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 .
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(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (CN 220043532).
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Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses “a first lens (Fig. 3, ref.# L) module having a first optical axis (Fig. 3, dotted line: z-axis); a holder (Fig. 3, ref.# 320) on which a reflective member (Fig. 3, ref.# 310) is disposed to reflect light passing through the first lens module; a guide member (Fig. 3, ref.# 700) on which the holder is disposed; a housing (Fig. 3, ref.# 100) accommodating the holder and the guide member; a first ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 380), disposed between the guide member (Fig. 3, ref.# 700) and the housing (Fig. 3, ref.# 100), comprising a plurality of balls (Fig. 3, ref.# 380) spaced apart in a direction of a first rotation axis (Fig. 3, y-axis), perpendicular to the first optical axis (Fig. 3, z-axis); and a second ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 370), disposed between the holder (Fig. 3, ref.# 320) and the guide member (Fig. 3, ref.# 700), comprising a plurality of balls (Fig. 3, ref.# 370) spaced apart in a direction of a second rotation axis (Fig. 3, x-axis) perpendicular to both the first optical axis (Fig. 3, z-axis) and the first rotation axis (Fig. 3, y-axis), wherein the guide member (Fig. 3, ref.# 700) is configured to rotate about the first rotation axis (Fig. 3, ref.# y-axis), together with the first lens (Fig. 3, ref.# L) module and the holder (Fig. 3, ref. #320), wherein the first lens module and the holder are configured to rotate together about the second rotation axis (Fig. 3, x-axis), and wherein the reflective member (Fig. 3, ref.# 310) is disposed between the plurality of balls of the first ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 380).”
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses “wherein a first guide groove (Fig. 10, ref.# 731) is disposed on the guide member (Fig. 10, ref.# 700), a second guide groove (Fig. 10, ref.# 133) is disposed on the housing (Fig. 10, ref.# 100), and the first guide groove and the second guide groove face each other in the direction of the first optical axis (See Fig. 10), wherein the first ball member (Fig. 10, ref.# 380) is disposed between the first guide groove and the second guide groove, and wherein some balls of the plurality of balls of the first ball member have a different total number of contact points with the first guide groove and the second guide groove than other balls of the plurality of balls of the first ball member (See Fig. 10; page 15 of translation, last paragraph – page 16 of translation, 3rd paragraph).”
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses “wherein a third guide groove (Fig. 11, ref.# 321) is disposed in the holder (Fig. 11, ref.# 320), a fourth guide groove (Fig. 11, ref.# 721) is disposed in the guide member (Fig. 11, ref.# 700), and the third guide groove and the fourth guide groove face each other in the direction of the first optical axis (See Fig. 11), wherein the second ball member is disposed between the third guide groove and the fourth guide groove, and wherein some balls of the plurality of balls of the second ball member have a different total number of contact points with the third guide groove and the fourth guide groove than other balls of the plurality of balls of the second ball member (See Fig. 11; page 15 of translation, last paragraph – page 16 of translation, 3rd paragraph.”
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses “a first driving unit comprising a first magnet disposed on the guide member and a first coil disposed to face the first magnet in the direction of the first optical axis, wherein one surface of the first magnet facing the first coil has an N-pole, a neutral region, and an S-pole in the direction of the second rotation axis.” (Fig. 3, ref.# 351a, 353a; page 15 of translation, 5th paragraph)
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses “wherein a virtual line connecting the plurality of balls of the first ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 380) is offset from the first magnet in the direction of the first optical axis (See Figures 3 & 9).”
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses “wherein a first pulling yoke spaced apart from the first magnet in the direction of the first optical axis is disposed in the housing.” (See Figures 3 & 9)
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses “wherein a first pulling magnet is disposed on one of the holder or the guide member, and a second pulling yoke is disposed on another thereof, wherein the first pulling magnet and the second pulling yoke face each other in the direction of the first optical axis, and wherein one surface of the first pulling magnet facing the second pulling yoke has an N-pole, a neutral region, and an S-pole in the direction of the second rotation axis.” (Figs. 3 & 9; page 15 of translation, 5th – 6th paragraphs)
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses “wherein a length of the pulling yoke in the direction of the first rotation axis is longer than a length of the first pulling magnet in the direction of the first rotation axis.” (See Figures 3 & 9)
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses “wherein the first pulling magnet and the second pulling yoke are disposed between the plurality of balls of the second ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 370).” (See Figures 3 & 9)
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses “a second driving unit comprising a second magnet disposed in the holder and a second coil disposed to face the second magnet in the direction of the first rotation axis, wherein one surface of the second magnet facing the second coil has an N-pole, a neutral region, and an-S pole along the first optical axis.” (Fig. 3, ref.# 351b, 353b; page 15 of translation, 6th paragraph)
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses “wherein a virtual line connecting the plurality of balls of the second ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 370) is offset from the second magnet in the direction of the first rotation axis (See Figures 3 & 9).”
