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 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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takatsuka et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0109319 – hereinafter referred to as “Takatsuka”).
Regarding claim 1, Takatsuka teaches a lens actuation device (Figure 3), comprising:
a base (Figure 7 body 12), provided with a base opening (Figures 7 and 19 opening where lens 39 is disposed), a first guiding pin (Figure 18 guide shaft 40), and a second guiding pin (Figure 18 guide shaft 42), wherein the first guiding pin and the second guiding pin are respectively disposed on a surface on two sides of the base opening (Figure 7 guide shafts 40 and 42 are disposed on two sides of opening where lens 39 is disposed, [0091] guides shafts 40 and 42 are disposed in receivers 12b and 12c on body 12);
a lens holder unit (Figure 22 movable unit 43), provided with a lens holder opening (Figure 22 opening in movable unit 43 holding lens 44), a first extension part (Figure 23 right side of movable unit 43), a second extension part (Figure 23 left side of movable unit 43 comprising groove 46a), a first guiding hole (Figure 23 hole in shaft receiver 47), a second guiding hole (Figure 23 groove 46a), a guiding tube (Figure 22 shaft receiver 47, [0140] shaft receiver 47 has a substantially tubular shape), and a limiting element (Figure 23 restricting surface 50a, [0143]), wherein the lens holder opening corresponds to the base opening (Figure 19 optical axis P2 passes through opening holding lens 44 and opening holding lens 39), the first extension part and the second extension part extend outward from the lens holder opening (Figure 23 right and left extensions on movable unit 43 extend outward from opening holding lens 44), the first guiding hole is formed in the first extension part (Figure 23 hole in shaft receiver 47 is on right side extension of movable unit 43), the second guiding hole is formed in the second extension part (Figure 23 groove 46a is on left side extension of movable unit 43), the guiding tube corresponds to the first guiding hole (Figure 23 shaft receiver 47 corresponds to hole in shaft receiver 47) and is disposed on one side of the first extension part (Figure 22 shaft receiver 47 is disposed on bottom side of movable unit 43), the first guiding pin penetrates into the guiding tube (Figure 22 shaft 40 penetrates shaft receiver 47), and the limiting element is disposed on the other side of the first extension part (Figure 22 restricting surface 50a is on top surface of movable unit 43); and
a driving unit (Figure 26 drive unit 23, [0116]), provided with a motor body (Figure 15 motor 27), an output shaft (Figure 15 screw 26), and a lifting nut (Figure 15 nut member 28), wherein a part of the output shaft is connected to the motor body ([0119] screw 26 is provided as the drive motor shaft of the first drive motor 27), the other part of the output shaft is screwed with the lifting nut ([0116] screw 26 is screwed with nut member 28), a part of the first extension part of the lens holder unit is located between the motor body and the lifting nut (Figures 23-25 connecting portion 51 of right extension of movable unit 43 is between motor 27 and number member 28), and the lifting nut is limited by the limiting element to rotate relative to the limiting element (Figure 31, [0191] nut member is restricted from rotating by restricting surfaces 50a).
Regarding claim 2, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 1. Takatsuka further teaches a circuit unit (Figure 5 wiring board 85), provided with a circuit board ([0243] wiring board 85 is a circuit board), a driving control element ([0243] wiring board 85 energizes first drive motor 27 and thus controls motor 27), and a sensing element (Figure 25 position detection sensors 73, [0243] wiring board 85 energizes position detection sensor 73), wherein the circuit unit is disposed on one side of the base and the lens holder unit (Figure 5 wiring board 85 is disposed on a side of body 12 and movable unit 43), and a surface of the circuit board faces the base and the lens holder unit (Figure 5 surface of wiring board 85 faces body 12 and movable unit 43); and
the sensing element is disposed on the surface of the circuit board ([0243] position detection sensor 73 is disposed on wiring board 85 since wiring board 85 energizes position detection sensor 73) and is disposed to be opposite to a positioning element of the lens holder unit (Figure 25 position detection sensor 73 is disposed opposite detection protrusion 46b, [0196]-[0197]).
Regarding claim 3, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 2. Takatsuka further teaches the sensing element is either a light sensing element ([0195] position detection sensor 73 is a photo-interrupter) or a magnetic field sensing element.
Regarding claim 4, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 2. Takatsuka further teaches a shell (Figure 2 housing 2), wherein the shell is provided with a shell opening (Figure 2 opening for lens 37) corresponding to the base opening and the lens holder opening (Figure 19 opening for lens 37 corresponds to openings holding lenses 39 and 44), and the shell is connected to the base to envelop the lens holder unit, the driving unit, and the circuit unit (Figure 2 lens barrel 8, including movable unit 43, drive unit 23, and wiring board 85, is incorporated in housing 2, [0085]).
