Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 06, 2026
Application No. 18/640,217

LAYERED COMPOSITE MATERIAL AND SYSTEM FOR APPLIANCE SUSPENSION AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Apr 19, 2024
Priority
Apr 20, 2023 — provisional 63/497,425
Examiner
LEON MUNOZ, EDWIN A
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Bocci Design & Manufacturing Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
1354 granted / 1532 resolved
+28.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 0m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
1551
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§103
28.5%
-11.5% vs TC avg
§102
47.0%
+7.0% vs TC avg
§112
13.6%
-26.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1532 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . DETAILED ACTION Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.84(l). Every line, number, and letter must be durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined. The weight of all lines and letters must be heavy enough to permit adequate reproduction. This requirement applies to all lines however fine, to shading, and to lines representing cut surfaces in sectional views. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Objections Claims 11 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 11 and 18 are grammatically incorrect. It appears that the term “define” in Line 2, should be “defining”. 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 2, 4-5 and 16 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 2 seems to be unclear. It seems that the electrical jack fastener comprises the terminals connected to the wires instead of the opposite. Claims 4-5 recite the limitation "an electrical light fixture". It is not understood if these light fixtures are the same or different ones than the one recited in Claim 1. Appropriate correction is required. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1, 3, 6-15 and 17-18 are allowed. The references fail to teach, disclose, or suggest, either alone or in combination, regarding Claim 1, the first and second conductive layers being configured to connect to a class 2 or a class 3 power supply to define a circuit and wherein the head comprises a first terminal configured to connect to a first wire and the fastener portion comprises a second terminal configured to connect to a second wire; wherein the electrical jack fastener is insertable into the structural support at any position along the first conductive surface to engage the fastener portion with the second conductive layer and the head with the first conductive layer to provide electrical power to the electrical jack fastener; regarding Claim 12, the first and second conductive layers are configured to connect to a class 2 or a class 3 power supply to define a circuit; wherein the head comprises a first terminal configured to connect to a first wire and the fastener portion comprises a second terminal configured to connect to a second wire; wherein the electrical jack fastener is insertable into the structural support at any position along the first conductive surface to engage the fastener portion with the second conductive layer and the head with the first conductive layer to provide electrical power to the electrical jack fastener and in combination with the rest of the limitations of the base and intermediate claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art discloses connectors, similar to Applicant’s claimed invention, having wiring systems for light fixtures with insulating and conductive layer and fasteners. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN A LEON whose telephone number is (571)272-2008. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm. 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, Renee S Luebke can be reached on 5712722009. 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. /EDWIN A. LEON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 19, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12699358
Apparatus with a display
4y 4m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Patent 12700703
POWER OUTLET
2y 6m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Patent 12695228
CONNECTOR DEVICE
2y 7m to grant Granted Jul 28, 2026
Patent 12689151
HERMETICALLY SEALED ELECTRICAL FEED-THROUGH HAVING A PLUG GUIDE COMPONENT
3y 4m to grant Granted Jul 21, 2026
Patent 12689153
CABLE STRAIN RELIEF APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED CABLE ASSEMBLY
2y 10m to grant Granted Jul 21, 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
88%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+8.1%)
2y 0m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1532 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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