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses “wherein a first stopper (Fig. 4, ref.# 101), coupled to the housing (Fig. 4, ref.# 100), covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the holder, and wherein a buffer member is disposed on at least one surface of the first stopper and the holder facing the direction of the first optical axis.” (page 9 of translation, 1st paragraph)
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses “wherein a second stopper is coupled to the guide member, wherein the holder has a receiving portion in which a portion of the second stopper is disposed, and wherein the portion of the second stopper has a surface facing the receiving portion in the direction of the first optical axis.” (Fig. 4, ref.# 102; page 9 of translation, 1st – 3rd paragraphs)
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses “A camera module comprising the reflective module of claim 1.” (Abstract)
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.
Claim(s) 15 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (CN 220043532) in view of Kim, et al. (US 2023/0185053).
Regarding claim 15, Kim’532 discloses “a guide member (Fig. 3, ref.# 700) disposed in a housing (Fig. 3, ref.# 100) to rotate about a first rotation axis (Fig. 3: y-axis); a holder (Fig. 3, ref.# 320) disposed on the guide member to rotate relative to the guide member based on a second rotation axis (Fig. 3: x-axis) perpendicular to the first rotation axis, and on which a reflective member (Fig. 3, ref.# 310) is disposed; a first ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 380) disposed between the guide member and the housing; a second ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 370) disposed between the holder and the guide member; a first lens module (Fig. 3, ref.# L) disposed on the holder and having a first optical axis perpendicular to both the first and second rotation axes”.
Kim’532 does not teach “a second lens module into which light reflected from the reflective member is incident, and having a second optical axis, wherein the first rotation axis is perpendicular to both the first optical axis and the second optical axis.” However, a camera module with a lens before and after a reflecting member was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention as taught by Kim’053 (See Fig. 2, ref.#s 2000, 4000). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim’532 to include a second lens module into which light reflected from the reflective member is incident, and having a second optical axis, wherein the first rotation axis is perpendicular to both the first optical axis and the second optical axis in order to provide focus ability to the system while decreasing the thickness of the system by moving the focusing mechanism from before the reflecting member to after the reflecting member.
Regarding claim 17, Kim’532 discloses “a first driving unit (Fig. 3, ref.# 351) comprising a first magnet (Fig. 3, ref.# 351a) disposed on the guide member, and a first coil (Fig. 3, ref.# 353a) disposed to face the first magnet in a direction of the first optical axis; and a second driving unit (Fig. 3, ref.# 353) comprising a second magnet (Fig. 3, ref.# 351b) disposed in the holder and a second coil (Fig. 3, ref.# 353b) disposed to face the second magnet in a direction of the first rotation axis, wherein the first ball member (Fig. 3, ref.# 380) comprises a plurality of balls spaced apart in the direction of the first rotation axis, and wherein the second ball (Fig. 3, ref.# 370) member comprises a plurality of balls spaced apart in a direction of the second rotation axis.”
Regarding claim 18, Kim’532 discloses “wherein a first pulling yoke spaced apart from the first magnet in the direction of the first optical axis is disposed in the housing, wherein a first pulling magnet is disposed on one of the holder or the guide member, and a second pulling yoke facing the first pulling magnet in the direction of the first optical axis is disposed on another thereof, and wherein the first pulling magnet and the second pulling yoke are disposed between the plurality of balls of the second ball member.” (page 15 of translation, 5th – 6th paragraphs)
Claim(s) 16 is is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over r Kim (CN 220043532) in view of Kim, et al. (US 2023/0185053) as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Erokami, et al. (US 2023/0076570).
Regarding claim 16, modified Kim’532 discloses all the structure set forth in the claim except wherein “the image sensor having an imaging plane that is inclined with respect to the second optical axis”. However, the use of a reflective member before an image sensor such that the sensor is inclined was well known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention as taught by Erokami (See Fig. 1). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Kim’532 such that the image sensor having an imaging plane that is inclined with respect to the second optical axis in order to make the overall thickness of the area near the image sensor small such that other components of the electronic device can be positioned in the space previously occupied by the sensor if not inclined.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Son (US 2022/0214520) and Kwon, et al. (US 2020/0363614) teach a camera system with a reflective module rotated with ball members.
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/RODNEY E FULLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
August 19, 2026
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