Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/025,115

Support Structure for Use with Modular Storage System

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jan 16, 2025
Priority
Feb 16, 2021 — provisional 63/149,874 +3 more
Examiner
KRYCINSKI, STANTON L
Art Unit
3631
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
695 granted / 1019 resolved
+16.2% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
1044
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
70.4%
+30.4% vs TC avg
§102
6.0%
-34.0% vs TC avg
§112
22.1%
-17.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1019 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 19/025,115 CTNF 85155 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Election/Restrictions 08-25-01 AIA Applicant’s election without traverse of Species C (Fig. 19) in the reply filed on 09 March 2026 is acknowledged. 08-06 AIA Claim s 8-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species , there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 09 March 2026 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 4, 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Katz et al. (US Pat. No. 10,343,274 B2) . In regards to claim 1, Katz teaches a foldable support system comprising: a first foldable support structure (1) comprising: a first housing (2); a first leg (9a) pivotally coupled to a first end of the first housing; a second leg (9c) pivotally coupled to a second end of the first housing opposite the first end, the first leg and the second leg configured to collectively support the first housing; a first coupling element (12) coupled to the first housing; and a first female coupler (11a, 10a, 10b) coupled to the first housing, the first female coupler capable of coupling to a first surface of a stackable storage unit (e.g.; by inserting a portion of the unit into 11a); and a second foldable support structure (1’, Fig. 29) comprising: a second housing (2); a first leg (9a) pivotally coupled to a first end of the second housing; a second leg (9c) pivotally coupled to a second end of the second housing opposite the first end, the first leg and the second leg configured to collectively support the second housing; a second coupling element (35, Fig. 29) coupled to the second housing, the second coupling element configured to detachably engage with the first coupling element of the first foldable support structure; and a second female coupler (11a, 10a, 10b) coupled to the second housing, the second female coupler capable of coupling to the first surface of a stackable storage unit (e.g.; by inserting a portion of the unit into 11a). In regards to claim 4, Katz teaches the first female coupler comprising two ribs (10a, 10b) extending above and offset from a recessed portion (11a) of the first female coupler, and the second female coupler comprising two ribs (10a, 10b) extending above and offset from a recessed portion (11a) of the second female coupler. In regards to claim 6, Katz’s first female coupler (11a, 10a, 10b) and the second female coupler (11a, 10a, 10b) are capable of simultaneously coupling to the first surface of the stackable storage unit when the first coupling element and the second coupling element are engaged with each other (e.g.; both female couplers are accessible as shown in Fig. 31 and 32). Note the stackable storage unit is not part of the claimed apparatus. In regards to claim 7, Katz teaches the first foldable support structure comprising a third coupling element (35) coupled to the first housing, and the second foldable support structure comprising a fourth coupling element (12’) coupled to the second housing, the fourth coupling element configured to detachably engage with the third coupling element of the first foldable support structure . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 2, 3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Katz et al. (US Pat. No. 10,343,274 B2) in view of Lo et al. (US Pat. No. 7,308,858 B2) . In regards to claims 2 and 3 , Katz does not teach the first foldable support structure comprising a first wheel coupled to the second end of the first housing (claim 2); and the second foldable support structure comprising a second wheel coupled to the second end of the second housing (claim 3). Lo teaches a foldable support structure comprising a wheel (23) coupled to an end of a housing (20). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date and with reasonable expectation of success to modify Katz’s first and second foldable support structures to each comprise a wheel coupled to the second end of the house (claims 2 and 3). The motivation would be for the purpose of moving the support structures on a floor by means of the wheels as taught by Lo (Col 3, Lines 16-18). In regards to claim 5, Katz teaches each of the two ribs (e.g.; ribs of 10b, Fig. 2) of the first female coupler extend from a rear wall of the first female coupler along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first housing, and wherein each of the two ribs of the second female coupler (e.g.; ribs of 10b, Fig. 2) extend from a rear wall of the second female coupler along an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second housing (see Fig. 2 and 3). Katz does not teach the first foldable support structure comprising a first wheel coupled to the second end of the first housing, and the second foldable support structure comprising a second wheel coupled to the second end of the second housing. Lo teaches a foldable support structure comprising a wheel (23) coupled to an end of a housing (20). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date and with reasonable expectation of success to modify Katz’s system to have the first foldable support structure comprising a first wheel coupled to the second end of the first housing, and the second foldable support structure comprising a second wheel coupled to the second end of the second housing. The motivation would be for the purpose of moving the support structures on a floor by means of the wheels as taught by Lo (Col 3, Lines 16-18) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA 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 Application/Control Number: 19/025,115 Page 2 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/025,115 Page 3 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/025,115 Page 4 Art Unit: 3631 Application/Control Number: 19/025,115 Page 5 Art Unit: 3631
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 16, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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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 2m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1019 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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