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 Number 17/844,056, filed on June 20, 2022.
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 15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Morooka (U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0063624).
With regard to independent claim 15, Morooka teaches an optical imaging lens (page 1, paragraph [0002] and Figure 2), comprising a first lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS1 and GS2), a second lens element group (Figure 2, element GS3), and a third lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS4 and GS5) in sequence along an optical axis from an object side to an image side (Figure 2), and lens elements in the first lens element group to the third lens element group each comprise an object-side surface facing the object side and allowing an imaging ray to pass through and an image-side surface facing the image side and allowing the imaging ray to pass through (Figure 2, elements r1-r17); the first lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L11 and L12); a lens element in a first order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1A lens element (Figure 2, element L11); a periphery region of the object-side surface of the 1A lens element is concave (page 4, paragraph [0122], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r1 and Figure 2, element r1); a lens element in a second order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1B lens element (Figure 2, element L12); the 1B lens element has negative refracting power (page 4, paragraph [0123]); the second lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L13 and L14); the third lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L21, L22, L23, L24 and L25); a lens element in a first order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3A lens element (Figure 2, element L25); an optical axis region of the image-side surface of the 3A lens element is concave (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r17 and Figure 2, element r17); a lens element in a second order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3B lens element (Figure 2, element L24); an optical axis region of the image-side surface of the 3B lens element is convex (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r15 and Figure 2, element r15); wherein lens element groups of the optical imaging lens are only the three lens element groups described above (Figure 2), the number of lens elements of the optical imaging lens is no more than nine at most (Figure 2, wherein the number of lenses is nine), and wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: V11+V31≦100.000, wherein V11 is an Abbe number of the 1A lens element, and V31 is an Abbe number of the 3A lens element (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, data for νd, wherein ν1 = V11 = 49.60; ν16 = V31 = 25.05; and V11+V31 = 74.65).
With regard to dependent claim 17, Morooka teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as outlined above with respect to independent claim 15, and further teaches such an optical imaging lens wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: T32/T31≦4.100, wherein T32 is a thickness of the 3B lens element on the optical axis, and T31 is a thickness of the 3A lens element on the optical axis (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, data for d, wherein d14 = T32 = 1.60; d16 = T31 = 0.80; and T32/T31 = 2.0).
With regard to dependent claim 18, Morooka teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as outlined above with respect to independent claim 15, and further teaches such an optical imaging lens wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: V12+V31+V32≦135.000, wherein V12 is an Abbe number of the 1B lens element, and V32 is an Abbe number of the 3B lens element (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, data for νd, wherein ν3 = V12 = 42.73; ν16 = V31 = 25.05, ν14 = V32 = 47.17; and V12+V31+V32 = 114.95).
With regard to dependent claim 19, Morooka teaches all of the claimed limitations of the instant invention as outlined above with respect to independent claim 15, and further teaches such an optical imaging lens wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: (T11+G112+T12)/Tavg≦2.000, wherein T11 is a thickness of the 1A lens element on the optical axis, G112 is an air gap between the 1A lens element and the 1B lens element on the optical axis, T12 is a thickness of the 1B lens element on the optical axis, and Tavg is an average value of thicknesses of all of the lens elements on the optical axis in the first lens element group to the third lens element group (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, data for d, wherein d1 = T12 = 2.00; d2 = G112 = 0.10; d3 = T12 = 2.00; Tavg = 2.13 and (T11+G112+T12)/Tavg = 1.92).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 are allowed.
Claims 16 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: The prior art taken either singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claims, in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. §102 or §103 would be proper.
