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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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, 3-7, 11, 12, 14-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mak, US 2023/0019176.
In regard to claim 1, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses a lens module comprising:
a lens assembly (see figure 2, element 3 and para 35);
a sensing assembly (see figure 2, elements 4, 6, and 51 and para 35);
a first circuit board (see figure 4, element 52), and a second circuit board (see figure 4, element 53 and para 43);
wherein the sensing assembly comprises a supporting member (see figure 4, element 51) and a sensor (see figure 4, element 4), the lens assembly and the sensor are disposed on one surface of the supporting member in a first direction (see figure 4), the sensor is disposed between the supporting member and the lens assembly and faces the lens assembly along the first direction (see figure 2 and para 44-45);
the first circuit board is disposed adjacent to the supporting member in a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction (see figure 4);
one portion of the second circuit board (see figure 4, element 531) is bent to connect to the sensor and another portion of the second circuit board (see figure 4, element 532) is bent to connect to the first circuit board (see para 45-49).
In regard to claim 3, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 1, wherein the second circuit board further comprises a first bent portion (see figure 4: bend between 52 and 532), a first main portion (see figure 4, element 532), a second bent portion (see figure 4, element 533), a second main portion (see figure 4, element 531), and a third bent portion (see figure 4: bend between 51 and 531), the first bent portion is connected to the first circuit board, one end of the first main portion away from the first circuit board is connected to an end of the first bent portion, another end of the first main portion extends in a third direction to connect to the second bent portion, one end of the second bent portion away from the first main portion is connected to the second main portion, one end of the second main portion away from the second bent portion extends in the second direction to connect to the third bent portion, and each two of the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other (see figure 4).
In regard to claim 4, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 3, wherein the supporting member defines a receiving cavity, and an end of the third bent portion away from the second main portion extends into the receiving cavity and is connected to the sensor (see figure 2 and 4).
In regard to claim 5, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 3, wherein each of the first main portion and the second main portion comprises a reinforcing layer (see figure 5, elements 534 and 535 and para 50).
In regard to claim 6, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 3, wherein the first bent portion , the first main portion, the second bent portion, the second main portion, and the third bent portion are integrally formed (see figure 4, element 53 and para 45).
In regard to claim 7, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 3, further comprising a stopper (see figure 2, element 21), wherein the stopper is connected to one side of the supporting member near the first circuit board, the stopper is configured to support a sidewall of the first main portion facing the supporting member (see figures 2 and 3).
In regard to claim 11, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 1, wherein the sensing assembly further comprises a driving component (see figure 2, element 8) the driving component is connected to the supporting member and configured to drive the supporting member and the sensor to move relative to the lens assembly (see para 53).
In regard to claim 12, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses an electronic device comprising a lens module comprising:
a lens assembly (see figure 2, element 3 and para 35);
a sensing assembly (see figure 2, elements 4, 6, and 51 and para 35) comprising a supporting member (see figure 4, element 51) and a sensor (see figure 4, element 4);
a first circuit board (see figure 4, element 52), and
a second circuit board (see figure 4, element 53 and para 43),
wherein the supporting member is disposed on one side of the lens assembly in a first direction (see figure 4), the sensor is disposed between the supporting member and the lens assembly, the sensor is arranged opposite to the lens assembly along the first direction (see figure 2 and para 44-45);
the first circuit board is disposed adjacent to the supporting member in a second direction, the first direction intersects the second direction (see figure 4);
one portion of the second circuit board (see figure 4, element 531) is bent to connect to the sensor and another portion of the second circuit board (see figure 4, element 532) is bent to connect to the first circuit board (see para 45-49).
In regard to claim 14, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the second circuit board further comprises a first bent portion (see figure 4: bend between 52 and 532), a first main portion (see figure 4, element 532), a second bent portion (see figure 4, element 533), a second main portion (see figure 4, element 531), and a third bent portion (see figure 4: bend between 51 and 531), the first bent portion is connected to the first circuit board, one end of the first main portion, away from the first circuit board, is connected to the end of the first bent portion, another end of the first main portion extends in a third direction to connect to the second bent portion, one end of the second bent portion, away from the first main portion, is connected to the second main portion, one end of the second main portion, away from the second bent portion, extends in the second direction to connect to the third bent portion, the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are mutually perpendicular (see figure 4).
In regard to claim 15, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the lens module of claim 14, wherein the supporting member defines a receiving cavity, and an end of the third bent portion away from the second main portion extends into the receiving cavity and is connected to the sensor (see figure 2 and 4).
In regard to claim 16, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein a reinforcing layer is disposed within both the first main portion and the second main portion (see figure 5, elements 534 and 535 and para 50).
In regard to claim 17, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the first bent portion , the first main portion, the second bent portion , the second main portion, and the third bent portion are integrally formed (see figure 4, element 53 and para 45).
In regard to claim 18, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the lens module further comprises a stopper (see figure 2, element 21), the stopper is connected to one side of the supporting member near the first circuit board to reduce the risk of breakage at the connection point between the first bent portion and the first main portion (see figures 2 and 3).
In regard to claim 20, Mak, US 2023/0019176, discloses the electronic device of claim 19, wherein the lens assembly further comprises a shielding housing (see figure 2, element 11), the shielding housing is sleeved on an outer side of the lens holder, the lens exposed outside the shielding housing, the first main portion, the second bent portion , and the second main portion are disposed between the lens holder and the shielding housing (see para 67).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 8-10,13 and 19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0146782, discloses an imaging device with a circuit board with bent portions. US 2016/0170227, discloses an imaging device with a flexible circuit board with bent portions. US 2013/0136437, discloses an imaging device with bent portions of a circuit board.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEVELL V SELBY whose telephone number is (571)272-7369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6 AM - 3:30 PM; Friday 6-10 AM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GEVELL V SELBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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