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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 17189263, filed on 03/02/2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed to date have been considered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 15-17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nishimura (US 20160077314) herein after referred to as D1.
With regard to claim 1, D1 teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); sequentially comprising a first lens element (L1), a second lens element (L2), a third lens element (L3), a fourth lens element (L4), a fifth lens element (L5), a sixth lens element (L6), a seventh lens element (L7), an eighth lens element (L8), and a ninth lens element (L9) along an optical axis (dotted line) from an object side (left side) to an image side (right side) lens, wherein each of the first lens element (L1) to the ninth lens element (L9) comprises an object-side surface (left side) facing the object side (left side) and allowing imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through, and an image-side surface (right side) facing the image side (right side) and allowing the imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through; an optical axis region (dotted line) of the object-side surface (left side) of the second lens element (L2) is convex ([0007]), and a periphery region of the object-side surface (left side) is convex ([0007]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the fourth lens element (L4) is convex ([0027]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the sixth lens element (L6) is convex ([0028]); an optical axis region (dotted line) of the object-side surface (left side) of the seventh lens element (L7) is convex ([0028]), and a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) is convex ([0028]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the ninth lens element (L9) is convex; wherein lens elements of the optical imaging lens are only the nine lens elements (L1-L9), and the optical imaging lens further satisfies following conditional expressions: V5/V2≤1.350 (Table 1 Vd=abbe number; 18/56=.3214 which is less than 1.35), where V2 is an Abbe number of the second lens element (L2), and V5 is an Abbe number of the fifth lens element (L5).
With regard to claim 2, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: V3+V4+V7≤175.000 (56+18+81.6=155.6, which is less than 175), where V3 is an Abbe number of the third lens element (L3), V4 is an Abbe number of the fourth lens element (L4), and V7 is an Abbe number of the seventh lens element (L7).
With regard to claim 3, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein a number of lens elements among the fourth lens element (L4) to the eighth lens element (L8) (Table 1; Vd of l4 and l5 are less than 40) with an Abbe number less than 40.000 is greater than or equal to 2.
With regard to claim 4, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: D12t41/(T4+G45)≤3.500 (10.46/(1.4979+1.3547+.5)=10.46/3.3526=3.12 which is less than 3.5), where D12t41 is a distance from the image-side surface (right side) of the first lens element (L1) to the object-side surface (left side) of the fourth lens element (L4) on the optical axis (dotted line), T4 is a thickness of the fourth lens element (L4) on the optical axis (dotted line), and G45 is an air gap between the fourth lens element (L4) and the fifth lens element (L5) on the optical axis (dotted line).
With regard to claim 7, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: EFL*Fno/ImgH≤3.600, (1.3839*1.971/2.8198=.9673) where EFL is an effective focal length of the optical imaging lens, Fno is an F-number of the optical imaging lens, and ImgH is an image height of the optical imaging lens.
With regard to claim 15, D1 teaches an optical imaging lens, sequentially comprising a first lens element (L1), a second lens element (L2), a third lens element (L3), a fourth lens element (L4), a fifth lens element (L5), a sixth lens element (L6), a seventh lens element (L7), an eighth lens element (L8), and a ninth lens element (L9) along an optical axis (dotted line) from an object side (left side) to an image side (right side) lens, wherein each of the first lens element (L1) to the ninth lens element (L9) comprises an object-side surface (left side) facing the object side (left side) and allowing imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through, and an image-side surface (right side) facing the image side (right side) and allowing the imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through; an optical axis region (dotted line) of the object-side surface (left side) of the second lens element (L2) is convex ([0007]), and a periphery region of the object-side surface (left side) is convex ([0007]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the fourth lens element (L4) is convex ([0027]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the fifth lens element (L5) is convex; a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the sixth lens element (L6) is convex ([0028]); an optical axis region (dotted line) of the object-side surface (left side) of the seventh lens element (L7) is convex ([0028]), and a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) is convex ([0028]); wherein lens elements of the optical imaging lens are only the nine lens elements (L1-L9), and the optical imaging lens further satisfies following conditional expressions: (T6+T7+T8+T9)/(T3+G45+T5+G78)≥1.500, (((1.6019+1.91260+2.1766+.6994)/(.8994+1.354+.5+.7+.2))= (6.3905/3.6534) = 1.7492 which is greater than 1.5) where T3 is a thickness of the third lens element (L3) on the optical axis (dotted line), T5 is a thickness of the fifth lens element (L5) on the optical axis (dotted line), T6 is a thickness of the sixth lens element (L6) on the optical axis (dotted line), T7 is a thickness of the seventh lens element (L7) on the optical axis (dotted line), T8 is a thickness of the eighth lens element (L8) on the optical axis (dotted line), T9 is a thickness of the ninth lens element (L9) on the optical axis (dotted line), G45 is an air gap between the fourth lens element (L4) and the fifth lens element (L5) on the optical axis (dotted line), and G78 is an air gap between the seventh lens element (L7) and the eighth lens element (L8) on the optical axis (dotted line).
