, it is simpler to assemble and debug the personnel (Tao, paragraphs [n0017]-[n0018]).
Regarding claim 3, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 1, Guo does not explicitly disclose wherein the position detection device comprises an optical grating transducer comprising a scale grating and an indication grating; the scale grating is fixedly connected to the drive coil, and the indication grating is fixedly connected to the seat body structure.
However, Tao teaches the analogous voice coil motor (Tao, figs.1-3, as described in paragraph [n0017] “Referring to Figures 1-3, an optical voice coil motor 3 focusing module includes a mounting base 1 and a lens barrel fixing seat 2 longitudinally slidably connected to the mounting base 1”), and further teaches wherein the position detection device (see Tao, figs.1-2, the mounting block 132 + magnetic scale sensing device 4 has been referred to as the position detection device; as described in paragraph [n0024] “The mounting block 132”; paragraph [n0015] “magnetic scale sensing device 4”) comprises an optical grating transducer (figs.1-2, the magnetic scale sensing device 4 has been referred to as the optical grating transducer) comprising a scale grating (figs.1-2, paragraph [n0015] “Magnetic scale base scale 42”) and an indication grating (paragraph [n0015] “Magnetic scale reading head 41”; paragraph [n0024] “the magnetic grating ruler reading head 41”); the scale grating (the 42) is fixedly connected to the drive coil (figs.1-2, the voice coil motor 3 has been referred to as drive coil), and the indication grating (the 41) is fixedly connected to the seat body structure (see figs.1-2, the mounting base 1 has been referred to as the seat body structure; also, as described abstract, “a magnetic grid ruler reading head and a magnetic grid base ruler, the magnetic grid ruler reading head can detect the movement position of the lens barrel fixing seat through the magnetic grid base ruler”; paragraph [0015] “an optical voice coil motor focusing module, comprising a mounting base and a lens barrel fixing seat longitudinally slidably connected to the mounting base. The mounting base is provided with a voice coil motor capable of driving the lens barrel fixing seat to reciprocate longitudinally on the mounting base, and a magnetic scale sensing device coupled to the voice coil motor”; thus, Tao teaches wherein the scale grating 42 is fixedly connected to the drive coil 3, and the indication grating 41 is fixedly connected to the seat body structure 1).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Guo to have the specific detector as taught by Tao for the purpose of processing of the workpiece, assembling is simpler, the control mode is more direct, strong stability and low cost, it is simpler to assemble and debug the personnel (Tao, As described in paragraph [n0017]-[n0018]).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al. (CN112242785, English translation attached) in view of Ren et al. (CN114845023, English translation attached), and further in view of Zhao et al. (CN115694119A, English translation attached).
Regarding claim 5, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 1 and Guo further teaches wherein the mounting base (the housing 220) is configured as a magnetic yoke (see Guo, paragraph [0011], the magnetic circuit by setting a magnetic yoke; thus, the housing 220 is capable of being configured as a magnetic yoke).
Guo does not explicitly disclose wherein the magnetic yoke is configured to form an installing groove provided with an opening, and the opening is provided at one side of the magnetic yoke in a left and right direction; the opening is configured to extend along the front and rear direction, and the magnetic body structure and the drive coil are both provided in the installing groove.
However, Zhao teaches the analogous voice coil motor (Zhao, abstract, a magnetic structure of a voice coil motor), and further teaches wherein the magnetic yoke (Zhao, fig.1, yoke assembly 11) is configured to form an installing groove provided with an opening (see Zhao, fig.1, the magnetic yoke 11 having to form an installing groove provided with an opening), and the opening is provided at one side of the magnetic yoke in a left and right direction (see Zhao, fig.1, the opening is provided at one side of the magnetic yoke 1121 in a left and right direction); the opening is configured to extend along the front and rear direction (see Zhao, fig.1, the opening is configured to extend along the front and rear direction), and the magnetic body structure and the drive coil are both provided in the installing groove (see Zhao, fig.1, the magnetic body structure 12/121 and the drive coil 2 are both provided in the installing groove).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the apparatus of Guo to have the specific magnetic yoke as taught by Zhao for the purpose of providing the same driving force, the magnets and yokes require smaller volumes. This reduces the volume of the voice coil motor's magnetic structure, thus reducing the space occupied by the magnetic structure, and consequently, the volume of the voice coil motor and the zoom lens. Furthermore, the smaller volume of the magnets and yoke also lowers the production cost of the voice coil motor and the zoom lens (Zhao, paragraph [n0043]).