Regarding claim 5, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 1. Takatsuka further teaches the limiting element of the lens holder unit (Figure 23 restricting surface 50a, [0143]) is further provided with a first limiting column (Figure 31 first restricting surface 50a) and a second limiting column (Figure 31 second restricting surface 50a), the lifting nut is provided with a protrusion or a limiting shape (Figure 31 restricted surfaces 30a of number member 28), and the protrusion or the limiting shape is located between the first limiting column and the second limiting column and is restricted in movement (Figure 31 restricted surfaces of nut member 28 is between restricting surfaces 50a, [0193] restricting surfaces 50a restrict rotating of nut member 28).
Regarding claim 6, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 1. Takatsuka further teaches the driving unit (Figure 23 drive unit 23) is further provided with a support (Figure 15 support sheet metal 25, [0117]), and the support is provided with:
a first part (Figure 15 upper support portion 25b), abutting against a side that is of the output shaft of the motor body and that extends outward (Figure 5 upper support portion 25b abuts motor 27 and screw 26, [0119]);
a second part (Figure 15 base portion 25a), connected to the first part (Figure 15 base portion 25a connects to upper support portion 25b, [0117]); and
a third part (Figure 15 lower support portion 25c), connected to the second part and disposed to be opposite to the first part (Figure 15 lower support portion 25c is opposite upper support portion 25b and connected to base portion 25a, [0117]), wherein one terminal end of the output shaft is connected to the third part ([0118] screw 26 is rotatably supported by support portion 25c), and the lifting nut is located between the first part and the third part (Figure 15 nut member 28 is between upper and lower support portions 25b and 25c).
Regarding claim 7, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 6. Takatsuka further teaches the base (Figure 6 body 12) is further provided with:
a setting groove (Figure 6 opening 10a, [0121]), located on one side of the first guiding pin (Figures 6 and 7 opening 10a is on one side of shaft 40 disposed in receiver 12b);
a first support column, disposed on one side of the setting groove (Figure 6 left side of body 12 is a column on the left side of opening 10a); and a second support column, disposed on the other side of the setting groove (Figure 6 right side of body 12 is a column on the right side of opening 10a),
wherein the support is disposed in the setting groove (Figure 14, [0121] support sheet metal 25 is disposed in opening 10a) and is connected to the first support column and the second support column separately (Figures 3 and 6 support sheet metal 25 connects to left and right sides of body 12 of opening 10a).
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.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takatsuka (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0109319).
Regarding claim 8, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 1. Takatsuka further teaches the lens holder unit (Figure 22 movable unit 43) is further provided with:
a reset spring (Figure 22 spring 71, [0183]); and
a longitudinal groove (Figure 22 groove formed by protrusions 52), located on one side of the first extension part (Figure 22 groove formed by protrusions 52 is on left side extension of movable unit 43), wherein the output shaft of the driving unit penetrates into the longitudinal groove (Figure 15 screw 26 penetrates groove formed by protrusions 52).
Takatsuka fails to teach the reset spring is sleeved on an outer side of the guiding tube. However, modifying the spring (spring 71) or guiding tube (shaft receiver 47) would merely require a change in size of the spring and or guiding tube. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the lens actuation device taught by Takatsuka such that the reset spring is sleeved on an outer side of the guiding tube as doing so would merely require a change in size of the spring and/or shaft receiver taught by Takatsuka. Doing so would allow for improved stability for adjusting the elements as well as reducing vibrations between the elements.
Regarding claim 9, Takatsuka teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention with respect to claim 8. Takatsuka further teaches an upper cover (Figure 5 body 16), wherein the upper cover is superimposed on the lens holder unit (Figure 14 body 16 is superimposed on movable unit 43) and is provided with a first fastening hole (Figure 8 shaft receiver 16f) and a second fastening hole (Figure 8 shaft receiver 16g), the first fastening hole is disposed corresponding to the first guiding pin ([0135] guide shaft 40 is held in shaft receiver 16f), the second fastening hole is disposed corresponding to the second guiding pin ([0136] guide shaft 42 is held in shaft receiver 16g), and the guiding tube and the reset spring are located between the upper cover and the first extension part of the lens holder unit (Figures 14 and 25 shaft receiver 47 and spring 71 are between left side (of Figure 25) extension of movable unit 43 and body 16).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fang et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,871,627) discloses a lens/display actuator using a nut and screw similar to the instant application. Nomura et al. (European Patent Application EP 1962495) discloses a lens actuator with guides and a motor unit similar to the instant invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX PARK RICKEL whose telephone number is (703)756-4561. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bumsuk Won can be reached at (571)272-2713. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Alex Rickel
Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/A.P.R./Examiner, Art Unit 2872
/BALRAM T PARBADIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
