Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Application No. 18/595,404

LOAD-DRIVEN ENERGY SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Mar 04, 2024
Examiner
JOHNSON, PHILLIP A
Art Unit
3617
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
unknown
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
To Grant
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
1083 granted / 1328 resolved
+29.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+12.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
1347
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
34.4%
-5.6% vs TC avg
§102
31.7%
-8.3% vs TC avg
§112
30.5%
-9.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1328 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . Claim Objections Claims 1, 2, 4, 11, 12 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 3, “drives” should read - - drive - -. Claim 1, line 14, “shat” should read - - shaft - -. Claim 2, line 19, “a plurality of loads” should read - - the loads - -. Claim 2, line 33, “the slide ensconces” should read - - the slide bearing ensconces - -. Claim 2, line 35, “the output drive” should read - - an output drive - -. Claim 4, lines 2 – 3, “wherein being the second drive” should read - - wherein the second drive - -. Claim 11, line 2, “the third drive” should read - - the second drive - - (see paragraph [0082] of the Specification). Claim 11, line 2, “on sides of the second drive” should read - - on either side of the second drive - -. Claim 12, line 2, “two consecutive loads” should read - - two consecutive loads of the loads - -. Claim 14, line 2, “a cam” should read - - the cam - -. Claim 14, line 8, “the L-shape lever causes rocking itself” should read - - the L-shape lever causes rocking - -. Claim 14, line 11, “about is length-wise axis” should read - - about a length-wise axis of the fifth shaft - -. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 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 6, 15, 19 and 20 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 6 recites the limitation "it moves" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "its highest point" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "its lowest point" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "their nadir point" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "their point of engagement" in lines 4 – 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "their zenith point" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 recites the limitation "their point of disengagement" in lines 5 – 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 19 recites the limitation "the output generator" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 20 recites the limitation "the input drive’s shaft" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 20 recites the limitation "the output drive’s shaft" in lines 1 – 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1 – 5, 7 – 14 and 16 – 18 are allowed. Claims 6, 15, 19 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record taken as a whole neither teaches nor makes obvious the claimed combination of a load-driven energy system as set forth in claim(s) 1, including the cam being configured to convert angular displacement from the input drive power to linear displacement of the shaft to drive the loads under a force of the linear displacement of the shaft. As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP A JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5216. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am - 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, John Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. 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. /PHILLIP A JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 04, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 29, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12601374
ROLLING BEARING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12601376
ROLLING BEARING AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12590607
BEARING
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12590604
SLIDING COMPONENT
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12584523
ROLLING BEARING
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
82%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+12.7%)
2y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1328 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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