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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendments to the claims 1-15 in the submission dated 6/23/2026 in response to the office action mailed 4/23/2026 are acknowledged and accepted. Claims 1-15 are pending. Claim 8 was previously objected to.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see paragraph 5 on page 6 of 13 of Applicant’s Remarks, filed 6/23/2026, with respect to claim 10 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) rejection of claim 10 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see paragraph 6 on page 6 of 13 through paragraph 2 on page 11 of 13 of Applicant’s Remarks, filed 6/23/2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amended claims. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Hoshi, US 2020/0326559 A1.
Claim 12 is dependent on claim 11 and base claim 1. Hence, Claim 12 is not patentable for at least the same reasons as claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoshi, US 2020/0326559 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Hoshi).
As to claim 1, Hoshi teaches (Figs. 1-20) a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens (1, S1-S7, paras [0075]-[0082], production method the spectacle lens 1, Figs. 3-8) including a base portion (2, para [0070], a spectacle lens main body (base portion) 2, Fig. 2) and a plurality of solid optical elements (12, para [0071], hemispherical small beads (optical elements) 12, Figs. 1-2) that are independent (12, para [0074], the hemispherical small beads 12 each have a diameter and there are intervals between the small beads 12, thus the small beads 12 are independent, Figs. 1-2) that have refraction properties distinct from refraction properties of the base portion, (12, 2, para [0072], the refractive power of the small beads is larger than the refractive power of the base portion of the spectacle lens, Figs. 1-2) and that are embedded in the base portion (12, 2, para [0071], the small beads (optical elements) 12 are embedded in the spectacle lens main body 2, Fig. 2), the method comprising:
providing said solid optical elements that are independent (12, paras [0077]-[0080], the raw material M2 is cured to form small beads 12 with a desired size and shape, and at a predetermined positions, Figs. 3-8) and a first part of said base portion (2, para [0081], the material M1 is introduced into the cavity 28 and forming the spectacle lens main body 2 by curing, Figs. 3-8);
arranging said independent solid optical elements on an inner face of the first part of said base portion (4, 12, paras [0071], [0080]-[0081], on the object-side face 4 side of the spectacle lens main body 2, hemispherical small beads (optical elements) 12 are embedded in the spectacle lens main body 2, the small beads 12 are cured at predetermined positions on the molding face 22 of the cavity 28, the lens main body 2 is then cured in the cavity 28, thus arranging the small beads on the inner face of the lens main body 2, Figs. 3-8); and
manufacturing a second part of said base portion onto said inner face of the first part of the base portion and said solid optical elements to obtain said spectacle lens (8, para [0070], a hard coat layer 8 is provided on the object-side face 4, Fig. 2).
As to claim 3, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Hoshi further teaches the method, wherein at least one of said solid optical elements present a non-null cylindric refractive power (12, para [0072], the small beads 12 have a refractive power larger than the base portion 2, thus presents a non-null cylindric refractive power, Figs. 1-2).
As to claim 10, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Hoshi further teaches the method wherein said first part is a front part of the spectacle lens (2, para [0070], the spectacle lens main body (base portion) 2 is considered the front part of the spectacle lens, Fig. 2) and said inner face is the rear face of said front part (4, para [0070], the convex object-side 4 is considered the rear face of the front part 2, Fig. 2).
As to claim 15, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1, and Hoshi further teaches the method, wherein, before said providing, said solid optical elements are molded (12, paras [0077]-[0080], the raw material M2 is cured to form small beads 12 with a desired size and shape, and at a predetermined positions, Figs. 3-8).
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 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi, US 2020/0326559 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Hoshi), in view of Newman, US 2024/0408834 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Newman).
As to claim 2, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein at least two of said solid optical elements present distinct refraction properties.
Hoshi and Newman are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Newman teaches (Figs. 10-25) method for manufacturing (78, 88, paras [0078] and [0080], a method 78 for making ocular lens and method 88 for depositing optical material, Figs. 10-11) a spectacle lens (10, para [0084], ocular lens 10, Figs. 12 and 24-25) including a base portion (20, 92, para [0084], the optical zone 20 and the non-optic region 92 make up the base portion of the lens 10, Figs. 12 and 24-25) and a plurality of solid optical elements (36, para [0100], lenslet features 36, Figs. 24-26) that have refraction properties distinct from those of the base portion (10, 36, paras [0011] and [0055], the optic features have a different refractive index than the material of the lens body, the optical feature (lenslet) 36 has a different refractive index than the material making up the optic zone 20, Fig. 12), and wherein at least two of said solid optical elements present distinct refraction properties (36, para [0100], the lenslet features 36 have varying powers, Figs. 24 and 26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the optical elements of Newman, because doing so provides a high level of precision and flexibility when designing a lens for a desired treatment (para [0100]).
