UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
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`15/685,071
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`08/24/2017
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`FUMIO SHINANO
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`PANDP0234US
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`2297
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`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
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`PINKNEYDAWAYNE
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`ART UNIT
`2872
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`11/07/2019
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`0,7709 A0170” Summary
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`Application No.
`15/685,071
`Examiner
`DAWAYNE A PINKN EY
`
`Applicant(s)
`SHINANO etal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2872
`Yes
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`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 08/24/2017.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
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`Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`[:1 Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[j Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined aflowabie. you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10)[:] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on 08/24/2017 is/are: a). accepted or b)[:] objected to by the Examiner.
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`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)D Some**
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`C)D None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail DateW.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20191102
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/685,071
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the
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`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Priority
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`2.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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`Information Disclosure Statement
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`3.
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`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/24/2017 has been considered
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`by the examiner.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 US C § 102
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`4.
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C.
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`102 and 103 (or as subject to pre—AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the
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`statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art
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`relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`5.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the
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`basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless ,
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`(a)(l) 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.
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`6.
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`Claims 1—7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yumiki et al.
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`(US 2007/0242940; already of record).
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`Regarding claim 1, Yumiki discloses, a lens barrel (Figs. 1, 3 and 20A—C) comprising:
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`a lens unit (Ll—L5) provided with an optical system;
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`Application/Control Number: 15/685,071
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 3
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`a support frame (36, 38, 40, 44, 45) that supports the lens unit to be movable in a
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`direction of an optical axis of the optical system (Paragraphs 0266—0279);
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`a focus ring (32, 37) that is disposed on an outer circumferential side of the lens unit and
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`is rotatably operated with respect to the lens unit for manually performing focus adjustment
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`(Paragraphs 0179, 0251 and 0266-0279);
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`an operating section that is provided to protrude radially outwardly from the focus ring,
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`and is operated for rotating the focus ring (see Figs. 1, 3 and 20A—C); and
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`a fixing section (36, 38, 44)for fixing the focus ring to the support frame when the focus
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`adjustment is automatically performed (Paragraphs 0179, 0251 and 0266—0279),
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`wherein the fixing section has a fixing button (37) that is operated for fixing the focus
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`ring to the support frame, the fixing button being disposed on the operating section.
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`Regarding claim 2, Yumiki discloses, a distance scale ring provided with: a through
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`groove which is formed along the direction of the optical axis and with which the fixing button is
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`engaged (see 32, 32a, 37, 38a of Figs. 14A—C); a first distance scale indicator formed along a
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`circumferential direction with respect to the optical axis and indicating a scale of distance for a
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`normal shooting mode (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, 12A—B); and a second
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`distance scale indicator formed parallel to the first distance scale indicator and indicating a scale
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`of distance for a macro shooting mode, wherein, when the focus ring rotates, the distance scale
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`ring rotates along with the focus ring by engagement between the fixing button and the through
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`groove (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, 12A—B).
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`Regarding claim 3, Yumiki discloses, the first distance scale indicator is disposed closer
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`to the focus ring with respect to the second distance scale indicator in the direction of the optical
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`axis in the normal shooting mode (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, 12A—B), in
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`Application/Control Number: 15/685,071
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 4
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`switching between the normal shooting mode and the macro shooting mode, the fixing button
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`relatively moves along the through groove, by which the distance scale ring moves with respect
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`to the focus ring in the direction of the optical axis, and in the macro shooting mode (Paragraphs
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`0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B), the first distance scale indicator is disposed radially
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`inside of the focus ring, and the second distance scale indicator is disposed adjacent to the focus
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`ring in the direction of the optical axis (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B).
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`Regarding claim 4, Yumiki discloses, a cam pin frame having a cam pin on an inner
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`circumferential surface and disposed inside of the distance scale ring (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and
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`see Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B); and a cam frame having a cam groove engaged with the cam pin, the
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`cam frame causing the cam pin frame to relatively move in the direction of the optical axis due to
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`a relative rotation of the cam pin frame with the cam pin being engaged with the cam groove
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`(Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B), wherein the cam pin frame is engaged with
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`the distance scale ring so that a relative rotation in a circumferential direction is allowed and a
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`relative movement in the direction of the optical axis is restricted (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see
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`Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B), and in switching between the normal shooting mode and the macro
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`shooting mode, the cam pin frame moves with respect to the cam frame in the direction of the
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`optical axis due to a rotation of the cam frame, and the distance scale ring moves in the direction
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`of the optical axis along with the cam pin frame (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B,
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`lZA-B).