Regarding claim 6, combination Guo-Ren-Zhao discloses the invention as described in Claim 5 and Zhao further teaches wherein the magnetic yoke (Zhao, fig.1, the 11) comprises two first magnetic yokes extending along the front and rear direction and provided at intervals in the up and down direction (see Zhao, fig.1, straight magnetic yoke segment 1121 and straight yoke segment 1112 extending along the front and rear direction and provided at intervals in the up and down direction), and one side of each first magnetic yoke facing the other first magnetic yoke is fixed to one magnetic body (see Zhao, fig.1, one side of each first magnetic yoke 1121 facing the other first magnetic yoke 1112 is fixed to one magnetic body 12); and
the installing groove is further provided with a second magnetic yoke located between the two magnetic circuit assemblies and extending along the front and rear direction, and two side parts of the second magnetic yoke in the up and down direction are respectively provided with one magnetic body (see Zhao fig.1, as described in paragraphs [n0046]-[n0048], thus, Zhao teaches the installing groove is further provided with a second magnetic yoke 1122+1111 located between the two magnetic circuit assemblies and extending along the front and rear direction, and two side parts of the second magnetic yoke in the up and down direction are respectively provided with one magnetic body 12/121).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the apparatus of Guo to have the specific magnetic yoke as taught by Zhao for the purpose of providing the same driving force, the magnets and yokes require smaller volumes. This reduces the volume of the voice coil motor's magnetic structure, thus reducing the space occupied by the magnetic structure, and consequently, the volume of the voice coil motor and the zoom lens. Furthermore, the smaller volume of the magnets and yoke also lowers the production cost of the voice coil motor and the zoom lens (Zhao, paragraph [n0043]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al. (CN112242785, English translation attached) in view of Ren et al. (CN114845023, English translation attached), and further in view of Fujinaka (US20250138389).
Regarding claim 10, combination Guo-Ren discloses the invention as described in Claim 9 and Guo further teaches wherein further comprising:
a moving group (see Guo, fig.33, an adjustable lens assembly 021 has been referred to as a moving group) fixedly connected to the drive coil (see paragraph [0104] “the adjustable lens assembly 021 can move relative to the fixed lens assembly 022 in the direction of the optical axis, left and right directions in the figure. The rotor assembly of the linear motor 10 is connected to the adjustable lens assembly 021 and is used to drive the adjustable lens assembly 021 to move along the direction of the optical axis”; thus, Guo teaches wherein the moving group 021 fixedly connected to the drive coil 310).
Guo does not explicitly disclose wherein a lens barrel comprising the seat body structure.
However, Fujinaka teaches the analogous lens drive unit (Fujinaka, abstract, a lens drive unit comprises two-phase coils and field units. The two-phase coils are fixed to a focusing lens frame that is able to move back and forth in the optical axis direction and holds a lens, and are disposed side by side along the optical axis direction), and further teaches wherein disclose wherein a lens barrel (Fujinaka, fig.1, lens barrel 100) comprising the seat body structure (fig.1, the exterior unit 101 has been referred to as the seat body structure; as described in paragraph [0038] “the lens barrel 100 comprises an exterior unit 101”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the apparatus of Guo to have the lens barrel as taught by Fujinaka for the purpose to provide a lens drive unit with which thrust can be increased over that in the past in order to smoothly drive a heavier lens, as well as a lens barrel equipped with this lens drive unit (Fujinaka, paragraph [0011]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sato (US 20130120860), Haruyama (JP2022161138A, English translation attached), Mori (US20220075201), Kinouchi et al. (US20190293902) and Nankumo (US20040022167) are cited to show similar linear drive motor, voice coil motor (VCM).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KUEI-JEN LEE EDENFIELD whose telephone number is (571)272-3005. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. -Thurs 8:00 am - 5:30 pm.
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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/KUEI-JEN L EDENFIELD/
Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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