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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (Claims 1-6) in the reply filed on 06/09/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 7-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species B.
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.
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 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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN113296227A) in view of Roh (US 2022/0201166).
Regarding claim 1, Zhao teaches a zoom lens assembly (Fig. 1-10, Pages 1-8 of English translation of CN113296227A), comprising:
a fixed barrel (the barrel corresponding to 1 in Fig. 1-10) extending along a front and rear direction (Fig. 1-10);
a moving group (the group corresponding to 2 in Fig. 1-10) configured for installing lens and movably provided in the fixed barrel along the front and rear direction (Fig. 1-10, Page 1, Paragraph 4, Pages 2-3);
a magnetic drive mechanism (the mechanism corresponding to 31 and 32 in Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4) configured to drive the moving group to move forward and backward (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4), wherein the magnetic drive mechanism (the mechanism corresponding to 31 and 32 in Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4) comprises a drive coil (32 in Fig. 1-10) and a magnetic body structure (31 in Fig. 1-10); one of the fixed barrel and the moving group is provided with the drive coil (Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4), and the other of the fixed barrel and the moving group is provided with the magnetic body structure (Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4); the drive coil is provided in a magnetic field where the magnetic body structure is located (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4), and is configured to generate electromagnetic driving force with the magnetic body structure when the drive coil is energized (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 2-4);
a position detection device (the device corresponding to 4 in Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7) configured to detect a relative position of the moving group and the fixed barrel in real time (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7), wherein the position detection device (the device corresponding to 4 in Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7) comprises a detection part (41 in Fig. 1-10) and a sensing part (42 in Fig. 1-10); one of the detection part and the sensing part is fixed to the fixed barrel (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7), and the other of the detection part and the sensing part is fixed to the moving group (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7); and
a circuit board assembly (the assembly corresponding to the mounting part 6 and the flexible circuit board, Page 4, paragraphs10-13, Page 5, paragraph 1, Page 8, Paragraph 2) comprising a flexible printed circuit board (the flexible circuit board, Page 8, Paragraph 2) and a support board (the mounting part 6, Page 4, paragraphs10-13, Page 5, paragraph 1), wherein the flexible printed circuit board (the flexible circuit board, Page 8, Paragraph 2) is provided with the first side surface (Page 8, Paragraph 2, the inherent first side surface of the flexible circuit board where the sensor 41 is welded) and a second side surface (Page 8, Paragraph 2, the inherent second side surface opposite to the first side surface of the flexible circuit board where the sensor 41 is welded) provided oppositely; the first side surface of the flexible printed circuit board (Page 8, Paragraph 2, the inherent first side surface of the flexible circuit board where the sensor 41 is welded) is provided with a printed circuit (Page 8, Paragraph 2, the inherent printed circuit of the flexible circuit board which the sensor 41 is welded at), the detection part (41 in Fig. 1-10) is provided at a first side of the flexible printed circuit board (Page 8, Paragraph 2, the first side corresponding to the inherent first side surface of the flexible circuit board where the sensor 41 is welded) and a position corresponding to the support board (Fig. 5-8 and 10, Page 4, paragraphs10-13, Page 5, paragraph 1, Page 8, Paragraph 2, the induction sensor 41 or the trigger body 42 is correspondingly set on the mounting part 6 for convenient/stable mounting), and the detection part is provided toward the sensing part (Fig. 1-10, Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7).
Zhao does not explicitly point out that the second side surface of the flexible printed circuit board is provided with the support board.
Roh teaches that (Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e, [0414-0415, 0426, 0441-0443, 0457]) a flexible printed circuit board (41a in Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e) is provided with a first side surface (the surface of 41a facing 71 in Fig. 17e) and a second side surface (the surface of 41a facing 141c3 in Fig. 17e) provided oppositely (Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e); the first side surface of the flexible printed circuit board (the surface of 41a facing 71 in Fig. 17e) is provided with a printed circuit (the inherent printed circuit for 71 in Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e), and the second side surface of the flexible printed circuit board (the surface of 41a facing 141c3 in Fig. 17e) is provided with a support board (141c3 in Fig. 16b and 17e); and a detection part (71 in Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e) is provided at a first side of the flexible printed circuit board (Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Roh for the system of Zhao such that in the system of Zhao, the second side surface of the flexible printed circuit board of the system of Zhao is provided with the support board of the system of Zhao. The motivation is that the sensor can stably supported, and the precision of camera/lens assembly control can be improved (Roh, [0450, 0467]).
Claims 2, 4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Roh as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Hasegawa (JP2012242414A).
Regarding claims 2 and 4, Zhao teaches that the sensing part (42 in Fig. 1-10) is provided at the moving group (Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7), and the detection part (41 in Fig. 1-10) is provided at the fixed barrel (Page 3, Paragraphs 5-7). Zhao does not teach the following elements.
