Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Application No. 18/535,145

WEARABLE BREAST PUMP

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Dec 11, 2023
Examiner
KIM, SUN U
Art Unit
1777
Tech Center
1700 — Chemical & Materials Engineering
Assignee
Guangdong Youmeng Electrical Technology Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allow Rate
747 granted / 954 resolved
+13.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
31 currently pending
Career history
985
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
§103
47.2%
+7.2% vs TC avg
§102
21.6%
-18.4% vs TC avg
§112
17.5%
-22.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 954 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 A substitute specification including the claims is required pursuant to 37 CFR 1.125(a) because specification is replete with no spacing between words. For example, in paragraph [0001], line 1: “ofmom”; In paragraph [0002]: -line 1: “abreast”; -line 8: “anintegrated”; -line 9: “shieldand”; -line 15: “machine,thus”. Applicant should carefully read through entire specification including claims to correct such informalities. Examples of informalities are given in claim objection below. A substitute specification must not contain new matter. The substitute specification must be submitted with markings showing all the changes relative to the immediate prior version of the specification of record. The text of any added subject matter must be shown by underlining the added text. The text of any deleted matter must be shown by strike-through except that double brackets placed before and after the deleted characters may be used to show deletion of five or fewer consecutive characters. The text of any deleted subject matter must be shown by being placed within double brackets if strike-through cannot be easily perceived. An accompanying clean version (without markings) and a statement that the substitute specification contains no new matter must also be supplied. Numbering the paragraphs of the specification of record is not considered a change that must be shown. Claim Objections Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1-10 are replete with no spacing between words. For example, in claim 1: -line 2: “machineand” ; -line 3: “otherdetachably,”; -line 4: “containerincludesa” and “shieldconnected”; -line 7: “portionthat”; -line 8: “portionis” (twice); -line 9: “chamberbetween”; -line 10: “portionis” . Applicant should carefully read through claims 1-10 to correct such informalities. Appropriate correction is required. 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 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chinese Patent Application No. CN 209451025 U (Chen) . Regarding c laim 1 , Chen discloses a hands-free breast pump (see paragraphs [00 31 ] - [004 3 ] ; Figures 1-2) comprising : a breast pump principal machine 2 (a breast pump main unit) and a breast pump container 3 (a milk storage container) connected with each other detachably (paragraph [0031]) , the breast pump container 3 includes a milk bottle 3 and a breast suction shield (4, 412) connected with each other (paragraphs [0035], [0040]) , the breast suction shield includes an absorption portion 4 , a mating portion (protrusion on right side of 4) , and a suction portion 41 that are integrated together (fig. 2) , the absorption portion 7 is used to fit with a breast, the mating portion is used to connect to the breast pump principal machine 2 , to form a sealing chamber between the breast pump principal machine 2 and the suction portion 41 , the suction portion is used to expand when the sealing chamber is under a negative pressure, to suck milk (paragraph [0038]) . Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses that the wearable breast pump (see figures 1-2) further comprises a floated emulating suction nozzle used for emulating a baby sucking milk, the floated emulating suction nozzle 12 is integrated with the breast suction shield (4, 412) , the floated emulating suction nozzle 12 comprises a liquid suction hole 41 , a floated support portion 1 , and an emulating contact ring 11 , the liquid suction hole 41 is communicated with the floated support portion and the emulating contact ring 11 , to allow a nipple to enter into the suction portion, the floated support portion 1 is supported within the breast suction shield (4, 412) , the emulating contact ring 11 is located on an end surface of the floated support portion 1 that is departed from the breast pump principal machine 2 , to support a mammary areola, the emulating contact ring 11 is trumpet-shaped. Regarding claim 10 , Chen discloses that the breast suction shield (4, 412) is provided with an emulating contact ring 11 and a liquid suction hole 41 , the emulating contact ring 11 is located on an end surface of the breast suction shield that is departed from the breast pump principal machine 2 , to support mammary areola, the liquid suction hole 41 is communicated with the absorption portion 4 and the suction portion, the emulating contact ring 11 is trumpet-shaped (see figures 1-2) . Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-8 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. Chinese Patent Application No. CN 115192800 A (Wang) discloses a hands-free wearable breast pump and specifically discloses a main unit 10, a milk storage bottle 20, a tee 30, a n airbag 40 and a duckbill valve 50; the main unit 10 is provided with a mounting cavity 11 opening in a front end face thereof, and the tee 30 has a first end D1 , a second end D2 to which the airbag 40 is mounted, and a third end D3 to which the duckbill valve 50 is mounted; the bottle 20 can also be mounted to a tee 30 (see paragraphs [0029] to [0048] ; Figures 1 to 12) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT JOHN KIM whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1142 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Maxi Flex . 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 IN SUK BULLOCK can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-272-5954 . 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. /John Kim/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1777 JK 3/3 0 /26
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 11, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 31, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
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Patent 12594367
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING FLUID FOR PERITONEAL DIALYSIS
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Patent 12594369
WEIGHT-BASED PERITONEAL DIALYSIS SYSTEM INCLUDING A DRAIN TROLLEY
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
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PORTABLE DIALYSIS SYSTEM
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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
78%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+11.2%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 954 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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