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 .
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8, 10, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by MURAKAMI et al. (US 20190339542 A1, hereinafter MURAKAMI).
Regarding claim 1, MURAKAMI discloses a camera module (¶0001, ¶0008, ¶0044-0048, A in figs. 2-4) comprising:
an image sensor (CMOS and/or CCD image sensor, ¶0035) configured to receive light incident in a direction of an optical axis and generate an electrical signal (¶0035);
a first carrier (AF fixing part 12 and/or magnet holder 121) configured to move at least partially horizontally relative to the image sensor on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (contained in OIS movable part 10; OIS movable part 10seays in the XY plane perpendicular to z-axis, ¶0037-0038, ¶0042, 0054, figs. 5-8);
a second carrier (AF movable part 11 and/or lens holder 111) on the first carrier and configured to move horizontally relative to the image sensor together with at least a portion of the first carrier, and to move along the optical axis relative to the first carrier (disposed radially inward of AF fixing part 12 / magnet holder 121, figs. 7-8, ¶0037-0038, ¶0057-0060);
a lens array on the second carrier (lens part mounted on lens housing 111a of lens holder 111, ¶0047, figs. 7-10b) and configured to move along the optical axis relative to the first carrier together with the second carrier and to guide or focus the light incident along the optical axis to the image sensor (Here, in an non-energization state where automatic focusing is not being performed, AF movable part 11 is brought into a state where AF movable part 11 is suspended between the infinity position and the macro position by upper plate springs 131 and 132 and lower plate spring 14 (this state may hereinafter be referred to as “reference state”). That is, in OIS movable part 10, AF movable part 11 (lens holder 111) is elastically supported to be displaceable on both sides in the Z-direction while being positioned with respect to AF fixing part 12 (magnet holder 121) by upper plate springs 131 and 132 and lower plate springs 14. – ¶0117. Also see ¶0055, 0088, 0094, 0120); and
at least one elastic member (elastic and/or supporting member 13) connecting the second carrier (11 and/or 111) to the first carrier (12 and/or 121) and configured to support or guide movement of the second carrier relative to the first carrier (Upper elastic supporting member 13 is disposed inside AF power-supply lines 171 and signal lines 173 and 174 for coupling magnet holder 121 and lens holder 111 together. – ¶0066. Arm portions 131c and 131f each have a curved shape, and elastically deform when AF movable part 11 moves. – ¶0070),
wherein the at least one elastic member comprises:
a first fixing portion (magnet-holder fixing portion 131b, fixed to magnet holder 121, fig. 12a-b) supported by the first carrier (Upper plate spring 131 includes two spring portions 131A and 131B. Spring portion 131A includes lens-holder fixing portion 131a to be fixed to lens holder 111, magnet-holder fixing portion 131b to be fixed to magnet holder 121 – ¶0068);
at least one first elastic portion (arm portions 131c, fig. 12a-b), extending from the first fixing portion (arm portions 131c elastically deformable and extendable/coupling between magnet holder fixing portion 131b and lens-holder fixing portion 131a; figs. 12a-b);
a second fixing portion (lens-holder fixing portion 131a) at an end portion of the at least one first elastic portion and supported by the second carrier (lens-holder fixing portion 131a is fixed to lens holder 111, connected to 131b through arm 131c, figs. 12a-b, ¶0068);
at least one second elastic portion (damper fixing portion 131j, figs. 12a-b) extending from the at least one first elastic portion (131c) between the first fixing portion (131b) and the second fixing portion (damper fixing portion 131j, extending from first elastic portion 131c, between the first fixing portion 131b and the second fixing portion 131a, see figs.12a-b); and
at least one third fixing portion (end part of damper fixing potion 131j) at an end portion of the at least one second elastic portion (see fig. 8) and supported by the first carrier (12 and/or 121; Damper fixing portions 131j and 131k are to be disposed in damper housings 121j of magnet holder 121, and are to be embedded therein by the damper material. – ¶0070. Also see ¶0086, figs. 12a-b).
Regarding claim 2, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the at least one first elastic portion (131c) is configured to guide movement of the second carrier (11 and/or 111) along the optical axis relative to the first carrier (12 and/or 121; Arm portions 131c and 131f each have a curved shape, and elastically deform when AF movable part 11 moves. – ¶0070).
