Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Application No. 18/819,345

THERMAL EYELID MASSAGE

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
Aug 29, 2024
Examiner
SUL, DOUGLAS YOUNG
Art Unit
3785
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
55%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 55% of resolved cases
55%
Career Allowance Rate
325 granted / 593 resolved
-15.2% vs TC avg
Strong +56% interview lift
Without
With
+56.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 6m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
628
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.2%
-32.8% vs TC avg
§103
47.1%
+7.1% vs TC avg
§102
10.4%
-29.6% vs TC avg
§112
28.1%
-11.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 593 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
DETAILED ACTION This office action is in response to the claims filed 8/29/2024. Claims 1-20 are presently pending in this application. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the spring for each roller, coupled to the wearable goggle and to the roller to facilitate movement of the roller relative to the wearable goggle and conforming of the roller to the patient’s eyelids as recited in claims 7, 14, and 19 and a strap configured to secure the frame to a user’s head as recited in claims 3, 6, and 14 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. 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 Claim(s) 4, 8, 14-15, and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 4 and 18 recites “has gap”; it is suggested to amend the claim to recite --has a gap-- to make the claim more grammatically correct. Claims 8 and 15 recites “each actuator” in line 3 of the respective claims; it is suggested to recite --the actuator-- as only one actuator has been previously recited. Claim 14 recites “from the frame unto the rollers”; it is suggested to amend the preposition “unto” to make the claim more grammatically correct. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 6 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 3. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m). 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. Claim(s) 11-12 and 18 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Regarding claim 11, line 2 recites “the eyelids” and line 4 recites “the roller”; there is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim as no eyelid has been previously recited and a plurality of rollers has been previously recited so it is unclear which one of the plurality of rollers is being referred back to. Regarding claim 18, line 4 recites “the meibomian glands” and line 5 recites “the heated fluid”; there is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim, as no meibomian glands or heated fluid has been previously recited. Claim 12 is rejected for being either directly or indirectly depending from a rejected claim base. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 of this title, 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. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 8, and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (CN109394497A) in view of Zhang (2022/0047449). Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses an apparatus for heating eyelids, the apparatus comprising: a frame (2) (housing enclosing motor housing (3)) (para [0019]); at least one roller (1) (massage rollers) coupled to the frame (2) (para [0018]), a heating element (heating module) to heat the roller (1) (para [0022]); and an actuator (3) (motor in motor box (3)) to rotate the at least one roller (1) (para [0018]), the actuator (3) being configured with the frame (2) and the at least one roller (1) to, with the frame (2) positioning the roller against a surface over one of the eyelids, apply pressure and heat to the surface and to the one of the eyelids via the at least one roller (1), while rotating the at least one roller (1) to massage the surface and the one of the eyelids in a direction of the rotation (para [0023]). Chen does not disclose the heating element comprises an integrated heating element in the roller. However, Zhang in figs 3a-b teaches a dry eye treatment device including a roller (20), wherein the roller (20) includes an integrated heating element (25, 26) (resistance heating element (25) (fig 3a, para [0050]) or a heat lamp (26) (fig 3b, para [0052])) to heat the roller (20) and configured to apply heat to the surface and to the one of the eyelids via the at least one roller (20) (para [0048]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Chen so that the heating element comprises an integrated heating element such as a resistance heating wire or heat lamp within the roller as taught by Zhang, as the feature of providing the heating element integrated with a roller for a dry eye treatment device is known in the art, and it appears that the device of modified Chen would perform equally well to heat a user’s eyelids to treat dry eye if the heating element is integrated in the roller. