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, 7, 9 and 11-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by You, et al. (CN 114726977).
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You – Figure 5 You – Figure 8
99Regarding claim 1, You discloses “at least one lens element (Fig. 5, ref.# 31); and an adjustable aperture assembly (Fig. 5, ref.# 32) disposed corresponding to the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture assembly comprising: a plurality of rotatable blades (Fig. 8, ref.# 323) rotatably arranged around an optical axis of the at least one lens element and collectively forming a light pass aperture (Fig. 5, ref.# 32a), and the optical axis passing through the light pass aperture; a driving part comprising: a rotatable component (Fig. 8, ref.# 322) disposed corresponding to the plurality of rotatable blades (Fig. 8, ref.# 323), and the rotatable component configured to drive the plurality of rotatable blades to rotate for adjusting an aperture size of the light pass aperture ; a fixed component (Fig. 8, ref.# 321b) disposed corresponding to the rotatable component, and the rotatable component having a rotational degree of freedom along a circumferential direction (Fig. 10, ref.# a1) around and perpendicular to the optical axis relative to the fixed component; at least one driving magnet (Fig. 8, ref.# 3241b) disposed on the rotatable component; and at least one coil (Fig. 8, ref.# 3241a) disposed corresponding to the at least one driving magnet for driving the rotatable component to rotate; and an attractive force mechanism (Fig. 8, ref.# 330) providing an attractive force exerted between the rotatable component and the fixed component, and the attractive force comprising a magnetic force exerted by the rotatable component on a first magnetic element fixed on the fixed component (page 19 of translation, 5th paragraph); wherein the attractive force mechanism provides a driving force exerted on the plurality of rotatable blades for maintaining the light pass aperture in an enlarged state (Fig. 22, ref.# F2; page 19 of translation, 4th& 5th”paragraphs).”
Regarding claim 7, You discloses “wherein the driving part further comprises: at least two bearing elements arranged around the optical axis, the at least two bearing elements disposed between the rotatable component and the fixed component, and the at least two bearing elements supporting the rotatable component, such that the rotatable component is rotatable relative to the fixed component along the circumferential direction.” (Fig. 8, ref.# 325: ball, i.e, bearings)
Regarding claim 9, You discloses “wherein the adjustable aperture assembly further comprises: an upper cover (Fig. 8, ref.# 321c) fixed to the fixed component (Fig. 8, ref.# 321b), an inner space formed between the upper cover and the fixed component, and the plurality of rotatable blades (Fig. 8, ref.# 323) disposed in the inner space.”
Regarding claim 11, You discloses “wherein the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 16, ref.# 3241b) is disposed corresponding to the at least one coil (Fig. 16, ref.# 3241a) in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.” (See Fig. 16b)
Regarding claim 12, You discloses “wherein the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 16c, ref.# 3241b) is disposed corresponding to the at least one coil (Fig. 16c, ref.# 3241a) in a direction parallel to the optical axis.” (See Fig. 16c)
Regarding claim 13, You discloses “wherein the magnetic force of the rotatable component is exerted between the first magnetic element (Fig. 22, ref.# 330) and the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 3241b).”
Regarding claim 14, You discloses “wherein the magnetic force of the rotatable component is exerted between the first magnetic element (Fig. 22, ref.# 330) and a rotor magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 3241b) of the rotatable component.”
Regarding claim 15, You discloses “A camera module (Fig. 4, ref.# 30) comprising: the optical lens (Fig. 5, ref.# 31) module of claim 1; and an image sensor (Fig. 5, ref.# 34) disposed on an image surface of the optical lens module.”
Regarding claim 16, You discloses “An electronic device (Fig. 1, ref.# 100) comprising: the camera module (Fig. 4, ref.# 30) of claim 15.”