Regarding claim 3, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the at least one first elastic portion (131c, 131f, 132c, 132f – corresponds to the elastically deformable arm portions of the upper plate springs 131, 132, ¶0056, ¶0066-0075, figs.12a-b) comprises at least one pair of first elastic portions (pair 131c + 131f, alternatively 132c+132f, fig. 12a-b) provided symmetrically about the lens array (evident from figs.12a-b).
Regarding claim 4, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the at least one first elastic portion (131c, 131f,132c, 132f, figs. 12a-b) comprises a plurality of first elastic portions (ibid; ¶0068, figs. 12-ab) are provided at equal angular intervals along a circumferential direction (evident from fig. 12a) of the lens array (Lens-holder fixing portions 131a and 131d are coupled to each other along lens housing 111a of lens holder 111. – ¶0068).
Regarding claim 6, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 1, wherein the at least one second elastic portion comprises a pair of second elastic portions (131j + 131k or alternatively 132j + 132k, figs. 12a-b) extending from the at least one first elastic portion (Upper plate spring 131 includes damper fixing portions 131j and 131k diverging and extending from arm portions 131c and 131f, respectively. – ¶0070).
Regarding claim 8, Murakami discloses the camera module claim 1, further comprising a first damping member (damper housing 121j) between the first carrier (12 and/or 121) and the at least one third fixing portion (131k, 131k, 132j, 132k, figs. 12a-b. Evident for figures).
Regarding claim 10, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 8, further comprising a receiving groove (121j) in the first carrier (12 and/or 121),
wherein the first damping member (damper material, e.g., UV curable silicone gel, ¶0087) is at least partially inserted in the receiving groove (Damper fixing portions 131j, 131k, 132j, and 132k of upper plate springs 131 and 132 of upper elastic supporting member 13 are disposed in damper housings 121j of magnet holder 121, and are embedded therein by the damper material. – ¶0086).
Regarding claim 13, Murakami discloses the camera module of claim 1, further comprising a casing (2, 20, 21, figs. 2-6) in which the first carrier (12, 121, figs. 2-6) is at least partially inserted (OIS movable part 10, which contains AF fixing par 12 / magnet holder 121, is disposed relative to and supported by OIS fixing par 20, while cover 2 covers the camera module/lens-driving assembly and is fixed to base 21, figs. 2-8, 13-14) in a state in which the first carrier is horizontally movable on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis (Specifically, OIS supporting member 30 is composed of four suspension wires (hereinafter referred to as “suspension wires 30”) extending in the Z-direction. One ends (upper ends) of suspension wires 30 are fixed to OIS movable part 10 (to upper elastic supporting member 13 (see FIGS. 7 and 8)), and the other ends (lower ends) are fixed to OIS fixing part 20 (to coil board 23 (see FIGS. 13 and 14)). OIS movable part 10 is supported to be able to sway in the XY plane by suspension wires 30. – ¶0038).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, and 14-15 is/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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Prior arts of record taken alone or in combination fails to reasonably disclose or suggest,
Regarding claim 5, wherein the plurality of first elastic portions extend from the first fixing portion in a direction toward another adjacent first fixing portion.
Regarding claim 7, wherein a width of the at least one third fixing portion is at least partially greater than a width of the at least one second elastic portion.
Regarding claim 9, wherein the at least one second elastic portion comprises a pair of second elastic portions,
wherein the at least one third fixing portion comprises a pair of third fixing portions,
wherein the pair of second elastic portions extend from the at least one first elastic portion, and
wherein the pair of third fixing portions are on the first damping member.
Regarding claim 11, further comprising a support protrusion protruding from a surface of the first carrier and supporting the at least one third fixing portion.
Claim 12 is allowable for being dependent on allowable claim 11
Regarding claim 14, wherein the at least one elastic member further comprises:
a third elastic portion extending from the first fixing portion; and
a fourth fixing portion at an end portion of the third elastic portion and supported by the casing, and
wherein the third elastic portion is configured to guide movement of the first carrier on the plane perpendicular to the optical axis relative to the casing.
Claim 15 is allowable for being dependent on allowable claim 14
Conclusion
The prior and/or pertinent art(s) made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, are – Park et al. (US 20210181455 A1), Kim et al. (US 20210026099 A1), who disclose different elastic dampers architectures of interest used in dual AF and OIS purposes in a camera module.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAHBAZ NAZRUL whose telephone number is (571)270-1467. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 9.30 am-3 pm, 6.30 pm-9 pm, F: 9.30 am-1.30 pm, 4 pm-8 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAHBAZ NAZRUL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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