Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/675,991

FACE SHIELD SYSTEMS FOR SECURING REMOVABLE FACE SHIELD LENSES

Final Rejection §112
Filed
May 28, 2024
Priority
Jul 30, 2020 — continuation of 11/992,070
Examiner
MORAN, KATHERINE M
Art Unit
3732
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
OA Round
5 (Final)
54%
Grant Probability
Moderate
6-7
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
78%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 54% of resolved cases
54%
Career Allowance Rate
610 granted / 1126 resolved
-15.8% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
1168
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
36.0%
-4.0% vs TC avg
§102
24.0%
-16.0% vs TC avg
§112
30.8%
-9.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1126 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 . Response to Amendment Applicant’s response of 4/13/2026 is received. Claims 1 and 9 are amended and claims 1-20 are pending. Specification The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: par.50, lines 5-6: “to the locked position (shown as unlocked position 310 in FIG.3B”) should be revised to recite “to the locked position (shown as locked position 310 in FIG.3B”). Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 9 recites the lens lock is configured to move from the locked position to the unlocked position by sliding linearly along the face shield shell.” Response to Arguments Applicant’s claim amendments overcome the prior art of Broersma ‘802. The specification objection of 1/9/2026 is withdrawn upon further review and the revised objection is set forth herein. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-8 and 10-20 are allowed as the prior art of Broersma ‘802 doesn’t teach the limitations of claim 1 including the lens lock configured such that sliding movement of the lens lock from the unlocked position to the locked position creates a tensile force on the face shield lens via the locking channel, and the tensile force on the lens forces mating areas of the face shield lens onto the face shield shell. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. /KATHERINE M MORAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3732
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 4 earlier events
Jul 11, 2025
Response Filed
Jul 31, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §112
Sep 29, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Dec 01, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Dec 08, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112
Apr 13, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 12, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12740606
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING FOR CUTTING OPERATIONS
5y 6m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
Patent 12714930
STITCHLESS DORSAL PADDING FOR PROTECTIVE SPORTS GLOVES AND OTHER PROTECTIVE GEAR
1y 7m to grant Granted Aug 25, 2026
Patent 12702182
Helmet Accessory Mounting System
2y 6m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12696944
GLOVE WITH EXTERNAL SEAM PORTION
4y 0m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Patent 12696948
Protection device
3y 7m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

6-7
Expected OA Rounds
54%
Grant Probability
78%
With Interview (+24.2%)
2y 9m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 1126 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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