Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/297,960

POWER ADAPTER

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Apr 10, 2023
Examiner
JIMENEZ, OSCAR C
Art Unit
2896
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 0m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allow Rate
622 granted / 714 resolved
+19.1% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 0m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
735
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
42.9%
+2.9% vs TC avg
§102
48.8%
+8.8% vs TC avg
§112
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 714 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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. Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. Claim s 1- 7 , 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ma (US 2018/010946) . Regarding claim 1 : Ma teaches a power adapter (Fig. 1) , comprising: a body (at 302 ; Fig. 2a) , comprising a housing 302 and a pin 110 connected to the housing (Fig s . 2a -3 ) ; a synchronization mechanism (at 190 ; Fig. 3) , connected to the housing (see Fig. 3) ; a first cover body 120 , connected to the synchronization mechanism and capable of moving to a first position (Fig. 2 b-3 ) and a second position (Fig. 2 a ) relative to the housing 302 (see Figs. 2a- 3 ) ; and a second cover body 130 , connected to the synchronization mechanism and driven by the synchronization mechanism in response to the first cover body 120 moving relative to the housing, so as to achieve a synchronous movement of the second cover body 130 and the first cover body 120 ( see Figs. 2a-2b and Para. 0031 ) ; wherein, in response to the first cover body 120 being in the first position (Fig. 2b) , the first cover body 120 is covered with the second cover body 130 to cover at least part of the pin; in response to the first cover body 120 being in the second position (Fig. 2b) , the first cover body 120 is stacked on a side of the housing in a thickness direction of the housing, the second cover 130 is stacked on an opposite side of the housing in the thickness direction, and the pin is exposed to the housing (see Fig. 2a) . Regarding claim 2 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein in the thickness direction of the housing, a distance between an edge of the pin 110 and an outer edge of the housing is less than a preset value (e.g. see thickness in Fig. 3) ; in response to the first cover body being in the second position (Fig. 2a) , a distance between an outer edge of the first cover body and an edge of the pin located on the same side as the outer edge of the first cover is greater than or equal to the preset value, and a distance between an outer edge of the second cover body and an edge of the pin located on the same side as the outer edge of the second cover is greater than or equal to the preset value (see Figs. 2b-3 for thickness being greater) . Regarding claim 3 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein in response to the first cover body switching between the first position (Fig. 2b-3) and the second position (Fig. 2a) , a height direction of the first cover body is parallel to a length direction of the pin 110 ( see Fig. 5b ) . Regarding claim 4 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches wherein the housing 302 comprises a main body (at 302 ; Fig. 3) and a boss (at 101 ; Fig. 4a) protruded from an end of the main body (see Fig. 2a) , and the pin 110 is connected to the boss (see Fig. 4a) ; in the first position (see Figs. 2b-3 and 5b) , the boss is relatively covered by the first cover body and the second cover body (see Figs. 2b-3 and 5b) ; and in the second position (Fig. 4a) , the first cover is stacked on a side of the main body in a thickness direction of the main body, and the second cover is stacked on an opposite side of the main body in the thickness direction of the main body (see Fig. 2a) . Regarding claim 5 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches wherein in the second position (Fig. 2a) , the first cover body and the second cover body are attached to the main body (see Fig. 2a) . Regarding claim 6 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches wherein in the second position (Fig. 2a) , an end surface of the first cover close to the pin, an end surface of the second cover close to the pin are flush with an end surface of the boss that exposes to the pin, so as to define a pin surface of the power adapter (see Figs. 2a and 5a) . Regarding claim 7 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches wherein in the first position (Fig. 2b-3) , the first cover body 120 and the second cover body 130 are enclosed to define a receiving cavity to receive the pin 110 and the boss (at 101 ; Fig 4a) , and a peripheral outer surface of the first cover body is flush with a peripheral outer surface of a side of the main body, and a peripheral outer surface of the second cover body is flush with a peripheral outer surface of an opposite side of the main body (see Figs. 3 and 5b) . Regarding claim 20 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches wherein the synchronization mechanism (at 190 ; Fig. 3) comprises a first gear 150 and a second gear 170 connected to the first gear in a transmission manner (see Figs. 4b-5b) , the first gear is connected to the first cover body and is rotatably connected to the housing, and the second gear is connected to the second cover body and is rotatably connected to the housing (see Figs. 4b-5b for first and second gears connectors to first and second cover bodies) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 8 -1 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ma (US 2018/010946), in view of Cai (US 11,784,432) . Regarding claim 1 8 : Ma teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Ma does not explicitly teach wherein one of the first cover body and the second cover body is arranged with a magnetic member, and the other of the first cover body and the second cover body is arranged with a magnetic fitting member; in the first position, the magnetic member is attracted to the magnetic fitting member; and in the second position, the magnetic member is opposite to the magnetic fitting member, and there is magnetic attraction between the magnetic member and the magnetic fitting member. Cai teaches one of a first cover body 210 and a second cover body 220 is arranged with a magnetic member 510 , and the other of the first cover body and the second cover body is arranged with a magnetic fitting member 520 ; in the first position, the magnetic member is attracted to the magnetic fitting member (see Fig. 7a and Col. 9, lines 32-54) ; and in a second position (Fig. 17) , the magnetic member is opposite to the magnetic fitting member, and there is magnetic attraction between the magnetic member and the magnetic fitting member (see Fig. 17) . Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be able to modify the invention with one of the first cover body and the second cover body is arranged with a magnetic member, and the other of the first cover body and the second cover body is arranged with a magnetic fitting member; in the first position, the magnetic member is attracted to the magnetic fitting member; and in the second position, the magnetic member is opposite to the magnetic fitting member, and there is magnetic attraction between the magnetic member and the magnetic fitting member as taught by Cai into the power adapter of Ma in order to achieve the advantage of using magnets to hold the covers in a desired position. Regarding claim 1 9 : Ma, in view of Cai, teaches all the limitations of claim 18 and Cai further teaches wherein a housing 100 is arranged with a magnet 904 , and in the second position the magnetic member and the magnetic fitting member are attracted to the magnet (see Fig. 17) . Allowable Subject Matter Claim s 8-17 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. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see PTO-892 for pertinent prior art, the following references being of closest relevance: Zhao (US 2023/0071133) teaches a power adapter comprising a first and second cover body that cover a pin located within; Shibata (US 6,346,793) teaches rotatable covers for protecting and exposing terminals within (see Figs. 12A-12B); Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT OSCAR C JIMENEZ whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)270-0272 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday 8am-5pm . Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Jessica Han can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-2078 . 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. /OSCAR C JIMENEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 10, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 04, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
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2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+8.4%)
2y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 714 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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