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.
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohmori (US Pub. No. 2017/0153412 A1).
As to claim 1, Ohmori shows an objective lens assembly (Fig. 1 and paras. 19 and 23), comprising a first lens 104 , a second lens 106, a first focusing ring 37 and a second focusing ring 38 (Fig. 2 and para. 39), wherein an optical axis of the first lens and an optical axis of the second lens are parallel to each other (i.e. they have the same optical axis, Fig. 2 and para. 39), and the first lens and the second lens are movable forward and backward along the respective optical axis(Fig. 2 and para. 39); the first focusing ring and the second focusing ring are coaxial and are sleeved outside the first lens and the second lens in sequence along an axial direction (Fig. 2 and para. 39), and the first focusing ring and the second focusing ring are rotatable around the axial direction respectively (Fig. 2 and para. 39); and the first focusing ring is configured to rotate around the axial direction to drive the first lens to move forward and backward, to realize independent focusing of the first lens (Fig. 2 and para. 39); and the second focusing ring is configured to rotate around the axial direction to drive the second lens to move forward and backward, to realize independent focusing of the second lens (Fig. 2 and para. 39).
As to claim 2, Ohmori shows that the first focusing ring is threadedly connected to the first lens (i.e. via a cam groove, Fig. 2 and para. 39), the first focusing ring is configured to rotate around the axial direction, to drive the first lens to move forward and backward (Fig. 2 and para. 39); and the second focusing ring is threadedly connected to the second lens (i.e. via a cam groove, Fig. 2 and para. 39), the second focusing ring is configured to rotate around the axial direction, to drive the second lens to move forward and backward (Fig. 2 and para. 39).
As to claim 4, Ohmori shows that one of an outer wall of the first lens and an inner wall of the first focusing ring is provided with a first slide groove (i.e. a cam groove, Fig. 2 and para. 39), the other is provided with a first protrusion fitted with the first slide groove (i.e. via a cam groove, Fig. 2 and para. 39), and the first protrusion is configured to move along the first slide groove when the first focusing ring rotates around the axial direction (Fig. 2 and para. 39), to drive the first lens to move forward and backward (Fig. 2 and para. 39).
As to claim 18, Ohmori shows a monocular handheld device, comprising the objective lens assembly according to claim 1 (Fig. 2 and paras. 24 and 39, note the eye-piece lens 8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5 – 16, 19 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.
Specifically, claim 3 recites that “… the first focusing ring is sleeved outside the first lens and the second lens, an outer wall of the first lens is provided with a first external thread, and an inner wall of the first focusing ring is provided with a first internal thread engaged with the first external thread; and/or the second focusing ring is sleeved outside the first lens and the second lens, an outer wall of the second lens is provided with a second external thread, and an inner wall of the second focusing ring is provided with a second internal thread engaged with the second external thread.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Also, claim 5 recites that “… in a case that the first slide groove and the first protrusion are provided, the outer wall of the first lens is provided with a first boss, an outer peripheral surface of the first boss is coaxial with the inner wall of the first focusing ring, and the first slide groove is provided in the outer peripheral surface of the first boss; and in a case that the second slide groove and the second protrusion are provided, the outer wall of the second lens is provided with a second boss, an outer peripheral surface of the second boss is coaxial with the inner wall of the second focusing ring, and the second slide groove is provided in the outer peripheral surface of the second boss.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claim 6 contains allowable subject matter at least by virtue of its dependence on claim 5.
Also, claim 7 recites “…a supporting main body, wherein the first lens and the second lens are arranged on the supporting main body and are movable forward and backward along their respective optical axis; the first focusing ring and the second focusing ring are sleeved on an outer periphery of the supporting main body in sequence along the axial direction, and the first focusing ring and the second focusing ring are rotatable relative to the supporting main body respectively and are restricted from axial movement by the supporting main body.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claims 8, 11 – 13, 16, 17, 19 and 20 contain allowable subject matter at least by virtue of their dependence on claim 7.
Also, claim 9 recites that “… an outer peripheral surface of the first focusing ring and an outer peripheral surface of the second focusing ring are each provided with an anti-slip soft rubber pad.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Also, claim 10 recites that “… the first lens is an infrared lens, and the second lens is a low-light lens; or, the first lens is a low-light lens, and the second lens is an infrared lens.”
The prior art does not show this configuration; therefore this claim contains allowable subject matter.
Claims 14 and 15 recites similar subject matter as that of claim 7, and therefore are allowable for the reason above.
CONCLUSION
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARL ADAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7448. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9AM - 5PM EST.
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/CARL ADAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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