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). Regarding claim 2, Chen discloses the at least one roller (1) includes four rollers coupled to the frame (2) (fig 3, para [0018]); and the frame (2) is wearable by a patient and configured with the four rollers (1) and the actuator (3) (para [0018]) to: align each of the four rollers (1) respectively to four eyelids of the patient (adjust the length by using the buckle (4) on the battery strap above the head so that the massage rollers align with the eyes and fit the four massage rollers against the eyelids), rotate the rollers (1) while applying heat and pressure to the eyelids (use the remote control to set the speed and time of the massage roller rotation axis and whether to heat up) (para [0023]) to heat fluid in meibomian glands of the patient and to push the heated fluid out of the meibomian glands (para [0008]). Regarding claims 3 and 6, Chen discloses a wearable goggle configured to be worn on the patient’s head and having a strap (4, 6) (battery, fixing straps) (para [0019]), wherein the frame (2) is part of the wearable goggle and the strap is configured with the frame (2) to position the rollers against the patient’s eyelids (as shown in fig 1, frame (2) is shown to be configured as a wearable goggle which is secured by straps (4, 6) to a user’s head) (para [0019]). Regarding claim 8, Chen discloses each roller (1) is attached to a shaft (pair of upper and lower roller shafts); and each actuator (3) is coupled to one of the shafts (via worm gears (11)) and to the frame (2), and configured to rotate the one of the shafts to rotate the roller (1) coupled thereto (para [0018]). Regarding claim 16, Chen discloses a device whose ordinary use discloses a method for heating eyelids, the method comprising: providing a frame (2) (housing enclosing motor housing (3)) (para [0019]); and at least one roller (1) (massage rollers) coupled to the frame (2) (para [0018]), the device including a heating element (heating module) to heat the roller (1) (para [0022]); and using an actuator (3) (motor in motor box (3)), with the frame (2) positioning the at least one roller (1) against one of the eyelids, apply pressure and heat to the one of the eyelids via the at least one roller (1), by rotating the at least one roller (1) to massage the one of the eyelids in a direction of the rotation (para [0023]). Chen does not disclose the heating element comprises an integrated heating element in each roller. However, Zhang in figs 3a-b teaches a dry eye treatment device including a roller (20), wherein the roller (20) includes an integrated heating element (25, 26) (resistance heating element (25) (fig 3a, para [0050]) or a heat lamp (26) (fig 3b, para [0052])) to heat the roller (20) and configured to apply heat to the surface and to the one of the eyelids via the at least one roller (20) (para [0048]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Chen so that the heating element comprises an integrated heating element such as a resistance heating wire or heat lamp within each roller as taught by Zhang, as the feature of providing the heating element integrated with a roller for a dry eye treatment device is known in the art, and it appears that the device of modified Chen would perform equally well to heat a user’s eyelids to treat dry eye if the heating element is integrated in the roller. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). Regarding claim 17, Chen discloses the at least one roller (1) includes four rollers coupled to the frame (2) (fig 3, para [0018]); further including: coupling the frame (1) to a patient’s head (using fixing straps (6) and battery straps (4)) (para [0019]); aligning each of the four rollers (1) respectively to four eyelids of the patient (adjust the length by using the buckle (4) on the battery strap above the head so that the massage rollers align with the eyes and fit the four massage rollers against the eyelids); and rotating the rollers while applying heat and pressure to the eyelids to heat fluid in meibomian glands of the patient and to push the heated fluid out of the meibomian glands (use the remote control to set the speed and time of the massage roller rotation axis and whether to heat up) (para [0023]) to heat fluid in meibomian glands of the patient and to push the heated fluid out of the meibomian glands (para [0008]). Claim(s) 4-5, 9, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al and Zhang as applied to claims 1-2 and 16 above, and further in view of Li et al (CN202920594U). Regarding claim 4, modified Chen discloses a plurality of rollers. Modified Chen does not disclose each of the rollers has a gap in a surface thereof. However, Li teaches a device for massaging upper and lower meibomian glands including an upper roller (21) (top roll) and a lower roller (22) (lower roll) (para [0032]), wherein each of the rollers (21, 22) have a gap in a surface thereof (as shown in figs 2-5, each roller (21, 22) is semicircular with a gap of 180 degrees in the arc surface (para [0018]), and each arc portion of the roller includes an array of protrusions with a corresponding gap therebetween (para [0033])). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen so that each of the rollers has gap in a surface thereof as taught by Li in order to allow the eye to be intermittently massaged (Li, para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (Li, para [0040]). Regarding claim 5, the modified Chen’s device discloses each roller (21, 22 of Li) is configured to relieve pressure applied to the eyelid with which it is engaged when the gap is pressed against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure from a first end of the glands toward an opening in the glands via which the fluid is expelled as the rollers (21, 22 of Li) are rotated (as shown in fig 5, upper roller (21 of Li) rotates counterclockwise and lower roller (22 of Li) rotates clockwise, and therefore each roller rotates in a direction towards an opening of the gland in the eye opening) (Li, fig 5, para [0040]). Regarding claim 9, modified Chen discloses at least one roller. Modified Chen does not disclose the at least one roller has a gap in a surface thereof to provide pressure relief to a portion of the eyelid with which it is engaged as the gap is rolled against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure to the eyelids. However, Li teaches a device for massaging upper and lower meibomian glands including an upper roller (21) (top roll) and a lower roller (22) (lower roll) (para [0032]), wherein each of the rollers (21, 22) have a gap in a surface thereof (as shown in figs 2-5, each roller (21, 22) is semicircular with a gap of 180 degrees in the arc surface (para [0018]), and each arc portion of the roller includes an array of protrusions with a corresponding gap therebetween (para [0033])) to provide pressure relief to a portion of the eyelid with which it is engaged as the gap is rolled against the eyelid (allows the eye to be intermittently massaged (para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (para [0040])), therein facilitating directional application of pressure to the eyelids (as shown in fig 5, upper roller (21) rotates counterclockwise and lower roller (22) rotates clockwise, and therefore each roller rotates in a direction towards an opening of the gland in the eye opening) (Li, fig 5, para [0040]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen so that each of the rollers has gap in a surface thereof to provide pressure relief to a portion of the eyelid with which it is engaged as the gap is rolled against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure to the eyelids as taught by Li in order to allow the eye to be intermittently massaged (Li, para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (Li, para [0040]). Regarding claim 18, modified Chen discloses a plurality of rollers. Modified Chen does not disclose each roller has gap in a surface thereof, wherein applying the pressure includes utilizing the gap to relieve pressure applied to the eyelid with which it is engaged when the gap is pressed against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure from a first end of the meibomian glands toward an opening in the glands via which the heated fluid is expelled as the rollers are rotated. However, Li teaches a device for massaging upper and lower meibomian glands including an upper roller (21) (top roll) and a lower roller (22) (lower roll) (para [0032]), wherein each of the rollers (21, 22) have a gap in a surface thereof (as shown in figs 2-5, each roller (21, 22) is semicircular with a gap of 180 degrees in the arc surface (para [0018]), and each arc portion of the roller includes an array of protrusions with a corresponding gap therebetween (para [0033])), wherein applying the pressure includes utilizing the gap to relieve pressure applied to the eyelid with which it is engaged when the gap is pressed against the eyelid (gap allows the eye to be intermittently massaged (para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (para [0040])), therein facilitating directional application of pressure from a first end of the meibomian glands toward an opening in the glands via which the heated fluid is expelled as the rollers are rotated (as shown in fig 5, upper roller (21) rotates counterclockwise and lower roller (22) rotates clockwise, and therefore each roller rotates in a direction towards an opening of the gland in the eye opening) (Li, fig 5, para [0040]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of modified Chen so that each of the rollers has gap in a surface thereof wherein applying the pressure includes utilizing the gap to relieve pressure applied to the eyelid with which it is engaged when the gap is pressed against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure from a first end of the meibomian glands toward an opening in the glands via which the heated fluid is expelled as the rollers are rotated as taught by Li in order to allow the eye to be intermittently massaged (Li, para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (Li, para [0040]). Regarding claim 20, modified Chen discloses each roller (1) is attached to a shaft (pair of upper and lower roller shafts); and wherein using the actuator and rotating the at least one roller includes rotating the shaft (via worm gears (11) for each roller (1)) (para [0018]) Modified Chen does not disclose utilizing a gap in the at least one roller to apply directional pressure to move fluid within the one of the eyelids. However, Li teaches a device for massaging upper and lower meibomian glands including an upper roller (21) (top roll) and a lower roller (22) (lower roll) (para [0032]), wherein each of the rollers (21, 22) have a gap in a surface thereof (as shown in figs 2-5, each roller (21, 22) is semicircular with a gap of 180 degrees in the arc surface (para [0018]), and each arc portion of the roller includes an array of protrusions with a corresponding gap therebetween (para [0033])), wherein the gap is utilized to apply directional pressure to move fluid within the one of the eyelids (as shown in fig 5, upper roller (21) rotates counterclockwise and lower roller (22) rotates clockwise, and therefore each roller rotates in a direction towards an opening of the gland in the eye opening) (Li, fig 5, para [0040]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen so that each of the rollers has gap in a surface thereof, wherein the gap is utilized to apply directional pressure to move fluid within the one of the eyelids as taught by Li in order to allow the eye to be intermittently massaged (Li, para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (Li, para [0040]). Claim(s) 7 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al and Zhang as applied to claims 6 and 16 above, and further in view of Hur et al (2021/0030618). Regarding claim 7, modified Chen discloses a plurality of rollers. Modified Chen does not disclose a spring for each roller, coupled to the wearable goggle and to the roller