As to claim 4, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein the step of arranging comprises gluing the solid optical elements onto the inner face of the first part of said base portion.
Hoshi and Newman are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Newman teaches the step of arranging comprises gluing the solid optical elements onto the inner face of the first part of said base portion (36, paras [0079] and [0090], the protrusions are bonded to the body of the ocular lens through any appropriate process for adding an optical feature on a lens, the feature 36 is deposited on the surface of the lens body 114 and adheres to the lens body 114 via an adhesive component, Fig. 19).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the gluing of optical elements of Newman, because doing so directs light into he eye away from the central region of the retina (para [0017]).
Claims 5-7, 9, 11, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi, US 2020/0326559 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Hoshi), in view of Guillot et al., US 2021/0354409 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Guillot).
As to claim 5, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein, before the arranging, putting a gluing material onto the inner face of the first part of said base portion or onto a face of each solid optical element.
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches (Figs. 1A-7D) a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens (60, para [0035], a system 60 suitable for use in methods to form optical articles 10a-10g, Figs. 1A, 2A and 2B) including a base portion (34, 50b, para [0029], “a primary optical layer 34,” paragraph [0042], “a second optical member 50b,” together the layers from 34 to 50b are considered the base portion, Figs. 6A and 6B) and a plurality of solid optical elements (22a, 22b, para [0030], “concave and convex optical elements 22a and 22b,” Figs. 6A and 6B) that have refraction properties distinct from refraction properties of the base portion (22a, 22b, paras [0043] and [0047], to achieve a desired value for concave and convex optical elements 22a and 22b the adhesive 54b and optical members 50a and 50b have different indices of refraction, Figs. 6A and 6B) and that are embedded in the base portion (22a, 22b, para [0046], first optical member 50a encapsulates each of the concave optical elements 22a and the second optical member 50b can encapsulate each of the convex optical elements 22b, thus the optical elements 22a and 22b are embedded in the base portion, Figs. 6A and 6B), the method comprising:
providing said solid optical elements (22a, 22b, para [0035], method to form an embossed film layer 38 that defines concave and convex optical elements 22a and 22b, Figs. 2A and 2B) and a first part of said base portion (50b, paragraph [0042], optical member 50b, Figs. 6A and 6B),
arranging said solid optical elements on an inner face of the first part of said base portion (22a, 22b, para [0042], the adhesive 54b couples the optical member 50b to film 38 via the first adhesive surface 78a, Figs. 6A and 6B), and
manufacturing a second part of said base portion onto said inner face of the first part of the base portion (34, paras [0042]-[0043], the primary optical layer 34 is adhered to the inner face 78b of the optical member 50b via the adhesive 54b, Figs. 7A-7D) and said solid optical elements to obtain said spectacle lens (10d, para [0051], optical article 10d, Fig. 6A), and
wherein, before the arranging, putting a gluing material onto the inner face of the first part of said base portion or onto a face of each solid optical element (54b, para [0042], secondary optical layer 70 comprises a second optical member 50b and a second adhesive 54b, Figs. 7A-7D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the step of gluing of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
As to claim 6, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein said gluing material is polymerizable.
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches the method, wherein said gluing material is polymerizable (54b, para [0043], the second adhesive 54b can comprise any optically suitable adhesive and/or one or more coatings, such as any of those described in reference to first adhesive 54a, as described in paragraph [0033] the coatings include polyurethane coating, Figs. 6A and 6B).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the gluing material of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
As to claim 7, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 6.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein said gluing material is polymerized before said manufacturing.
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches the method, wherein said gluing material is polymerized before said manufacturing (54b, paras [0042]-[0043], the second adhesive 54b includes a polyurethane coating, Figs. 7A-7D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the gluing material of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
As to claim 9, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 5.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein said gluing material is put on said inner face, along an annular contour.
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches the method, wherein said gluing material is put on said inner face, along an annular contour (54b, para [0042], the second adhesive 54b is put on the inner face of the second optical member 50b, this includes along the annular contour as shown in figure 6A, Figs. 6A and 6B).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the placement of the gluing material of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
As to claim 11, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1.