Regarding claim 17, You discloses “at least one lens element (Fig. 5, ref.# 31); and an adjustable aperture assembly (Fig. 5, ref.# 32) disposed corresponding to the at least one lens element, and the adjustable aperture assembly comprising: a plurality of rotatable blades (Fig. 8, ref.# 323) rotatably arranged around an optical axis of the at least one lens element and collectively forming a light pass aperture (Fig. 5, ref.# 32a), and the optical axis passing through the light pass aperture; a driving part comprising: a rotatable component (Fig. 8, ref.# 322) disposed corresponding to the plurality of rotatable blades (Fig. 8, ref.# 323), and the rotatable component configured to drive the plurality of rotatable blades to rotate for adjusting an aperture size of the light pass aperture; a fixed component (Fig. 8, ref.# 321b) disposed corresponding to the rotatable component, and the rotatable component having a rotational degree of freedom along a circumferential direction (Fig. 10, ref.# a1) around and perpendicular to the optical axis relative to the fixed component; at least one driving magnet (Fig. 8, ref.# 3241b) disposed on the rotatable component; and at least one coil (Fig. 8, ref.# 3241a) disposed corresponding to the at least one driving magnet for driving the rotatable component to rotate; and a preload force mechanism (Fig. 8, ref.# 330) providing an attractive force exerted between the rotatable component and the fixed component (page 19 of translation, 5th paragraph), and the attractive force comprising a magnetic force exerted by the rotatable component on a stator magnet disposed on the fixed component; wherein the preload force mechanism provides a driving force exerted on the plurality of rotatable blades for maintaining the light pass aperture in an enlarged state (Fig. 22, ref.# F2; page 19 of translation, 4th & 5th paragraphs).”
Regarding claim 18, You discloses “wherein the driving part further comprises: at least two bearing elements arranged around the optical axis, the at least two bearing elements disposed between the rotatable component and the fixed component, and the at least two bearing elements supporting the rotatable component, such that the rotatable component is rotatable relative to the fixed component along the circumferential direction.” (Fig. 8, ref.# 325: ball, i.e, bearings)
Regarding claim 19, You discloses “wherein the adjustable aperture assembly further comprises: a printed circuit board disposed corresponding to and electrically connected to the driving part.” (page 5 of translation, 5th paragraph: driving circuit)
Regarding claim 20, You discloses “wherein the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 16, ref.# 3241b) is disposed corresponding to the at least one coil (Fig. 16, ref.# 3241a in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.” (See Fig. 16b)
Regarding claim 21, You discloses “wherein the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 16c, ref.# 3241b) is disposed corresponding to the at least one coil (Fig. 16c, ref.# 3241a) in a direction parallel to the optical axis.” (See Fig. 16c)
Regarding claim 22, You discloses “wherein the magnetic force of the rotatable component is exerted between the stator magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 330) and the at least one driving magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 3241b).”
Regarding clam 23, You discloses “wherein the magnetic force of the rotatable component is exerted between the stator magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 330) and a rotor magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 3241b) disposed on the rotatable component.”
Regarding claim 24, You discloses “wherein the magnetic force of the rotatable component is exerted between the stator magnet (Fig. 22, ref.# 330) and a third magnetic element (Fig. 22, ref.# 3241b) fixed to the rotatable component.”
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) 25-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You, et al. (CN 114726977).
Regarding claims 25-26, You discloses all the structure set forth in the claim except (Claim 25) “wherein a maximum field of view of the optical lens module is FOV, and the following condition is satisfied: 50 degrees ≤ FOV ≤ 105 degrees” and (Claim 26) “wherein an f-number of the optical lens module is FNO, and the following condition is satisfied: 0.9 ≤ FNO ≤ 5.6.” However, it would have been obvious to select an optical lens module wherein a maximum field of view of the optical lens module is FOV, and the following condition is satisfied: 50 degrees ≤ FOV ≤ 105 degrees and wherein an f-number of the optical lens module is FNO, and the following condition is satisfied: 0.9 ≤ FNO ≤ 5.6., since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re. Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6, 8 and 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.
Claims 27-31 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 27, the prior art does not teach and/or suggest “a preload force mechanism providing a repulsive force exerted between the rotatable component and the fixed component, and the repulsive force comprising a magnetic force exerted by the rotatable component on a stator magnet disposed on the fixed component; wherein the preload force mechanism provides a driving force exerted on the plurality of rotatable blades for maintaining the light pass aperture in an enlarged state” in combination with the other limitations set forth in claim 27.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Guo, et al. (CN 214011702), Ehara, et al. (WO 2019225398), Moriyama (US 2010/0158504), Matsumoto (US 6,933,980), Arisaka (US 6,903,777), Kawachi, et al. (JP 2005037866) and Watanabe (US 2004/0105028) teach an adjustable aperture with an attractive force mechanism that provides a force for maintaining the aperture in an enlarged state.
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/RODNEY E FULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
April 7, 2026
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