Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/526,604

POWER DISTRIBUTION UNIT WITH PLANAR BUSBARS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Dec 01, 2023
Examiner
BURGOS-GUNTIN, NELSON R
Art Unit
2831
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group LLC
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 11m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allow Rate
536 granted / 581 resolved
+24.3% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 11m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
597
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
26.3%
-13.7% vs TC avg
§102
69.4%
+29.4% vs TC avg
§112
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 581 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
CTNF 18/526,604 CTNF 92016 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA 4. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Murakami (US Patent Application Publication 20010010977 A1) . As per claim 1, Murakami teaches a power distribution unit (PDU) (10, see paragraph 4), comprising: an interface piece (base 11) having a plurality of mounting surfaces (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66); a first group of electrical components (C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs), each electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc, etc.) of the first group of electrical components (C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs) including a first connector (C on either side shown in figure 1), each electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc, etc.) of the first group of electrical components (C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs) positioned on a respective mounting surface (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) of the plurality of mounting surfaces (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) such that each first connector (C on either side shown in figure 1) is arranged in a same plane (shown in figure 1); and a planar electrical busbar (14, 15 or 16) with a top surface (along 14, 15) extending entirely in one plane, the planar electrical busbar (14, 15 or 16) including one or more external connection portions (along 14, 15 or 16), wherein each of the one or more external connection portions (along 14, 15 or 16) are electrically coupled to one of the first connectors (C on either side shown in figure 1) of the first group of electrical components (C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs). As per claim 2, Murakami teaches a PDU (10, see paragraph 4), wherein the interface piece (base 11) is comprised of a non-conductive material (base 11). As per claim 3, Murakami teaches a PDU (10, see paragraph 4), wherein the first group of electrical components (C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs) comprises one or more of fuses Fs and contactors C. As per claim 4, Murakami teaches a PDU (10, see paragraph 4), further comprising a housing (of 10), wherein the interface piece (base 11) is coupled to a base 11 of the housing (of 10). As per claim 5, Murakami teaches a PDU (10, see paragraph 4), wherein the interface piece (base 11) is formed integrally with the base 11 of the housing (of 10). As per claim 6, Murakami teaches a PDU (10, see paragraph 4), wherein the plurality of mounting surfaces (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) is a plurality of first mounting surfaces (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66), and further comprising a second group of electrical components (C, D, Rl, Rc), each electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc, etc.) of the second group of electrical components (C, D, Rl, Rc) including a second connector D, each electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc, etc.) of the second group of electrical components (C, D, Rl, Rc) positioned on a respective mounting surface (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) of a plurality of second mounting surfaces (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) of the interface piece (base 11) such that each second connector D is arranged in another same plane (shown in figure 1) that is different than the plane of the first group of electrical connectors (C on either side shown in figure 1). As per claim 7, Murakami teaches a method, of assembling a power distribution unit (PDU) (10, see paragraph 4) , comprising: assembling a first busbar pre-assembly (along 10), including, for each of a plurality of electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc), each of the electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) including an electrical connector (C, D or Fs): arranging each electrical connector (C, D or Fs) in a same two-dimensional (2D) plane (shown in figure 1); coupling each electrical connector (C, D or Fs) to a planar electrical busbar (14, 15 or 16); and mounting (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) the assembled first busbar pre-assembly (along 10) into a housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4). As per claim 8, Murakami teaches a method, further comprising assembling a second busbar pre-assembly (within 12 and 11) and mounting (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) the assembled second busbar pre-assembly (within 12 and 11) into the housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4). As per claim 9, Murakami teaches a method, wherein, for each of the plurality of electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc), arranging the electrical connector (C, D or Fs) in a 2D plane (D along 16) includes mounting (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) the electrical connector (C, D or Fs) on a riser (along end portion of 17) to elevate the electrical connector (C, D or Fs) to the 2D plane (D along 16). As per claim 10, Murakami teaches a method, wherein mounting (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) the assembled first busbar pre-assembly (along 10) into the housing (of 10) includes insulating each of the electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) from the housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4). As per claim 11, Murakami teaches a method, wherein insulating each of the electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) from the housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4) includes coupling a respective insulating element (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) between the housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4) and each electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc, etc.). As per claim 12, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), for a power distribution unit (PDU) (10, see paragraph 4) , comprising: a first busbar 14 having a first top surface (along 14) extending entirely in a first plane (along 14) and a first bottom surface (of 13 or 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) extending entirely in a second plane (along 15); a plurality of first electrical components (both C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs) each having a first electrical connector (C, D or Fs); a plurality of second electrical components (D, Fs, Rl) each having a second electrical connector (C, D or Fs); an interface piece (base 11) including a first portion (21a along 26, see paragraph 64 and 66) supporting the first busbar 14, a second portion 21b supporting the plurality of first electrical components (both C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs), and a third portion (along D) supporting the plurality of second electrical components (D, Fs, Rl), wherein: the second portion 21b maintains each first electrical connector (C, D or Fs) of the plurality of first electrical components (both C on either side shown in figure 1, Fs) at the same first vertical position relative to the first busbar 14; and the third portion (along D) maintains each second electrical connector (C, D or Fs) of the plurality of second electrical components (D, Fs, Rl) at the same second vertical position relative to first busbar 14. As per claim 13, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein each first electrical connector (C, D or Fs) is electrically coupled to the first busbar 14 and each first electrical component (C on either side shown in figure 1) is positioned vertically below the first busbar 14. As per claim 14, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein each second electrical component (D, Fs, Rl) is electrically coupled to a respective first electrical component (C on either side shown in figure 1). As per claim 15, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein each second electrical component (D, Fs, Rl) includes a respective third electrical connector (second C, RI), and wherein the third portion (along D) of the interface piece (base 11) includes a plurality of columns (the column shown in end portion of 17) extending vertically upward from a base 11 of the interface piece (base 11), each column supporting a respective third electrical connector (second C, RI). As per claim 16, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), further comprising a second busbar 15 having a second top surface (along 15) (along 14, 15) extending entirely in a third plane (along 15) and a second bottom surface (along 15) extending entirely in a fourth plane (along C) and a plurality of third electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) each having a third electrical connector (second C, RI), and wherein the interface piece (base 11) includes a fourth portion (13 along A) supporting the second busbar 15 and a base 11 supporting the plurality of third electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc), wherein the base 11 maintains each third connector of the plurality of third electrical components (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) at the same third vertical position relative to the second busbar 15. As per claim 17, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein each third electrical connector (second C, RI) is electrically coupled to the second busbar 15 and each third electrical component (C, D, Fs, Rl, Rc) is positioned vertically below the second busbar 15. As per claim 18, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein the second busbar 15 is located at a first height (14 and bottom surface of 13) relative to the base 11 of the interface piece (base 11) and the first busbar 14 is located at a second height (C on either side shown in figure 1) relative to the base 11 of the interface piece (base 11), the second height (C on either side shown in figure 1) larger than the first height (14 and bottom surface of 13). As per claim 19, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein the assembly (within 12 and 11) is configured to be housed in a housing (of 10) of the PDU (10, see paragraph 4). As per claim 20, Murakami teaches an assembly (within 12 and 11), wherein the interface piece (base 11) is comprised of plastic (see paragraph 65). Conclusion 5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday. 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, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (571)270-3119. 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. /Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 2 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 3 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 4 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 5 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 6 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 7 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 8 Art Unit: 2831 Application/Control Number: 18/526,604 Page 9 Art Unit: 2831
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Prosecution Timeline

Dec 01, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

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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
92%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+4.6%)
1y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 581 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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