to facilitate movement of the roller relative to the wearable goggle and conforming of the roller to the patient’s eyelids. However, Hur teaches a massaging device including a pair of rollers (50) disposed with in a roller fixing bracket (55) (para [0049]), wherein each roller (50) is coupled to a pair movable shafts (70) inserted into a of spring (80) (para [0061]), wherein the spring is configured to facilitate movement of the roller (50) relative to module housing (125) (para [0062]) and conforming the roller (50) to a user’s calf (para [0095]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen by providing a pair of movable shafts and springs to each roller, coupled to the wearable goggle and to the roller to facilitate movement of the roller relative to the wearable goggle and conforming of the roller to the patient’s eyelids as taught by Hur in order to allow the rollers to move forward or rearward by compression and expansion of the spring to conform with the user’s body part to be massaged (Hur, para [0008]). Regarding claim 19, modified Hur discloses a spring. Modified Hur does not disclose utilizing a spring to facilitate conformance of each roller to the eyelids while applying the pressure thereto. However, Hur teaches a massaging device including a pair of rollers (50) disposed with in a roller fixing bracket (55) (para [0049]), wherein each roller (50) is coupled to a pair movable shafts (70) inserted into a of spring (80) (para [0061]), wherein the spring is utilized to facilitate conformance of the roller (50) to a user’s calf while applying pressure (para [0095]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen by providing a pair of movable shafts and springs to each roller, wherein the spring is utilized to facilitate conformance of each roller to the eyelids while applying the pressure thereto as taught by Hur in order to allow the rollers to move forward or rearward by compression and expansion of the spring to conform with the user’s body part to be massaged (Hur, para [0008]). Claim(s) 10-13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al in view of Zhang and Li et al. Regarding claim 10, Chen discloses an apparatus comprising: a frame (2) (housing enclosing motor housing (3)) (para [0019]); a plurality of rollers (1) (massage rollers) coupled to the frame (2) (para [0018]), a heating element (heating module) to heat the roller (1) (para [0022]); and an actuator (3) (motor in motor box (3)) to rotate the at least one roller (1) (para [0018]), configured with the frame (2) and the rollers (1) to, with the frame (2) positioning each roller against a surface, apply pressure and heat to the surface via the rollers (1), while rotating the at least one roller (1) to massage the surface and the one of the eyelids in a direction of the rotation (para [0023]). Chen does not disclose the heating element comprising an integrated heating element with each of the plurality of rollers to heat the roller. However, Zhang in figs 3a-b teaches a dry eye treatment device including a roller (20), wherein the roller (20) includes an integrated heating element (25, 26) (resistance heating element (25) (fig 3a, para [0050]) or a heat lamp (26) (fig 3b, para [0052])) to heat the roller (20) and configured to apply heat to the surface and to the one of the eyelids via the at least one roller (20) (para [0048]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Chen so that the heating element comprises an integrated heating element such as a resistance heating wire or heat lamp within each of the rollers as taught by Zhang, as the feature of providing the heating element integrated with a roller for a dry eye treatment device is known in the art, and it appears that the device of modified Chen would perform equally well to heat a user’s eyelids to treat dry eye if the heating element is integrated in each of the rollers. See MPEP 2143(I)(A). The now-modified Chen’s device does not disclose each roller having a gap region extending along a length of the roller; wherein the gap region is utilized to relieve pressure applied by the roller when the gap is engaged with the surface, therein massaging the surface in a direction of the rotation. However, Li teaches a device for massaging upper and lower meibomian glands including an upper roller (21) (top roll) and a lower roller (22) (lower roll) (para [0032]), wherein each of the rollers (21, 22) have a gap in a surface thereof (as shown in figs 2-5, each roller (21, 22) is semicircular with a gap of 180 degrees in the arc surface (para [0018]), and each arc portion of the roller includes an array of protrusions with a corresponding gap therebetween (para [0033])) to provide pressure relief to a portion of the eyelid with which it is engaged as the gap is rolled against the eyelid (allows the eye to be intermittently massaged (para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (para [0040])), therein facilitating directional application of pressure to the eyelids (as shown in fig 5, upper roller (21) rotates counterclockwise and lower roller (22) rotates clockwise, and therefore each roller rotates in a direction towards an opening of the gland in the eye opening) (Li, fig 5, para [0040]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen so that each of the rollers has gap in a surface thereof to provide pressure relief to a portion of the eyelid with which it is engaged as the gap is rolled against the eyelid, therein facilitating directional application of pressure to the eyelids as taught by Li in order to allow the eye to be intermittently massaged (Li, para [0039]) and allow the upper and lower rollers to work separately to avoid eye fatigue (Li, para [0040]). Regarding