With regard to independent claim 1, although Morooka teaches an optical imaging lens (page 1, paragraph [0002] and Figure 2), comprising a first lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS1 and GS2), a second lens element group (Figure 2, element GS3), and a third lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS4 and GS5) in sequence along an optical axis from an object side to an image side (Figure 2), and lens elements in the first lens element group to the third lens element group each comprise an object-side surface facing the object side and allowing an imaging ray to pass through and an image-side surface facing the image side and allowing the imaging ray to pass through (Figure 2, elements r1-r17); the first lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L11 and L12); a lens element in a first order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1A lens element (Figure 2, element L11); a lens element in a second order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1B lens element (Figure 2, element L12); the 1B lens element has negative refracting power (page 4, paragraph [0123]); the second lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L13 and L14); the third lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L21, L22, L23, L24 and L25); a lens element in a first order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3A lens element (Figure 2, element L25); an optical axis region of the image-side surface of the 3A lens element is concave (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r17 and Figure 2, element r17); a lens element in a second order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3B lens element (Figure 2, element L24); a periphery region of the object-side surface of the 3B lens element is convex (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r14 and Figure 2, element r14); wherein lens element groups of the optical imaging lens are only the three lens element groups described above (Figure 2), the number of lens elements of the optical imaging lens is no more than nine at most (Figure 2, wherein the number of lenses is nine), and wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: V11+V31≦100.000 and (EFL+BFL)/Fno≧5.000 mm, wherein V11 is an Abbe number of the 1A lens element, V31 is an Abbe number of the 3A lens element, EFL is an effective focal length of the optical imaging lens, BFL is a distance from the image-side surface of the 3A lens element to an image plane on the optical axis, and Fno is an f-number of the optical imaging lens (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, νd and d data, wherein ν1 = V11 = 49.60; ν16 = V31 = 25.05; V11+V31 = 74.65; EFL = 10.92; BF = 5.65; F# = 1.00; and (EFL+BFL)/Fno = 16.38), Morooka fails to teach such an optical imaging lens wherein a periphery region of the object-side surface of the 3A lens element is concave.
With regard to dependent claims 2-7, claims 2-7 are allowable as they depend, directly or indirectly, from independent claim 1 and therefore inherit all of the limitations of the claim from which they depend.
With regard to independent claim 8, although Morooka teaches an optical imaging lens (page 1, paragraph [0002] and Figure 2), comprising a first lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS1 and GS2), a second lens element group (Figure 2, element GS3), and a third lens element group (Figure 2, elements GS4 and GS5) in sequence along an optical axis from an object side to an image side (Figure 2), and lens elements in the first lens element group to the third lens element group each comprise an object-side surface facing the object side and allowing an imaging ray to pass through and an image-side surface facing the image side and allowing the imaging ray to pass through (Figure 2, elements r1-r17); the first lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L11 and L12); a lens element in a first order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1A lens element (Figure 2, element L11); a lens element in a second order of the first lens element group counted from the object side is a 1B lens element (Figure 2, element L12); the 1B lens element has negative refracting power (page 4, paragraph [0123]); the second lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L13 and L14); the third lens element group comprises at least two lens elements (Figure 2, elements L21, L22, L23, L24 and L25); a lens element in a first order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3A lens element (Figure 2, element L25); an optical axis region of the image-side surface of the 3A lens element is concave (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r17 and Figure 2, element r17); a lens element in a second order of the third lens element group counted from the image side is a 3B lens element (Figure 2, element L24); a periphery region of the object-side surface of the 3B lens element is convex (page 4, paragraph [0127], page 5, Numerical Example 2, Surface Data for r14 and Figure 2, element r14); wherein lens element groups of the optical imaging lens are only the three lens element groups described above (Figure 2), the number of lens elements of the optical imaging lens is no more than nine at most (Figure 2, wherein the number of lenses is nine), and wherein the optical imaging lens satisfies the following conditional expression: V11+V31≦100.000, wherein V11 is an Abbe number of the 1A lens element and V31 is an Abbe number of the 3A lens element, (pages 5 and 6, Numerical Example 2, νd and d data, wherein ν1 = V11 = 49.60; ν16 = V31 = 25.05; and V11+V31 = 74.65), Morooka fails to teach such an optical imaging lens wherein a periphery region of the object-side surface of the 3A lens element is concave and simultaneously satisfying the conditional expressions T32+G312+T31)/Tmin≧6.000 and (T11+G112)/T31 ≦2.500, as defined.
With regard to dependent claims 9-14, claims 9-14 are allowable as they depend, directly or indirectly, from independent claim 8 and therefore inherit all of the limitations of the claim from which they depend.
With regard to dependent claims 16 and 20, although Morooka teaches all of the claimed limitations as outlined above with respect to independent claim 15, Morooka fails to teach such an optical imaging lens simultaneously satisfying the conditional expressions: (T11+G112)/T31 ≦ 2.500, as defined and claimed in dependent claim 16; or (T32+G312+T31)/Tmin ≧ 6.000, as defined and claimed in dependent claim 20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Obama (U.S. Patent Number 6,014,266), Kohno (U.S. Patent Number 5,455,714), Takayuki et al (U.S. Patent Number 5,363,243), Hsueh et al (U.S. Patent Publication 2018/0011293), Ning (U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0184814), Enomoto (U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0207025), and Eguchi (U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0196559) al teach optical imaging lens systems consisting of three lens groups and/or nine lenses or less.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DARRYL J COLLINS whose telephone number is (571) 272-2325. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 5:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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/DARRYL J COLLINS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
29 July 2026
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