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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 03/24/2025 and 08/28/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-10 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent No. 12,284,431. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the current application have broader claim limitations and therefore are anticipated by the Patent.
Current application 19/087,757
U.S. Patent No. 12,284,431
1.An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor substrate implementing an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light from a lens;
a control circuit substrate for controlling an entire apparatus;
an anti-vibration mechanism that moves the image sensor substrate in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens; and
a cooling fan and
a duct that are arranged so as to dissipate heat of the image sensor substrate,
wherein inside spaces of the duct are spatially separated from the image sensor substrate,
wherein at least a part of the duct is arranged at a position overlapping with the image sensor substrate in viewing the image capturing apparatus from a top.
1.An image capturing apparatus comprising:
an image sensor substrate implementing an image sensor for photoelectrically converting light from a lens;
a control circuit substrate for controlling an entire apparatus;
an anti-vibration mechanism that moves the image sensor substrate in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens;
a cooling fan and a first duct that are arranged behind the control circuit substrate in an optical axis direction opposite to the lens; and
a second duct that is branched from the first duct and that dissipates heat of the image sensor substrate,
wherein inside spaces of the first and second ducts are spatially separated from the image sensor substrate and the control circuit substrate,
wherein at least a part of the second duct is arranged at a position overlapping with the image sensor substrate in viewing the image capturing apparatus from a top, and
wherein the second duct is arranged at a position that does not touch the image sensor substrate even when the anti-vibration mechanism brings the image sensor substrate to a closest position.
2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an external device attachment part capable of attaching an external device is disposed in the top of the image capturing apparatus.
2. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an external device attachment part capable of attaching an external device is disposed in the top of the image capturing apparatus, and
wherein at least a part of a flow path inside the second duct passes in front of the external device attachment part in the optical axis direction.
3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image sensor holding member that holds the image sensor substrate; and at least one heat transfer member that connects the image sensor holding member and the duct.
3. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image sensor holding member that holds the image sensor substrate; and at least one heat transfer member that connects the image sensor holding member and the second duct,
wherein each of the at least one heat transfer member has a shape having at least two normal vectors in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis.
4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one heat transfer member comprises a plurality of heat transfer members that are arranged at equal intervals between the image sensor holding member and the duct.
4. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the at least one heat transfer member comprises a plurality of heat transfer members that are arranged at equal intervals between the image sensor holding member and the second duct.
5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image sensor holding member that holds the image sensor substrate; and a heat transfer member that connects the image sensor holding member and the duct, wherein the heat transfer member forms a spiral shape around an axis.
5. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an image sensor holding member that holds the image sensor substrate; and a heat transfer member that connects the image sensor holding member and the second duct, wherein the heat transfer member forms a spiral shape around an axis.
6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said axis is parallel to a width direction of the image capturing apparatus.
6. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said axis is parallel to a width direction of the image capturing apparatus.
7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a gap between adjacent arcs of the spiral shape is longer than a maximum moving amount of the image sensor substrate in the width direction by the anti-vibration mechanism.
7. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a gap between adjacent arcs of the spiral shape is longer than a maximum moving amount of the image sensor substrate in the width direction by the anti-vibration mechanism.
8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heat transfer member changes a size of the arcs of the spiral when the anti-vibration mechanism moves the image sensor substrate in a vertical direction of the image capturing apparatus.
8. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heat transfer member changes a size of the arcs of the spiral when the anti-vibration mechanism moves the image sensor substrate in a vertical direction of the image capturing apparatus.
9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a developed shape of the heat transfer member in an unassembled state is a belt-like substantially rectangular shape.
9. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a developed shape of the heat transfer member in an unassembled state is a belt-like substantially rectangular shape.
10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the heat transfer member uses a graphite sheet.
Note: The current claim 10 is mapped to the combination of claims 5, 6, and 10 of the Patent due to claim dependency. Specifically, “the heat transfer member” in the current claim and in the Patent “uses a graphite sheet”.
10. The image capturing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heat transfer member uses a graphite sheet.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN H LE whose telephone number is (571)270-1130. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00 am- 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at 5712727372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUAN H LE/Examiner, Art Unit 2638
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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