Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Application No. 18/501,471

FIRE ESCAPE MASK

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 03, 2023
Examiner
RUDDIE, ELLIOT S
Art Unit
3785
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Filos Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
65%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 9m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 65% — above average
65%
Career Allow Rate
303 granted / 464 resolved
-4.7% vs TC avg
Strong +43% interview lift
Without
With
+42.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 9m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
500
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
§103
48.3%
+8.3% vs TC avg
§102
17.6%
-22.4% vs TC avg
§112
24.9%
-15.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 464 resolved cases

Office Action

§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. Priority Acknowledgement is made to Applicant’s claim to priority to Foreign App. No. KR10-2023-0050104 filed April 17, 2023. Status of Claims C laims 1-6, filed November 3, 2023, are presently pending in this application. 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) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KWON (KR 20080073270 A ; machine translation accessed March 30, 2026 relied upon herein ) in view of Matthiessen et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2006/0260612; hereinafter: “Matthiessen”) . Regarding Claim 1, KWON discloses a fire escape mask (Pg. 1, ln 1) , comprising: a purification canister part (100; Fig. 1-5) configured to purify ambient air for breathing (Pg. 4, ln 15 -23; Pg. 6, ln 17-25 ) ; a mask part ( A, Fig. A annotated below ) configured to introduce and discharge the ambient air purified by the purification canister part ( Pg. 6, ln 2 to Pg. 7, ln 14 ) ; a breathing bag (280; Fig. 1-5) part configured to collect air from which carbon dioxide contained in the exhaled air has been removed ( Pg. 5, ln 15 to Pg. 6, ln 2 ) ; and an oxygen supply part ( 205, 230 , 233, 240 ; Fig. 1-5) configured to supply oxygen to the mask part or the breathing bag part ( Pg. 4, ln 25 to Pg. 5, ln 2; Pg. 5, ln 17 to Pg. 6, ln 2; Pg. 7, ln 1-13 ) . Figure A, Adapted from Figure 1 of KWON. KWON does not specifically disclose the fire escape mask comprising a hose part connected to the mask part to circulate exhaled air and inhaled air. Matthiessen t eaches breathing apparatus comprising a hose part (25; Fig. 1-3) connected to a mask part (23; Fig. 1-3; ¶ 0017) to circulate exhaled air and inhaled air (¶¶ 0017, 0018) for the purpose of allowing the oxygen supply part to be mounted off the mask thereby decreasing the weight carried on the mask (¶¶ 0003, 0004). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the fire escape mask of KWON to include the hose part connected to the mask part to circulate exhaled air and inhaled air as taught by Matthiessen for the purpose of allowing the oxygen supply part to be mounted off the mask thereby decreasing the weight carried on the mask ( See Matthiessen : ¶¶ 0003, 0004) . Regarding Claim 2, the modified device of KWON discloses the fire escape mask further comprising: a hood part (B, Fig. A annotated above) provided with a viewing window (C, Fig. A annotated above) that ensures visibility and an adjustable band (See KWON: 30; Fig. 1) for close fixation to a user's face (See KWON: Pg. 5, ln 7-9). Regarding Claim 3, the modified device of KWON discloses the fire escape mask wherein the purification canister part comprises a stopper (See KWON: 133; Fig. 1-5) in a center thereof that blocks ambient air (See KWON: Pg. 4, ln 21-23) . Regarding Claim 4, the modified device of KWON discloses the fire escape mask wherein the hose part comprises a carbon dioxide absorbent ( See KWON: 257; Fig. 3-5 ) that removes carbon dioxide in an inner center (See KWON: B; Fig. 3-5) thereof, and a moisture remover (See KWON: 257; Fig. 3-5) that removes moisture at a bottom (See KWON: at 250; Fig. 3-5) thereof (See KWON: Pg. 4, ln 25 to Pg. 7, ln 21) . Regarding Claim 5, the modified device of KWON discloses the fire escape mask wherein the oxygen supply part consistently supplies, by means of a regulator ( See KWON: 233; Fig. 1-5 ) coupled to an oxygen can ( See KWON: 230; Fig. 1-5 ), high-pressure oxygen through a hose ( See KWON: 240; Fig. 1-5) in an amount that a user can breathe ( See KWON: Pg. 4, ln 25 to Pg. 5, ln 4; Pg. 5, ln 13 to Pg. 6, ln 4; Pg. 7, ln 1-5 . Regarding Claim 6, the modified device of KWON discloses the fire escape mask wherein when breathing the ambient air, oxygen supply from an oxygen can ( See KWON: 230; Fig. 1-5) is cut off by means of a regulator ( See KWON: 233; Fig. 1-5) of the oxygen supply part and breathing is done by means of the purification canister part ( See KWON: Pg. 4, ln 25 to Pg. 7, ln 21) ; when breathing through the breathing bag part, breathing is done by replenishing oxygen of the oxygen can to air from which carbon dioxide contained in the exhaled air has been removed by adjusting the regulator of the oxygen supply part after blocking the ambient air by closing the purification canister part with a stopper ( See KWON: 133; Fig. 1-5; Pg. 4, ln 25 to Pg. 7, ln 21) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT ELLIOT S RUDDIE whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-7634 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F usually 9-7 EST . 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 Kendra Carter can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-9034 . 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. /ELLIOT S RUDDIE/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3785
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 03, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12599742
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HIGH VELOCITY NASAL INSUFFLATION
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12599739
PATIENT INTERFACE WITH FOAM CUSHION
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12594390
CONTROL OF FLOW AND/OR PRESSURE PROVIDED BY BREATHING APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12594388
DEVICE TO DELIVER A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT OF A SUBSTANCE TO A NATURAL ORIFICE OF THE BODY
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12582783
DRY POWDER INHALERS AND INTERFACES FOR IMPROVED AEROSOL DELIVERY TO CHILDREN
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 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
65%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+42.7%)
3y 9m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 464 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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