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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 05/16/2024, 09/19/2025, and 02/13/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (2014/0293464).
Regarding claim 20, Kim discloses a lens driving device (Figures 1 and 2) comprising: a housing (at least 100, base, and 350, yoke); a bobbin disposed in the housing (210, bobbin); a first coil disposed on the bobbin (250, coil block); a magnet disposed on the housing (310, magnet); an upper elastic member coupled to an upper portion of the bobbin and an upper portion of the housing (402, second elastic member; [0041]); and a support member coupled to the upper elastic member and configured to support the housing (600, cover member; Figure 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 1, the closest prior art, Kim et al. (2014/0293464) discloses a lens driving device (Figures 1 and 2) comprising: a housing (at least 100, base, and 350, yoke) comprising a first side portion (Figure 1, side portion from bottom corner to right hand side corner of at least 350, yoke), a second side portion (Figure 1, side portion from right hand side corner to top corner of at least 350, yoke), a first corner portion between the first side portion and the second side portion (right hand side corner of at least 350, yoke), a third side portion opposite to the first side portion (Figure 1, side portion from top corner to left hand side corner of at least 350, yoke), a fourth side portion opposite to the second side portion (Figure 1, side portion from left hand side corner to bottom corner of at least 350, yoke), a second corner portion between the second side portion and the third side portion (top corner of at least 350, yoke), a third corner portion between the third side portion and the fourth side portion (left hand side corner of at least 350, yoke), and a fourth corner portion between the fourth side portion and the first side portion (bottom corner of at least 350, yoke); a bobbin disposed in the housing (210, bobbin); a first coil disposed on the bobbin (250, coil block); a magnet disposed on the housing (310, magnet); an upper elastic member coupled to an upper portion of the bobbin and an upper portion of the housing (402, second elastic member; [0041]); and a support member coupled to the upper elastic member and configured to support the housing (600, cover member; Figure 2); wherein the housing comprises: a first protruding portion disposed on an upper surface of the first side portion (325, coupling boss, on side portion from bottom corner to right hand side corner; [0028]); and a second protruding portion disposed on an upper surface of the first corner portion (325, coupling boss, on right hand side corner; [0028]), wherein the upper elastic member comprises a first coupling portion coupled to the housing (407, coupling hole), a second coupling portion coupled to the support member (407, coupling hole; [0042] teaches 325, coupling boss, goes through 407, coupling hole, to attached to 625, coupling groove). Kim fails to teach a connection portion connecting the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, and wherein the first coupling portion comprises a first portion disposed between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion, in a manner that would be appropriate under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103. Claims 2-17 are dependent on claim 1, and are therefore allowable. Regarding claim 18, Kim teaches the limitations mutatis mutandis to claim 1, but fails to teach a connection portion connecting the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, and wherein the first through hole is coupled to the housing and positioned between the first protruding portion and the second protruding portion, in a manner that would be appropriate under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103. Claim 19 is dependent on claim 18 and is therefore allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Oh (2013/0250170) and Min (2012/0008221) disclose relevant lens driving devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BALRAM T PARBADIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0602. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571) 272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BALRAM T PARBADIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights