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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The following discussion is intended to illuminate alternate interpretations of the pending claims than may have been unintended. Claim 1 recites “an inner ring component, being on the base”. It is noted that the originally-filed drawings support an interpretation of this phrasing as including species of the inner ring component having no direct physical contact with the base. Accordingly, the phrase “being on the base” captures a scope of invention in which species may be directly or indirectly support by the base. Further, Claim 1 recites “are synchronously rotatable at the first position or the second position”. This phrasing is interpreted as requiring synchronous rotation at the first position or synchronous rotation at the second position, or both. The phrasing is not construed to require synchronous rotation at both positions.
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 1-7 and 9-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Pat. No. 9,846,350 to Takeshita et al. (hereinafter Takeshita).
Regarding claim 1, Takeshita discloses a rotary dial structure (camera 10, Fig 1-2), comprising: a base (camera body 11, Fig 1-2); an inner ring component (first connection ring 33, Figs. 5-10), being on the base (Figs. 1-2); and an outer ring component (a second connection ring 34, Figs. 1-2), sleeving onto the inner ring component (“since the second engagement protrusions 47 are arranged with a pitch that is one third of the pitch of the first engagement protrusions 40 of the first connection ring 33, three second engagement protrusions 47 are positioned between two first engagement protrusions 40”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23), the outer ring component and the inner ring component are relatively movable between a first position and a second position (“In a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the engagement position, the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed between the first engagement protrusions 40 arranged in the circumferential direction. … On the other hand, since the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed in front of the first engagement protrusions 40 in a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the disengagement position, the second connection ring 34 is not engaged with the first connection ring 33.”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23), and the outer ring component and the inner ring component are synchronously rotatable at the first position or the second position (“in the event that the focus operation ring 32 rotates, the second connection ring 34 rotates through the first connection ring 33”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claim 2, Takeshita discloses the rotary dial structure further comprises a signal sensing module (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57), while the outer ring component rotates synchronously with the inner ring component at the first position, the signal sensing module senses an operation signal of a first mode, and/or while the outer ring component rotates synchronously with the inner ring component at the second position, the signal sensing module senses an operation signal of a second mode (Figs. 5-10; col. 9, ll. 11-57 & col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claim 3, Takeshita discloses the signal sensing module includes a switching module, and the switching module has a switch (“One tooth 43a of the comb-tooth ring 43 causes detection signals of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b to change by blocking light that is incident on light-receiving elements of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-10; col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claim 4, Takeshita discloses the signal sensing module includes a light sensor, and the inner ring component includes a light-detectable stripe structure (“One tooth 43a of the comb-tooth ring 43 causes detection signals of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b to change by blocking light that is incident on light-receiving elements of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-10; col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claims 5, 13 and 18, Takeshita discloses the inner ring component includes two first positioning parts (protrusions 40, Fig. 5-10) and the outer ring component includes a second positioning part (second engagement protrusions 47, Fig. 5-10), or the inner ring component includes a second positioning part and the outer ring component includes two first positioning parts, the outer ring component is at the first position or the second position by engaging the second positioning part with one of the first positioning parts (Figs. 5-10).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Takeshita discloses the inner ring component further includes an elastic part (first fitting portions 48, Figs. 9-10) and a protruding structure (protrusion of first fitting portions 48, Figs. 9-10), and the protruding structure is on the elastic part (Figs. 9-10).
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Takeshita discloses the rotary dial structure further comprises an elastic movable component, and the elastic movable component is between the base and the inner ring component (first fitting portions 48, Figs. 1-2, 9-10).
Regarding claim 9, Takeshita discloses the outer ring component and the inner ring component respectively include a protrusion (second engagement protrusions 47, Fig. 5-10) and a recess (gaps between protrusions 40, Fig. 5-10), the outer ring component is movable relative to or synchronously rotatable with the inner ring component through the protrusion and the recess (Figs. 5-6, 9-10).
Regarding claim 10, Takeshita discloses a rotary dial structure (camera 10, Fig 1-2), comprising: an inner ring component (first connection ring 33, Figs. 5-10), including a light-detectable stripe structure (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57); an outer ring component (a second connection ring 34, Figs. 1-2), sleeving onto the inner ring component, the outer ring component and the inner ring component are relatively movable between a first position and a second position (“since the second engagement protrusions 47 are arranged with a pitch that is one third of the pitch of the first engagement protrusions 40 of the first connection ring 33, three second engagement protrusions 47 are positioned between two first engagement protrusions 40”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23), and the outer ring component and the inner ring component are synchronously rotatable at the first position or the second position (“In a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the engagement position, the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed between the first engagement protrusions 40 arranged in the circumferential direction. … On the other hand, since the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed in front of the first engagement protrusions 40 in a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the disengagement position, the second connection ring 34 is not engaged with the first connection ring 33.”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23); and a signal sensing module (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57), including a switching module (“One tooth 43a of the comb-tooth ring 43 causes detection signals of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b to change by blocking light that is incident on light-receiving elements of the photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-10; col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23) and a light sensor, the switching module outputs an activation signal of a first mode or a second mode based on that the outer ring component is at the first position or the second position (col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23); and while the outer ring component and the inner ring component rotate synchronously, the light sensor detects changes in the light-detectable stripe structure and outputs a rotation signal (col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claim 11, Takeshita discloses the switching module has a switch, while the outer ring component is at the first position, the switch outputs an activation signal for the first mode; and while the outer ring component is at the second position, the switch outputs an activation signal for the second mode (col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23). Takeshita measures rotation and thus activation in both positions.
Regarding claim 12, Takeshita discloses the light-detectable stripe structure is along a rotational direction of the inner ring component (Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ln. 11-col. 11, ln. 23).
Regarding claim 13, Takeshita discloses the inner ring component includes two first positioning parts (Figs. 5-6, 9-10) and the outer ring component includes a second positioning part (Figs. 5-6, 9-10), or the inner ring component includes a second positioning part and the outer ring component includes two first positioning parts, the outer ring component is at the first position or the second position by engaging the second positioning part with one of the first positioning parts (Figs. 5-6, 9-10).
Regarding claim 15, Takeshita discloses a rotary dial structure (camera 10, Fig 1-2), comprising: a base (camera body 11, Fig 1-2); an inner ring component (first connection ring 33, Figs. 5-10), being on the base (Figs. 1-2); an outer ring component (a second connection ring 34, Figs. 1-2), sleeving onto the inner ring component (“since the second engagement protrusions 47 are arranged with a pitch that is one third of the pitch of the first engagement protrusions 40 of the first connection ring 33, three second engagement protrusions 47 are positioned between two first engagement protrusions 40”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23), the outer ring component and the inner ring component are relatively movable between a first position and a second position (“In a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the engagement position, the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed between the first engagement protrusions 40 arranged in the circumferential direction. … On the other hand, since the second engagement protrusions 47 are disposed in front of the first engagement protrusions 40 in a case in which the second connection ring 34 is present at the disengagement position, the second connection ring 34 is not engaged with the first connection ring 33.”; col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23), and the outer ring component and the inner ring component are synchronously rotatable at the first position or the second position (col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23); and a signal sensing module (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57), detecting an operation signal of a first mode or an operation signal of a second mode based on that the outer ring component and the inner ring component rotate synchronously at the first position or the second position (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57).
Regarding claim 17, Takeshita discloses the signal sensing module includes a switching module, the switching module has a switch, while the outer ring component is at the first position, the switch outputs an activation signal for the first mode; and while the outer ring component is at the second position, the outer ring component triggers the switch and the switch outputs an activation signal for the second mode (col. 9, ll. 11-col. 11, ln. 23). Sensing an absence of rotation and sensing rotation are understood to be two modes detected by activation/triggering signals.
Regarding claim 17, Takeshita discloses the signal sensing module includes a light sensor, the inner ring component includes a light-detectable stripe structure (“first sensor 42 includes a comb-tooth ring 43 and photo-interrupters 44a and 44b”, Figs. 5-6; col. 9, ll. 11-57), while the outer ring component and the inner ring component rotate synchronously, the light sensor detects changes in the light-detectable stripe structure and outputs a rotation signal (Figs. 5-10; col. 9, ll. 11-57 & col. 10, ln. 30-col. 11, ln. 23).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeshita as applied to Claims 7 and 19, and further in view of US Pat. No. 8982485 to Arakawa et al. (hereinafter Arakawa).
Regarding claims 8 and 20, Takeshita discloses the claimed invention as cited above though does not explicitly disclose: the elastic movable component includes an elastic element and an embedding element, the inner ring component has a plurality of embedding grooves along a rotational direction of the inner ring component, and the embedding element is against one of the embedding grooves and the elastic element
Arakawa discloses the elastic movable component includes an elastic element (spring 252, Fig. 14) and an embedding element (ball 251, Fig. 14), the inner ring component has a plurality of embedding grooves (click groove 25b, Fig. 14) along a rotational direction of the inner ring component, and the embedding element is against one of the embedding grooves and the elastic element (Fig. 14).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide an elastic element and embedding element as taught by Arakawa with the system as disclosed by Takeshita. The motivation would have been to provide a mechanical registration mechanism for aligning components that have an additional freedom of movement (col. 13, ln. 24-col. 14, ln. 11).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER J STANFORD whose telephone number is (571)270-3337. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-4PM PST M-F.
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/CHRISTOPHER STANFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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