Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/658,970

Cascade display rack and package method and installation method thereof

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
May 08, 2024
Examiner
KRYCINSKI, STANTON L
Art Unit
3631
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Shanghai Yaokunbiao Technology Equipment Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 3m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allow Rate
688 granted / 1010 resolved
+16.1% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
1032
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
39.1%
-0.9% vs TC avg
§102
23.0%
-17.0% vs TC avg
§112
31.7%
-8.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1010 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, 4, 5, 9 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 3, “platess” should read --plates-- Claim 4, line 17, “edges of sides the” should read --edges of sides of the-- Claim 5, lines 4-5, “plugs are of” should read --plugs of-- Claim 9, line 13, “part” should read --parts-- Claim 9, line 18, “the packaging steps comprise” should read --packaging steps comprise-- or --the packaging method comprises the steps of-- Claim 10, line 1, “of cascade” should read --of the cascade-- 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 1-10 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. In regards to claim 1, lines 10-11 recite, “the plurality of light bands plates are provided corresponding to the plurality of supporting plates”. It is unclear what is meant by “provided corresponding to”, and how they correspond. Appropriate explanation or correction is required. Further regarding claim 1, each instance of “both ends” in lines 13 and 14 lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. In regards to claim 2, lines 7-8 recite, “at least one first buckle intermittently provided next to the at least one first limiting groove”. It is unclear how one buckle can be intermittently provided because there would have to be more than one buckle to have intervals. Appropriate explanation or correction is required. In regards to claim 4, lines 2-4 recite, “at least one limiting block corresponding to the at least one limiting groove”. It is unclear how they correspond. Appropriate explanation or correction is required. Further regarding claim 4, line 7 recites “at least one second engagement assembly”; lines 9-10 recite “at least one second engagement buckle”; and line 12 recites “at least one second engagement bulge”. However, there is no first engagement assembly, first engagement buckle, and first engagement bulge. Therefore, it is unclear how many engagement assemblies, engagement buckles, and engagement bulges are intended to be part of the claim. Appropriate correction is required. In regards to claim 6, “both ends” in line 3 lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. In regards to claim 9, “both ends” in line 20 lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. In regards to claim 10, “the packaged display rack” in lines 1-2, and “the packaging box” in line 4 lack proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. Claims 3, 5, 7 and 8 are rejected based on their respective dependencies. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Goth (US Pub. No. 2006/0261023 A1) and Sigmund (US Pat. No. 1,125,194) are considered the closest prior art of record. Goth teaches a cascade display rack, comprising: a first assembly, comprising a plurality of cascade plates (30) forming a cascade, and a light band plate (121) detachably connected on the plurality of cascade plates; the plurality of cascade plates comprise a plurality of supporting plates (41) and a plurality of vertical plates (40), wherein the plurality of supporting plates and the plurality of vertical plates are alternately connected; wherein the plurality of supporting plates comprise light-admitting plates (Para. 0030), and the light band plate is provided corresponding to the plurality of supporting plates; a second assembly, comprising a first side panel (50) and a second side panel (51). Goth does not teach a plurality of light band plates provided corresponding to the plurality of supporting plates; the plurality of vertical plates comprise light screen plates; the second assembly comprising a back panel, with the first and second side panels rotatably provided at both ends of the back panel; a plurality of erecting panels provided at both ends of the plurality of cascade plates in the first assembly, and the first side panel and the second side panel are fixable on the plurality of erecting panels to connect the first assembly and the second assembly. Sigmund teaches a cascade display rack, comprising: a first assembly (14, 15), comprising a plurality of cascade plates forming a cascade, the plurality of cascade plates comprise a plurality of supporting plates (14) and a plurality of vertical plates (15), wherein the plurality of supporting plates and the plurality of vertical plates are alternately connected; the plurality of vertical plates comprise light screen plates (Page 2, Lines 1-8); a second assembly, comprising a first side panel (5, 6, 9) and a second side panel (5, 6, 9); a plurality of erecting panels (4) are provided at both ends of the plurality of cascade plates, the first side panel and the second side panel are fixable on the plurality of erecting panels. The prior art of record does not anticipate or make obvious a cascade display rack having the combination of structural and functional limitations of Applicant’s claimed invention. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see the PTO-892 for additional prior art related to Applicant’s disclosed invention. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STANTON L KRYCINSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-5381. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10:00AM-5:00PM ET. 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, Jonathan Liu can be reached at (571)272-8227. 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. /Stanton L Krycinski/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3631
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Prosecution Timeline

May 08, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 11, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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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
68%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+28.2%)
2y 3m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1010 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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