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`Regarding claim 5, Yumiki discloses, a cam pin frame having a cam pin on an inner
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`circumferential surface and disposed inside of the distance scale ring (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and
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`see Figs. 9A—B, lZA—B); and a cam frame having a cam groove engaged with the cam pin, the
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`cam frame causing the cam pin frame to relatively move in the direction of the optical axis due to
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`Application/Control Number: l5/685,07l
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 5
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`a relative rotation of the cam pin frame with the cam pin being engaged with the cam groove
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`(Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B, l2A—B), wherein the cam pin frame is engaged with
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`the distance scale ring so that a relative rotation in a circumferential direction is allowed and a
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`relative movement in the direction of the optical axis is restricted (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see
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`Figs. 9A—B, l2A—B), and in switching between the normal shooting mode and the macro
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`shooting mode, the cam pin frame moves with respect to the cam frame in the direction of the
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`optical axis due to a rotation of the cam frame, and the distance scale ring moves in the direction
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`of the optical axis along with the cam pin frame (Paragraphs 0273—0282 and see Figs. 9A—B,
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`l2A-B).
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`Regarding claim 6, Yumiki discloses, the fixing section includes: a first restricting
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`section that restricts a relative rotation of the focus ring with respect to the lens unit within a
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`predetermined range between a first position and a second position (Paragraph 0234); and a
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`second restricting section that restricts a movement of the focus ring to the first position and a
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`movement of the focus ring from the first position (Paragraph 0256), the restriction by the
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`second restricting section is released by depression of the fixing button (Paragraphs 0266, 0273—
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`0282 and 0288), and the first position is a position where the focus ring is fixed to the support
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`frame when the focus adjustment is automatically performed (Paragraphs 0266, 0273—0282 and
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`0288).
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`Regarding claim 7, Yumiki discloses, the second restricting section includes: a restricting
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`member disposed in a recess formed on an outer surface of the support frame (Paragraphs 0256,
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`0266, 0273—0282 and 0288); a first biasing member that is disposed in the recess and biases the
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`restricting member to protrude radially outwardly from the outer surface (Paragraphs 0256, 0266,
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`0273—0282 and 0288; disclosed “compression spring” and “click ball”); a restricted member that
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`Application/Control Number: 15/685,071
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 6
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`moves along the outer surface of the support frame with a rotation of the focus ring, when the
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`focus adjustment is manually performed, and that is restricted from being moved by interference
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`with the restricting member protruding radially outwardly from the outer surface, when the focus
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`adjustment is automatically performed (Paragraphs 0256, 0266, 0273—0282 and 0288); and a
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`second biasing member that is disposed to cover the restricted member and biases the fixing
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`button radially outwardly with respect to the restricted member (Paragraphs 0256, 0266, 0273—
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`0282 and 0288; disclosed “compression spring” and “click ball”), the fixing button has a pushing
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`section for pushing the restricting member to the recess, when being depressed, for moving the
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`restricted member beyond the restricting member (Paragraphs 0256, 0266, 0273—0282 and 0288),
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`and the movement of the focus ring to the first position and the movement of the focus ring from
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`the first position are restricted by interference between the restricting member and the restricted
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`member (Paragraphs 0256, 0266, 0273—0282 and 0288).
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`Conclusion
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`7.
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`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
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`disclosure. Fujiwara (US 2011/0026135) discloses a lens barrel with a support frame, a focus
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`ring, an operating section and a fixing section having a fixing button.
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`8.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to DAWAYNE A PINKNEY whose telephone number is (571)270—
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`1305. The examiner can normally be reached on M—F 7:00—5:00 PM.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in—person, and video conferencing using
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`a USPTO supplied web—based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is
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`encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at
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`http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/685,071
`Art Unit: 2872
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`Page 7
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Ricky Mack can be reached on 571—272—2333. The fax phone number for the
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`organization Where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571—273—8300.
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent
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`Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications
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`may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished
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`applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR
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`system, see http://pair—direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR
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`system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866—217—9197 (toll—free). If you would
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`like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated
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`information system, call 800—786—9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571—272—1000.
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`/DAWAYNE PINKNEY/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
`1 1/03/2019
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`