With regard to claim 16, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: V9/V1≤1.350, (23.8/35.2 = .6761) where V1 is an Abbe number of the first lens element (L1), and V9 is an Abbe number of the ninth lens element (L9).
With regard to claim 17, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: V5/V2≤1.350, (Table 1 Vd=abbe number; 18/56=.3214 which is less than 1.35) where V2 is an Abbe number of the second lens element (L2), and V5 is an Abbe number of the fifth lens element (L5).
With regard to claim 19, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 further teaches an optical imaging lens, in at least (Fig. 1, 2a/b and tables 1-3); wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: (G12+T2+G34+T4+G56+G78)/(G23+G45+G67)≤2.700, ((2.1148+1.6666+1.4555+1.4979+.01+.2)/(4.326+1.3547+.5+.1997) = 6.9448/6.3804 = 1.0885) where G12 is an air gap between the first lens element (L1) and the second lens element (L2) on the optical axis (dotted line), G23 is an air gap between the second lens element (L2) and the third lens element (L3) on the optical axis (dotted line), G34 is an air gap between the third lens element (L3) and the fourth lens element (L4) on the optical axis (dotted line), G56 is an air gap between the fifth lens element (L5) and the sixth lens element (L6) on the optical axis (dotted line), G67 is an air gap between the sixth lens element (L6) and the seventh lens element (L7) on the optical axis (dotted line), T2 is a thickness of the second lens element (L2) on the optical axis (dotted line), and T4 is a thickness of the fourth lens element (L4) on the optical axis (dotted line).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 18 and 20 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:
With regard to claim 5, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 fails to expressly disclose an optical imaging lens, wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: 1.400≤V9/V5 (23.8/18=1.32 which is less than not greater than or equal to 1.4), where V9 is an Abbe number of the ninth lens element (L9).
Therefore, due to the conditional expression stated above, the limitation would be allowable if the objection were overcome and the dependent claim were to be incorporated into its independent claim above.
With regard to claim 6, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 1, wherein D1 fails to expressly disclose wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: D32t81/(T8+G89+T9)≤2.300, ((1.4555+1.4979+1.3547+.5+.7+.01+1.6019+.1997+1.9126+.2)/(2.1766+.01+.6994)=9.4323/2.886=3.2873 which is greater than 2.3 not less than or equal to) where D32t81 is a distance from the image-side surface (right side) of the third lens element (L3) to the object-side surface (left side) of the eighth lens element (L8) on the optical axis (dotted line), T8 is a thickness of the eighth lens element (L8) on the optical axis (dotted line), T9 is a thickness of the ninth lens element (L9) on the optical axis (dotted line), and G89 is an air gap between the eighth lens element (L8) and the ninth lens element (L9) on the optical axis (dotted line).
Therefore, due to the conditional expression stated above, the limitation would be allowable if the objection were overcome and the dependent claim were to be incorporated into its independent claim above.
