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 Interpretation
Claim(s) 1-20 do not use “means for” (or “step for”) language, or generic placeholders for "means” coupled with functional language without recitation of sufficient structure for carrying out the claimed functions and therefore do not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph).
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun et al. (US 2021/0266463 A1) in view of Hagiwara (US 2015/0055231 A1).[claim 1]
Regarding claim 1, Chun discloses an electronic device including:
a camera (Figure 1),
wherein the camera includes:
a camera housing (Figure 1, 110),
a lens assembly including at least one lens aligned along an optical axis (Figure 1, 134),
a focus adjustment (AF) driver configured to move the lens assembly in a direction of the optical axis (Figure 2, 200; Paragraphs 0043, 0077),
an image stabilization (OIS) driver configured to move the lens assembly in at least one direction crossing the optical axis (Figure 2, 200; Paragraphs 0043, 0078)
a frame disposed in the camera housing and at least partially surrounding at least one of the AF driver or the image stabilization driver (Figure 1, 111 or frame enclosing 122a/122d).
However, Chun does not disclose a damper including one end portion fixed to the frame or the camera housing and another end portion having a shape elongated toward the camera housing and configured to be bent in one direction based on the damper contacting the camera housing.
Hagiwara discloses a similar camera module (Figure 1) and further teaches the inclusion of a damper including one end portion fixed to a frame or a camera housing and another end portion having a shape elongated toward the camera housing and configured to be bent in one direction based on the damper contacting the camera housing (Figures 4 and 5, damper 5). The damper limits the maximum movement of the lens support device and alleviates impact force when the lens impacts the camera housing (e.g. Abstract, Paragraphs 0025-0027, 0058-0060).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to include a damper as taught by Hagiwara in the device of Chun so that the impact forces may be alleviated.[claim 2]
Regarding claim 2, Hagiwara discloses wherein the damper is disposed in a direction inclined from the optical axis (Figures 4 and 5; note that the damper is inclined relative to the optical axis, particularly in the case where it is flexed in the vertical direction).[claim 3]
Regarding claim 3, Hagiwara discloses wherein the damper is configured to be bent in one direction based on the damper contacting the camera housing (Figure 4 and 5; note that damper is bent in one direction when contacted by the lens assembly), and
wherein the damper is configured to return to an inclined orientation with respect to the optical axis based on disengagement from the camera housing (Paragraphs 0055-0056, 0062-0063; the damper has an elastic property which would allow it to return to an inclined orientation when disengaged).[claim 4]
Regarding claim 4, Chun discloses wherein the camera housing includes:
a cover plate including a front surface facing in a first direction and a rear surface facing in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and having an optical opening (Figure 1, top plate of 112), and
a side member including a side surface facing in a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction and connected to the cover plate (Figure 1, side portions of 112), and
wherein a space capable of accommodating the lens assembly is formed using the cover plate and the side member (Figure 1, interior space formed by 112 when moule is assembled).[claim 5]
Regarding claim 5, Chun in view of Hagiwara discloses wherein the damper is disposed at a position corresponding to a remaining side surface except for a side surface corresponding to a position the OIS driver and a side surface corresponding to a position of the AF driver of the camera among side surfaces of the side member (see Figure 1 of Chun and Figure 5 of Hagiwara and note that it would be obvious to dispose at corner side surfaces where the actuators are not disposed).[claim 6]
Regarding claim 6, Chun in view of Hagiwara discloses wherein the frame includes:
a first surface facing the cover plate (Chun, Figure 1, top surface of 111/frame surrounding 122a/122d), and
a second surface facing the side member (Chun, Figure 1, 111/frame surrounding 122a/122d), and
wherein the damper is disposed on the second surface of the frame (Hagiwara, Figures 4 and 5; note dampers positioned on side surfaces of the frame).[claim 7]
Regarding claim 7, Hagiwara discloses wherein the damper is configured to be spaced apart from the camera housing by a predetermined distance in an initial state of not contacting the camera housing (Figures 4 and 5; note spacing in initial state).[claim 16]
Regarding claim 16, Chun discloses a camera comprising:
a camera housing (Figure 1, 110);
a lens assembly including at least one lens aligned along an optical axis (Figure 1, 134);
a carrier member configured to guide the lens assembly in at least one of an optical-axis direction or a direction crossing the optical axis (Figure 1, 131); and
a driving member including:
at least one coil (Figure 1, 121a/122a), and
at least one magnet and a plurality of guide balls disposed to at least partially face the at least one coil, and moving the carrier member in the optical-axis direction and the direction crossing the optical axis in a ball bearing manner (Figure 1, 121b; Paragraphs 0043, 0053-0055, 0059-0061, 0073, 0077-0078; movement along ball bearings 141-143),
wherein a frame is disposed in the camera housing and at least partially surrounding the driving member (Figure 1, 111 or frame holding 122a/122d).
