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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/26/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim US 2024/0388783 A1 (hereinafter, “Kim”).
Regarding independent claim 1, Kim discloses a camera module (title, abstract, Fig. 1, camera actuator 1000), comprising:
a housing having an accommodating cavity (camera actuator 1000 includes housing 100, Fig. 1, par. [0068], and housing 100 includes accommodating space, par. [0070]);
a first piezoelectric motor and a second piezoelectric motor provided within the accommodating cavity (Figs. 2 and 3, first driving unit 300 with first piezoelectric device 310, par. [0111], and second driving unit 500 with second piezoelectric device 510, par. [0151], are inside actuator 1000);
a first lens assembly connected to the first piezoelectric motor and provided within the accommodating cavity (Fig. 3, first lens barrel 200 with lens unit 205 is driven along optical axis by first driving unit 300 disposed in housing 100, par. [0081]);
a second lens assembly connected to the second piezoelectric motor and provided within the accommodating cavity (Fig. 3, second lens barrel 400 with lens unit 405 is driven along optical axis by second driving unit 500 disposed in housing 100, par. [0121]); and
a guide member fixed to the housing and provided within the accommodating cavity (first pin 250 disposed in first insertion hole 220h1, Fig. 6, extends along optical axis and is coupled to housings 110 and 120, par. [0096], where housing 100 includes first and second housings 110 and 120, respectively, par. [0071]);
wherein the first lens assembly and the second lens assembly are spaced apart and both slidingly assembled to the guide member (Fig. 3, barrels 200 and 400 are spaced apart and are both slidingly assembled to pin 250, pars. [0096], [0149]); the first piezoelectric motor is configured to drive the first lens assembly to move along a lengthwise direction of the guide member (Fig. 3, unit 300 moves barrel 200 along optical axis, par. [0081], and barrel 200 may be disposed at a position set by the first pin 250, par. [0198]), and the second piezoelectric motor is configured to drive the second lens assembly to move along the lengthwise direction of the guide member (Fig. 3, unit 500 moves barrel 400 along optical axis, par. [0121], and barrel 400 moves along optical axis by contact with first pin 250, par. [0149]).
Regarding dependent claim 2, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the first piezoelectric motor comprises a first actuator assembly fixed to the first lens assembly (Fig. 2, first driving unit 300 includes first piezoelectric device 310, par. [0111], and first lens barrel 200 with lens unit 205 moves along optical axis by first driving unit 300, par. [0081]), a first pressing assembly fixed to the first actuator assembly and enclosing a first holding cavity with the first actuator assembly (first buffer member 321 disposed on the first extension bar 320, par. [0118]), a first stator assembly in contact with the first actuator assembly and the first pressing assembly and provided within the first holding cavity (first extension bar 320, par. [0115]), and a first friction member in contact with the first actuator assembly and the first stator assembly and provided within the first accommodating cavity (second buffer member 322, par. [0111]), wherein the first pressing assembly is configured to press the first actuator assembly and the first stator assembly against the first friction member, and the first stator assembly is configured to drive the first actuator assembly to move along the lengthwise direction of the guide member (Figs. 2 and 3, first extension bar 320 is fixed by the elastic force of the first elastic member 231 and the second elastic member 232, par. [0116]).
Regarding dependent claim 7, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the second piezoelectric motor comprises a second actuator assembly fixed to the second lens assembly (Fig. 3, second driving unit 500 includes second piezoelectric device 510, par. [0151], and second lens barrel 400 moves along optical axis by unit 500, par. [0121]), a second pressing assembly fixed to the second actuator assembly and enclosing to form a second holding cavity with the second actuator assembly (third buffer member 521 disposed on second extension bar 520, par. [0158]), a second stator assembly in contact with the second actuator assembly and the second pressing assembly and provided within the second holding cavity assembly (second extension bar 520, par. [0151]), and a second friction member in contact with the second actuator assembly and the second stator assembly and provided within the second accommodating cavity ( fourth buffer member 522, par. [0151]), wherein the second pressing assembly is configured to press the second actuator assembly and the second stator assembly against the second friction member, and the second stator assembly is configured to drive the second actuator assembly to move along the lengthwise direction of the guide member (Figs. 2 and 3, second extension bar 520 is fixed by the elastic force of the third elastic member 431 and the fourth elastic member 432, par. [0156]).
Regarding dependent claim 8, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the first lens assembly (i.e., first lens barrel 200) is provided with a first mounting cavity (Fig. 6, barrel 200 includes first insertion hole 220h1, par. [0095]), and the second lens assembly (i.e., second lens barrel 400) is provided with a second mounting cavity (Fig. 7, barrel 400 includes a second guide groove 410h1, par. [0149]); the first mounting cavity is coaxially disposed with the second mounting cavity (Fig. 5, barrels 200 and 400 are coaxial and hole 220h1 is coaxial with groove 410h1), and the guide member is slidingly assembled within the first mounting cavity and the second mounting cavity (Fig. 5, first pin 250 is disposed in hole 220h1, par. [0096], and groove 410h1 provides space for pin 250, par. [0149]).