claim 11, Chen discloses the actuator (3) is configured with the frame (2) and rollers (1) to apply the pressure and heat to the eyelids by, with the frame (2) positioning each roller (2) against a surface over one of the eyelids, applying pressure and heat to the surface and to the one of the eyelids via the roller (2) while rotating the roller (2) to massage the surface and the eyelid in a direction of the rotation (para [0018]). Regarding claim 12, the modified Chen’s references discloses the rollers (1 of Chen, 21, 22 Li) facilitate the directional application of pressure from a first end of meibomian glands in the eyelids toward an opening in the glands via which heated fluid is expelled from the meibomian glands as the rollers are rotated (the upper roller rolls counterclockwise, while the lower roller rolls clockwise so that the rotation and squeezing of the massage roller are in the same direction along the meibomian gland duct, squeezing the secretions from the inside to the edge opening) (Chen, para [0008]; Li, fig 5). Regarding claim 13, Chen discloses the at least one roller (1) includes four rollers coupled to the frame (1) (fig 3, para [0018]); and the frame (2) is wearable by a patient and configured with the four rollers (1) and the actuator (3) (para [0018]) to: align each of the four rollers (1) respectively to four eyelids of the patient (adjust the length by using the buckle (4) on the battery strap above the head so that the massage rollers align with the eyes and fit the four massage rollers against the eyelids), rotate the rollers (1) while applying heat and pressure to the eyelids (use the remote control to set the speed and time of the massage roller rotation axis and whether to heat up) (para [0023]) to heat fluid in meibomian glands of the patient and to push the heated fluid out of the meibomian glands (para [0008]). Regarding claim 15, Chen discloses each roller (1) is attached to a shaft (pair of upper and lower roller shafts); and each actuator (3) is coupled to one of the shafts (via worm gears (11)) and to the frame (2), and configured to rotate the one of the shafts to rotate the roller (1) coupled thereto (para [0018]). Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al, Zhang, and Li et al as applied to claims 10 above, and further in view of Hur et al. Regarding claim 14, modified Chen discloses a strap (4, 6) (fixing strap, battery straps) (para [0019]) configured to secure the frame to a user’s head (as shown in fig 1, frame (2) is shown to be secured by straps (4, 6) to a user’s head) (para [0019]). Modified Chen does not disclose the strap is configured to facilitate the application of a spring force, from the frame unto the rollers, for applying pressure to a portion of the user’s face to which the rollers are engaged. However, Hur teaches a massaging device including a pair of rollers (50) disposed with in a roller fixing bracket (55) (para [0049]), wherein each roller (50) is coupled to a pair movable shafts (70) inserted into a of spring (80) (para [0061]), wherein the spring is configured to facilitate movement of the roller (50) relative to module housing (125) (para [0062]) and conforming the roller (50) to a user’s calf (para [0095]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of modified Chen by providing a pair of movable shafts and springs to each roller, coupled to the wearable goggle and to the roller to facilitate movement of the roller relative to the wearable goggle and conforming of the roller to the patient’s eyelids as taught by Hur in order to allow the rollers to move forward or rearward by compression and expansion of the spring to conform with the user’s body part to be massaged (Hur, para [0008]). The now-modified Chen’s device is considered that the strap is configured to facilitate the application of a spring force, from the frame unto the rollers, for applying pressure to a portion of the user’s face to which the rollers are engaged as the strap (4, 6 of Chen) is configured to position the rollers (1 of Chen) to a patient’s head (Chen, para [0019]), and the spring (80 of Hur) is configured to move forward or rearward by compression and expansion of the spring to conform with the user’s body part to be massaged (Hur, para [0008]) Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Kenia et al (2026/0157918), Badawi (12,257,181), Mosaddegh (2023/0157924), and Long (CN111110540A) disclose eyelid massage devices. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS Y SUL whose telephone number is (571)270-5260. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9 am-5:30 pm EST. 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, TIMOTHY STANIS can be reached at 571-272-5139. 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. /DOUGLAS Y SUL/Examiner, Art Unit 3785
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 29, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112 (current)

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2y 8m to grant Granted Oct 20, 2026
Patent 12766067
Rapid Cycling Compression Device for the Prevention of Thrombosis
1y 9m to grant Granted Oct 20, 2026
Patent 12746169
GUIDE RAIL AND FRAME OF MASSAGE CHAIR
2y 11m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12734097
FLEXIBLE SLIDING POWER SUPPLY ASSEMBLY, AND MASSAGE CUSHION AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR
4y 2m to grant Granted Sep 15, 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
55%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+56.0%)
3y 6m (~1y 4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 593 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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