However, Chun does not disclose wherein a damper having one end portion fixed to the frame or the camera housing and another end portion having a shape elongated toward the camera housing and is configured to be bent in one direction based on the damper contacting the camera housing.
Hagiwara discloses a similar camera module (Figure 1) and further teaches the inclusion of a damper including one end portion fixed to a frame or a camera housing and another end portion having a shape elongated toward the camera housing and configured to be bent in one direction based on the damper contacting the camera housing (Figures 4 and 5, damper 5). The damper limits the maximum movement of the lens support device and alleviates impact force when the lens impacts the camera housing (e.g. Abstract, Paragraphs 0025-0027, 0058-0060).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to include a damper as taught by Hagiwara in the device of Chun so that the impact forces may be alleviated.
Claim(s) 10-14 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun et al. (US 2021/0266463 A1) in view of Hagiwara (US 2015/0055231 A1) in view of Official Notice.[claim 10]
Regarding claim 10, Chun discloses that camera modules may include an image sensor (e.g. Paragraph 0004), but does not explicitly disclose wherein the camera further includes:
an image sensor configured to form an image from light passing through the at least one lens; and
a printed circuit board (PCB) on which the image sensor is disposed.
Official Notice is taken that it is well known in the art to provide an image sensor configured to form an image from light passing through the at least one lens and a printed circuit board (PCB) with processing circuitry on which the image sensor is disposed fixed to a camera module so that the camera module may capture, output and process properly focused digital images.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to provide an image sensor and PCB fixed to the camera module of Chun in view of Hagiwara to capture, output and process properly focused digital images.[claim 11]
Regarding claim 11, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the camera further includes a first carrier configured to be fixedly disposed on the PCB (Chun, Figure 1, 111 when fixed to the PCB).[claim 12]
Regarding claim 12, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the camera further includes a second carrier overlapping the first carrier and configured to be reciprocated in an optical axis direction (Chun Figure 1, 131; Paragraphs 0061-0063).[claim 13]
Regarding claim 13, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the camera further includes a third carrier overlapping the second carrier and configured to be reciprocated in a direction crossing the optical axis (Chun, Figure 1, 133; Paragraphs 0061-0063).[claim 14]
Regarding claims 14 and 15, see the rejection of claims 6 and 7 above.[claim 17]
Regarding claim 17, see the rejection of claim 10 above.[claim 18]
Regarding claim 18, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the carrier member includes a first carrier coupled with the PCB and including a first opening formed at a position overlapping the image sensor and a first plate at least partially surrounding the first opening, and including a first side wall protruding from the first plate in the optical-axis direction (Figure 1, 111 when fixed to the PCB), a second carrier disposed on the first carrier and including a second opening formed at a position corresponding to the first opening and a second plate at least partially surrounding the second opening, and including a second side wall protruding from the second plate in the optical-axis direction (Figure 1, 131), and a third carrier disposed on the second carrier (Figure 1, 133).[claim 19]
Regarding claim 19, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the at least one driving member includes a first driver including a first coil disposed on a 1-1th side wall of the first side wall (Figure 1, 121a) and a first magnet disposed at a position corresponding to the first coil on the second side wall of the second carrier (Figure 1, 121b), a second driver including a second coil disposed on a 1-2th side wall of the first side wall (Figure 1, 122a in Y direction) and a second magnet disposed at a position corresponding to the second coil, around the third carrier (Figure 1, 122b in Y direction), and a third driver including a third coil disposed on a 1-3th side wall of the first side wall (Figure 1, 122a in X direction) and a third magnet disposed at a position corresponding to the second coil, around the third carrier (Figure 1, 122b in X direction).[claim 20]
Regarding claim 20, Chun in view of Hagiwara in view of Official Notice discloses wherein the damper is positioned at a position corresponding to a 1-4th side wall of a first side wall (Hagiwara, Figure 5; note that dampers are positioned at positions corresponding to each side wall).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9 and 15 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.[claims 8, 9 and 15]
Regarding claims 8, 9 and 15, while the prior art teaches camera modules including a damper and housing (see discussion of Chun and Hagiwara above as well as additional prior art references cited below), the prior art does not teach the electronic device of claim 5, wherein the damper is disposed on an inner surface of the camera housing or the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the damper at least partially includes a portion fixed to the camera housing and a portion extending inclined with respect to the optical axis, and wherein the extending portion is disposed in a space between the frame and the second carrier.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following show additional prior art systems for dampers in camera modules:
Rho et al. US 2022/0272237 A1
Enta et al. US 2020/0174270 A1
Spahn et al. US 2005/0056789 A1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY J HENN whose telephone number is (571)272-7310. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday ~10-6.
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/Timothy J Henn/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2639
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