With regard to claim 18, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 fails to expressly disclose wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: (AAG+BFL)/(T7+T8+T9)≤2.500, ((2.1148+4.326+.4555+1.3547+.5+.01+.1997+.2+.01+1.3+1.3)/(1.9126+2.1766+.6994) = 12.447/4.7886 = 2.5993 which is greater than 2.5) where AAG is a sum of eight air gaps from the first lens element (L1) to the ninth lens element (L9) on the optical axis (dotted line), and BFL is a distance from the image-side surface (right side) of the ninth lens element (L9) to an image plane on the optical axis (dotted line).
Therefore, due to the conditional expression stated above, the limitation would be allowable if the objection were overcome and the dependent claim were to be incorporated into its independent claim above.
With regard to claim 20, D1 teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as have been outlined above with respect to claim 15, wherein D1 fails to expressly disclose wherein the optical imaging lens further satisfies a following conditional expression: (D12t41+G56+T6)/(G67+T7)≤3.000, ((2.1148+1.666+4.326+.8994+1.4555)/(.1997+1.9126) = (10.4617/2.1123) = 4.953 which is greater than 3) where D12t41 is a distance from the image-side surface (right side) of the first lens element (L1) to the object-side surface (left side) of the fourth lens element (L4) on the optical axis (dotted line), G56 is an air gap between the fifth lens element (L5) and the sixth lens element (L6) on the optical axis (dotted line), and G67 is an air gap between the sixth lens element (L6) and the seventh lens element (L7) on the optical axis (dotted line).
Therefore, due to the conditional expression stated above, the limitation would be allowable if the objection were overcome and the dependent claim were to be incorporated into its independent claim above.
Claims 8-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With regard to claim 8, D1 teaches an optical imaging lens, sequentially comprising a first lens element (L1), a second lens element (L2), a third lens element (L3), a fourth lens element (L4), a fifth lens element (L5), a sixth lens element (L6), a seventh lens element (L7), an eighth lens element (L8), and a ninth lens element (L9) along an optical axis (dotted line) from an object side (left side) to an image side (right side) lens, wherein each of the first lens element (L1) to the ninth lens element (L9) comprises an object-side surface (left side) facing the object side (left side) and allowing imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through, and an image-side surface (right side) facing the image side (right side) and allowing the imaging rays ([0024-0028] and [0086]) to pass through; a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the second lens element (L2) is concave; a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the sixth lens element (L6) is convex ([0028]); an optical axis region (dotted line) of the object-side surface (left side) of the seventh lens element (L7) is convex ([0028]), and a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) is convex ([0028]); a periphery region of the image-side surface (right side) of the ninth lens element (L9) is convex; wherein lens elements of the optical imaging lens are only the nine lens elements (L1-L9), and the optical imaging lens further satisfies following conditional expressions: V5/V2≤1.350 (Table 1 Vd=abbe number; 18/56=.3214 which is less than 1.35) where V2 is an Abbe number of the second lens element (L2), V5 is an Abbe number of the fifth lens element (L5), ImgH is an image height of the optical imaging lens, Fno is an F-number of the optical imaging lens, T3 is a thickness of the third lens element (L3) on the optical axis (dotted line), T7 is a thickness of the seventh lens element (L7) on the optical axis (dotted line), and G45 is an air gap between the fourth lens element (L4) and the fifth lens element (L5) on the optical axis (dotted line).
However, D1 does not reach the limiting expression and ImgH/(Fno*(T3+G45+T7))≥2.000 (2.6794/(1.97639*(1+1.045+2.132)) = 2.8198/(1.97092*4.6667) = 2.8198/9.1977 = .3066 which is less than 2 not greater than or equal to)
Therefore, due to those limitations stated above, the instant invention is believed to be in a state of allowance.
With regard to claims 9-14, the claims depend from an allowable base claim and are therefore also allowable.
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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GRANT A GAGNON whose telephone number is (571)270-0642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
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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.
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/GRANT A GAGNON/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BUMSUK WON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2872