Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 18/811,779

TRIGGER SWITCH

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 22, 2024
Priority
Sep 28, 2023 — JP 2023-167620
Examiner
SAEED, AHMED M
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Omron Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allowance Rate
605 granted / 749 resolved
+20.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+13.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
768
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
50.9%
+10.9% vs TC avg
§102
42.2%
+2.2% vs TC avg
§112
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 749 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. Claims are 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brown (US. Pat. 3,761,663 ) Regarding claim 1, Brown teaches a trigger switch, comprising: a housing (2, 10), housed in a main unit; a trigger 8, accepting a push operation with a part 8a located outside the housing, and moving when pushed by the push operation and when the push operation is released; and an energizing member 12, energizing the trigger in an opposite direction to the push operation, wherein the trigger switch is capable of being incorporated into the main unit (designed as a modular unit for installation in tool handles), and wherein the energizing member energizes the trigger in an opposite direction to the push operation at one end side located outside the housing, and has other end side fixed inside the housing (the spring is set within a round bore in the trigger “part outside/engaging the user” with its rea end retained in a shallow annular groove in the front wall of the base “fixed inside the housing”, see Figs. 1-5 and col. 2, lines 15-25). Regarding claim 2, Brown teaches the trigger switch wherein the energizing member 12 is a compression coil spring provided so that an expansion and contraction direction becomes a direction of the push operation and an opposite direction to the push operation (Fig. 3 and col. 2, lines 15-25). Regarding claims 3 and 4, Brown teaches the trigger switch wherein the trigger comprises a cylindrical part (round bore in 8b) extending in a push operation direction, the housing (2, 10) is formed with an opening through which the cylindrical part is movably inserted, and the energizing member 12 is housed in the cylindrical part (Figs. 1-5 and col. 2, lines 15-25). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED M SAEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7976. The examiner can normally be reached 10-8pm. 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 Luebke can be reached at 571-272-2009. 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. /AHMED M SAEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2831
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 22, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12706256
SWITCH DISCONNECTOR WITH AN ARC EXTINGUISHING SHIELD PLATE
2y 6m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12704869
ROCKER DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Aug 11, 2026
Patent 12700555
BALANCED LOW TRAVEL KEY SWITCH DEVICE
3y 0m to grant Granted Aug 04, 2026
Patent 12683101
SWITCH APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
2y 10m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12681592
ELECTRONIC APPARATUS
2y 6m to grant Granted Jul 14, 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
81%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+13.0%)
2y 1m (~1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 749 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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