Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/261,561

Winch Assembly of a Load Handling Device

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Jul 14, 2023
Priority
Jan 15, 2021 — GB 2100557.4 +1 more
Examiner
KEENAN, JAMES W
Art Unit
3655
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Ocado Innovation Limited
OA Round
2 (Final)
67%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 67% — above average
67%
Career Allowance Rate
763 granted / 1143 resolved
+14.8% vs TC avg
Strong +25% interview lift
Without
With
+24.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
1172
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
72.9%
+32.9% vs TC avg
§102
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
§112
19.4%
-20.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1143 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “wheel positioning mechanism” (claim 22) must be shown or the feature canceled from the claim. No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claims 22 and 24 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 22, line 2, “comprises” should be --comprising--. Claim 24, line 8, --of tracks-- should be inserted after “set”. Appropriate correction is required. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-7, 15-22 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 1, line 8, it is not clear if the recitation “a grid framework structure” is the same “grid framework structure” previously recited in line 2; and lines 9 and 11, the recitations “the first set of grid members” and “the second set of grid members” lack antecedent basis (also note claim 22, lines 5 and 6). Claim 2, line 4, the recitation “the winding and/or unwinding …” lacks clear antecedent basis. Claim 24, line 10, it is not clear if the recitations “a stack of containers” and “a grid space or grid cell” are intended to refer to one of the plurality of stacks and plurality of grid spaces/cells, respectively, previously recited. Claims 1-7, 15-22 and 24 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James Keenan whose telephone number is (571)272-6925. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ernesto Suarez can be reached at 571-270-5565. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /James Keenan/ Primary Examiner Art Unit 3652 6/01/26
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 14, 2023
Application Filed
Jul 14, 2023
Response after Non-Final Action
Nov 28, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Mar 30, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 04, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12679642
REFUSE VEHICLE WITH A HOPPER FILL SENSOR
3y 0m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12679644
STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING OBJECTS IN SUCH A STORAGE SYSTEM
1y 9m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12668421
GRIPPING DEVICE
3y 0m to grant Granted Jun 30, 2026
Patent 12661749
LOADING AND UNLOADING FOR AUTOMATIC GUIDED VEHICLE
4y 1m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Patent 12662039
TRANSPORT SYSTEM
3y 4m to grant Granted Jun 23, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
67%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+24.6%)
2y 10m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 1143 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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