Hoshi does not teach the method, wherein said manufacturing comprises the molding of the second part of said base portion, by a mold assembly
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches the method, wherein said manufacturing comprises the molding of the second part of said base portion, by a mold assembly (34, para [0052], the primary optical layer 34 is molded via the first mold portion 134a, Figs. 7A-7D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the molding of the second part of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
As to claim 13, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Hoshi further teaches the method wherein after said manufacturing, detaching the spectacle lens from the mold assembly (1, 26, S7, para [0082], the mold 26 is disassembled, and the spectacle lens 1 molded inside the cavity 28 is detached, that is, released from the mold 26, Figs. 3 and 7-8).
As to claim 14, Hoshi teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 1.
Hoshi does not teach the method wherein, before said providing, said first part is molded.
Hoshi and Guillot are related as manufacturing methods for a lens with a plurality of optical elements.
However, Guillot teaches the method wherein, before said providing, said first part is molded (50b, paras [0042] and [0049], “Secondary optical layer 70 can comprise a second optical member 50b and a second adhesive 54b. Second adhesive 54b can have opposing first and second adhesive surfaces 78a and 78b, where the first adhesive surface defines first secondary optical surface 74a, e.g., such that the second adhesive is disposed on second film surface 46b. Second adhesive 54b can thereby couple and/or adhere second optical member 50b to film 38,” the secondary optical layer 50b is formed via the second mold portion in the second volume 118b, Figs. 5A-5D).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with the molding of the second part of Guillot, because doing so improves optical element protection (para [0005]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshi, US 2020/0326559 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Hoshi), in view of Guillot et al., US 2021/0354409 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Guillot), and further in view of Sano, US 2022/0283448 A1 (of record, hereinafter referred to as Sano).
As to claim 12, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 11, and Hoshi further teaches the method, wherein said mold assembly comprises a molding shell having the same diameter as that of the first part (22, 24, pars [0076] and [0079], the molding parts 20 and 24 have the same diameter as the spectacle lens main body 2 as shown in Fig. 7), and the inner face of said first part being oriented toward said molding shell (4, 22, para [0085], the mold part 20 includes the molding face 22 for molding the convex object-side face 4 of the spectacle lens 1, Figs. 7-8).
Hoshi does not teach the method wherein a tape that is wrapped around peripheral edges of the molding shell and said first part to maintain said first part and the molding shell at a non-null distance from each other.
Hoshi and Sano are related as manufacturing methods for molding optical lenses.
However, Sano teaches a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens (100, para [0087], “a method for manufacturing the lens 100,” Figs. 1-2) wherein a tape that is wrapped around peripheral edges of the molding shell (170, para [0098], an adhesive tape 170 is wrapped around the side surfaces of the first mold 140 and the second mold 150, Fig. 3) and said first part (110, para [0068], “a first lens substrate 110,” Fig. 1A) so as to maintain said first part and the molding shell at a non-null distance from each other (170, para [0098], an adhesive tape 170 is wrapped around the side surfaces of the first mold 140 and the second mold 150 so as to fix the first mold 140 and the second mold 150 at a predetermined separation distance to each other, thus maintains the first lens substrate 110 and the molding shell 150 at a non-null distance from each other, Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Hoshi with a tape that is wrapped around peripheral edges of the molding shell of Sano, because a cavity for injecting the material of a lens substrate is formed (para [0098]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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.
As to claim 8, Hoshi in view of Guillot teaches all the limitations of the instant invention as detailed above with respect to claim 7.
However the prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest the method for manufacturing a spectacle lens, wherein said solid optical elements are deposited onto said inner face by group of at least one solid optical element, the one after the other, and wherein the gluing material located between the last deposited group and said inner face is polymerized before another group is deposited onto said inner face in combination with the other limitations of claim 7.
In particular, Hoshi teaches a method for manufacturing a lens wherein solid optical elements that are independent and have refractive properties distinct from the base of the lens are provided onto the inner face of the lens. Although Guillot teaches a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens wherein the solid optical elements 22a and 22b are deposited onto the inner face of the optical element 50b, there is insufficient structural similarities between Hoshi and Guillot to motivate an ordinary skilled artisan to modify the method wherein said solid optical elements are deposited onto said inner face by group of at least one solid optical element, the one after the other, and wherein the gluing material located between the last deposited group and said inner face is polymerized before another group is deposited onto said inner face as claimed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Neitz et al., US 2019/0033619 A1, teaches a method for manufacturing a lens including an array of dots that are formed by inkjet printing and curing.
Chalberg, US 2020/0241325 A1, teaches a method of making a lens including an array of protrusions are formed using an ink jet printer and a transfer substrate.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER A JONES whose telephone number is (703)756-4574. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 AM - 5 PM.
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/J.A.J./JENNIFER A JONES
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/STEPHONE B ALLEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872
10/2/2026
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