Hasegawa teaches the following elements (Fig. 2-9, Pages 2-4 of English translation of JP2012242414A):
(Claim 2) a flexible printed circuit board (the FPC 18 in Fig. 2-9, Page3, Paragraph 8, FIG. 3 shows a sensor FPC 18 on which the sensor 16 is mounted. FIG. 4 shows a folded state in which the sensor FPC 18 is incorporated into the lens barrel. Reference numeral 18d denotes a reinforcing plate bonded to the sensor FPC 18, and the optical sensor 16 is mounted on the back side of the paper surface) is provided at an outside of a fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9), and the flexible printed circuit board (the FPC 18 in Fig. 2-9) is provided to be bent (Fig. 4 and 7-9); the flexible printed circuit board (the FPC 18 in Fig. 2-9) is provided with a first main body part (the portions P1 of 18 in the front of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1) connected to the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9), and a first folded part folded (the portions of 18 folded and at the back side of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1, which the sensor 16 is mounted on) from the first main body part toward a side of the first main body part (Fig. 4, Picture 1); a side of the first main body part (the portions P1 of 18 in the front of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1) provided with the printed circuit is provided away (Fig. 4 and 7, Picture 1) from the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9), so as to cause a side of the first folded part (the portions of 18 folded and at the back side of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1, which the sensor 16 is mounted on) provided with the printed circuit to be provided toward (Fig. 3-4 and Fig. 7, Picture 1) the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9); and the support board (the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1) is provided at a side of the first folded part (the portions of 18 folded and at the back side of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1, which the sensor 16 is mounted on) away from (Fig. 3-4 and Fig. 7) the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9), and a detection portion (the sensor 16 in Fig. 2, which is facing 17 and mounted on the back side of 18) is provided at a side of the first folded part (the portions of 18 folded and at the back side of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1, which the sensor 16 is mounted on) facing the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9).
(Claim 4) the first main body part (the portions P1 of 18 in the front of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1) is provided around a periphery (Fig. 7-9) of the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9), and the first folded part (the portions of 18 folded and at the back side of the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1, which the sensor 16 is mounted on) is provided to be folded toward a side of the first main body part facing the fixed barrel (Fig. 4 and 7).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Hasegawa for the system of Zhao in view of Roh such that in the system of Zhao in view of Roh,
(Claim 2) the flexible printed circuit board is provided at an outside of the fixed barrel, and the flexible printed circuit board is provided to be bent; the flexible printed circuit board is provided with a first main body part connected to the fixed barrel, and a first folded part folded from the first main body part toward a side of the first main body part; a side of the first main body part provided with the printed circuit is provided away from the fixed barrel, so as to cause a side of the first folded part provided with the printed circuit to be provided toward the fixed barrel; and the support board is provided at a side of the first folded part away from the fixed barrel, and the detection portion is provided at a side of the first folded part facing the fixed barrel.
(Claim 4) the first main body part is provided around a periphery of the fixed barrel, and the first folded part is provided to be folded toward a side of the first main body part facing the fixed barrel.
The motivation is to prevent the solder connection of the FPC floating or coming off (Hasegawa, Page3, Paragraph 7).
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Picture 1, from Fig. 2-4 and 6-7 of Hasegawa (JP2012242414A)
Regarding claim 6, Zhao does not teach the following elements.
Hasegawa teaches the following elements (Fig. 2-9, Pages 2-4 of English translation of JP2012242414A):
(Claim 6) the fixed barrel (the fixed tube/Cylinder 7 in Fig. 2 and 6-9) is provided with a first connection hole (H1 in Picture 1); a part of the support board (the reinforcing plate 18d/R1 in Fig. 4 and Picture 1) near an edges portion (Picture 1) is penetrated and provided with a second via hole (H2/18e in Picture 1), and the flexible printed circuit board and the fixed barrel are fixed by a connecting piece (C1 in Picture 1) passed through the second via hole (H2/18e in Picture 1) and connected to the first connection hole (H1 in Picture 1).
Roh teaches the following elements (Fig. 15a, 16a, 16b and 17e, [0414-0415, 0426, 0441-0443, 0457]):
(Claim 6) the support board (141c3 in Fig. 16b and 17e) is provided to be at least partially protruded laterally from a first folded part (41a3 in Fig. 16b and 17e); a part of the support board is protruded from the first folded part (Fig. 16b and Fig. 17e).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to the artisan of ordinary skill to employ the above elements as taught by Hasegawa and Roh for the system of Zhao in view of Roh such that in the system of Zhao in view of Roh,
(Claim 6) the fixed barrel is provided with a first connection hole, and the support board is provided to be at least partially protruded laterally from the first folded part; a part of the support board protruding from the first folded part is penetrated and provided with a second via hole, and the flexible printed circuit board and the fixed barrel are fixed by a connecting piece passed through the second via hole and connected to the first connection hole.
The motivation is that the sensor can stably supported, and the precision of camera/lens assembly control can be improved (Roh, [0450, 0467]), and it helps to prevent the solder connection of the FPC floating or coming off (Hasegawa, Page3, Paragraph 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 5 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:
None of the prior art of record discloses or suggests all the combination of a zoom lens assembly as set forth in claims 3 and 5.
Regarding claim 3, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a zoom lens assembly recited in claim 2, wherein “the first main body part is connected to the fixed barrel, the first folded part is provided to be folded toward a side of the first main body part away from the fixed barrel, and the first main body part is at least partially protruded laterally from the first folded part; and the first folded part is provided to be at least partially protruded from the first main body, and the detection portion is provided to be installed at a zone of the first folded part protruding from the first main body part” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Regarding claim 5, none of the prior art discloses or suggests a zoom lens assembly recited in claim 2, wherein “the fixed barrel is provided with a first connection hole, both the support board and the first folded part are penetrated and provided with first via holes provided oppositely, and the flexible printed circuit board and the fixed barrel are fixed by a connecting piece passed through the two first via holes and connected to the first connection hole” in combination with the other required elements of the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAN LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-0383. The examiner can normally be reached on 9am-5pm EST M-F.
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/Shan Liu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
Prosecution Insights