Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 18/772,666

SHIELD TERMINAL

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jul 15, 2024
Priority
Jul 28, 2023 — JP 2023-122983
Examiner
PAUMEN, GARY F
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
87%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
1755 granted / 1980 resolved
+28.6% vs TC avg
Minimal -2% lift
Without
With
+-1.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 8m
Avg Prosecution
49 currently pending
Career history
1997
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
50.5%
+10.5% vs TC avg
§102
38.4%
-1.6% vs TC avg
§112
4.1%
-35.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1980 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . 35 USC 102 Rejections 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) 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2018-147817. Regarding claim 1, JP ‘817 discloses a shield terminal comprising a first outer conductor 38, a second outer conductor 39 connected to the first outer conductor, and a module 22,30 housed in the first outer conductor, wherein the first outer conductor has one wall facing one side intersecting a front-rear direction, and an opening portion open to the one side at a position rearward of the one wall, the second outer conductor has a cover wall covering the opening portion, the module has an inner conductor 16 to be connected to a front end portion of a shielded electric wire 20, and a dielectric 22,30 housing the inner conductor, and is disposed facing the opening portion, and the cover wall has a second edge portion covering, from the one side, a first edge portion of the one wall facing the opening portion. Regarding claim 2, JP ‘817 discloses the second outer conductor 39 has a barrel portion 40 to be connected by crimping to a shield portion 41 of the shielded electric wire 20, and the first outer conductor 38 has an insertion opening, through which the module 22,30 is insertable, open at a position rearward of a housing space housing the module. Regarding claim 3, JP ‘817 discloses the first outer conductor 38 has a pair of first side walls disposed one first side wall on each of left and right sides of the housing space and facing in a direction intersecting the one wall, the first side walls each have an elastically deformable locking portion inclined inward of the first outer conductor from forward of a supporting point portion, and a cutout portion open around each locking portion, the module 22,30 has a lock portion locked to each locking portion while the module is housed in the first outer conductor, the second outer conductor has a pair of second side walls protruding one second side wall from each of left and right end portions of the cover wall, and the second side walls are disposed to respectively cover the first side walls from outside the first outer conductor. 35 USC 103 Rejection The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2018-147817. JP ‘817 discloses the second edge portion has a shape bending inward of the second outer conductor 39 from rearward of a joint portion of the second edge portion, and the second edge portion is disposed facing the first edge portion from behind. It would have been an obvious reversal of parts to make the first edge portion of ‘817 bending inward instead of the second edge portion as this would not substantially affect the function thereof. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY F PAUMEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2013. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th. 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, Christopher Koehler can be reached at 571-272-3560. 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. /GARY F PAUMEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2834
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 15, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12706417
ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY
2y 12m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12706315
METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR, SUCH AS A CURRENT ROD, FOR A HIGH-TEMPERATURE ELECTROCHEMICAL DEVICE
3y 2m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12706410
CONNECTOR POSITION ASSURANCE FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR
2y 9m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12706425
POWER CONECTOR SYSTEM
2y 9m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12706415
ON-VEHICLE CONNECTOR UNIT
2y 7m to grant Granted Aug 11, 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
89%
Grant Probability
87%
With Interview (-1.5%)
1y 8m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1980 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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