Regarding dependent claim 9, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 1, further comprising a first position sensor fixed to the housing and provided within the accommodating cavity (Fig. 6, first magnetic scaler 610 and a first sensing unit, par. [0161]), and a second position sensor fixed to the housing and provided within the accommodating cavity (Fig. 7, second magnetic scaler 620 and a second sensing unit, par. [0161]), wherein a detecting direction of the first position sensor is directed toward the first lens assembly (first sensing unit detects position and movement of barrel 200 moving together with scaler 610, par. [0164] ), and a detecting direction of the second position sensor is directed toward the second lens assembly (second sensing unit detects position and movement of barrel 400 moving together with scaler 620, par. [0167]).
Regarding dependent claim 10, Kim discloses an electronic device, comprising: a device body (Fig. 21, mobile terminal 3, par. [0253]); and the camera module of claim 1 (refer to claim 1 rejection above), which is mounted in the device body (disclosed camera module is applied to mobile terminal 3, pars. [0252-253]).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as applied to claim 2 above, in view of Li et al. US PGPub 2023/0296963 A1.
Regarding dependent claim 3, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 2, wherein the first actuator assembly (i.e., first driving unit 300, Fig. 2) comprises a first guide rail (pin 450, par. [0136]) fixed to the first lens assembly (i.e., barrel 200) and the first pressing assembly (i.e., first buffer member 321), wherein the first guide rail is provided with a first holding groove ( first guide groove 210h1 provides space for pin 450 to be inserted, par. [0109]).
Kim does not disclose a first ball in contact with the first friction member and the first guide rail (Kim does not teach or suggest balls or spheres in contact with elements of camera actuator 1000), and therefore does not disclose the first ball is provided within the first holding groove.
In the same field of invention, Li discloses an ultrasonic piezoelectric motor (title, abstract, Fig. 2, electronic device 200 includes ultrasonic piezoelectric motor 20, par. [0131]) that includes a plurality of balls 26 and 27 (Fig. 5, par. [0137]), where balls 27 are located in groove 222 (Fig. 11, par. [0163]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have applied the teachings of Li to the disclosure of Kim and included balls provided in grooves in the driving unit 300, because Li teaches a piezoelectric assembly that includes at least one ball is more diversified in structure, and better meets a high image shooting requirement (Li, par. [0189]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as applied to claim 2 above, in view of Nakadoi et al. US PGPub 2024/0314411 A1.
Regarding dependent claim 5, Kim discloses the camera module of claim 2, wherein the first stator assembly (i.e., first extension bar 320) comprises a first elastomer (first elastic member 231, par. [0116], must be made of an elastic material, where Examiner understands elastomer to refer to a polymer with viscoelastic properties) in contact with the first friction member (i.e., second buffer member 322, par. [0111], is in contact with elastic member 231 by being a part of, and therefore connected to, actuator 1000), and a first piezoelectric body fixed to a side of the first elastomer away from the first friction member (Fig. 3, first piezoelectric device 310 is fixed to a first side of first elastic portion 230 comprised of first elastic member 231 away from second buffer 322, Fig. 6);
wherein the first piezoelectric motor further comprises a first circuit board (Fig. 2, substrate 800 may be a circuit board, par. [0169]) fixed to a side of the first piezoelectric body away from the first elastomer and in contact with the first pressing assembly (Fig. 2, first end 810 of substrate 800 is disposed on the first piezoelectric device 310 of the first driving unit 300, par. [0170], and is disposed away from first elastic member 231 and in contact with first buffer member 321), and the first circuit board is electrically connected to the first piezoelectric body (substrate 800 may provide power or current to components in housing 100, par. [0169]).
Kim does not disclose a piezoelectric ceramic body (Kim teaches cover member 2100 of second camera actuator 2000 may be ceramic, but does not suggest that piezoelectric devices are comprised of ceramic).
In the same field of invention, Nakadoi discloses a vibration device 1 with piezoelectric element 9 (Fig. 2, par. [0067]), and Nakadoi teaches a selection of piezoelectric ceramics for the body of piezoelectric element 9 (par. [0082]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have applied the teachings of Nakadoi to the disclosure of Kim and used a piezoelectric ceramic for the piezoelectric devices 310 and/or 510, because Nakadoi teaches piezoelectric ceramics are appropriate materials for the body of piezoelectric elements (Nakadoi, par. [0082]).
Potentially Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 6 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.
Regarding dependent claim 4, Kim in view of Li discloses the camera module of claim 3, however the prior art, taken either singly or in combination, fails to anticipate or fairly suggest wherein the first pressing assembly (Kim first buffer member 321) comprises a first side plate fixed to the first guide rail, a second side plate fixed to the first side plate and provided directly opposite to the first guide rail, a third side plate fixed to the second side plate and connected to the first guide rail, and a first elastic piece provided on the second side plate and in contact with the first stator assembly, wherein the first guide rail, the first side plate, the second side plate, and the third side plate together enclose to form the first holding cavity.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Kim in view of Nakadoi discloses the camera module of claim 5, however the prior art, taken either singly or in combination, fails to anticipate or fairly suggest wherein the first elastomer comprises a first base portion in contact with the first piezoelectric ceramic body, and first resilient portions fixed to the first base and in contact with the first friction member; wherein there are a plurality of the first resilient portions, and the plurality of the first resilient portions are provided in spaced arrays.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cheng et al. US PGPub 2023/0400660 A1 discloses an optical element driving mechanism with a piezoelectric driving assembly (title, abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Justin W Hustoft whose telephone number is (571)272-4519. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky L Mack can be reached at (571)272-2333. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN W. HUSTOFT/Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/MARIN PICHLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
