Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Application No. 19/055,364

DENTAL INSTRUMENT HOLDER AND EXPANSION PLATFORM

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Feb 17, 2025
Priority
Feb 19, 2024 — provisional 63/555,352
Examiner
KRYCINSKI, STANTON L
Art Unit
3772
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
A-Dec Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
707 granted / 1034 resolved
-1.6% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
1064
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.3%
-38.7% vs TC avg
§103
41.0%
+1.0% vs TC avg
§102
21.6%
-18.4% vs TC avg
§112
32.9%
-7.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1034 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 21 July 2026 is acknowledged. Currently no claims are withdrawn. Claim Objections Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Line 2, “the head of tension screw when clamp” should read --the head of the tension screw when the clamp-- Appropriate correction is required. 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. Claims 1-10 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In regards to claim 1, “the second side” in line 6 lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required. Claims 2-10 are rejected based on their respective dependencies. 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 1-3, 5, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thomas (US Pat. No. 10,322,764 B2). In regards to claim 1, Thomas teaches an apparatus, comprising: a holder (102, Fig. 5) configured to hold a tool (e.g.; a computing device, Fig. 1); an adapter body (143) having a back side coupled to the holder (via 148), and an opposite front side, the front side having first and second curved edges (146a, 146b) configured to contact a front side of an elongated arm (handlebar, Fig. 1); the adapter body having a cavity (144) at the second side between the first and second curved edges; a tension screw seated in the adapter body outside the cavity (i.e.; the fastener within 149); a fastener (151, Fig. 4) threaded onto the tension screw (see threaded connection in Fig. 5 of the fasteners within 149); and a clamp (141, Fig. 4) configured to contact a back side of the elongated arm (i.e.; via 146a/b), the clamp having a first tab (139b) at a first end configured to be fastened to the adapter body and a second tab (139a) at an opposite second end configured to be fastened to the fastener (151). In regards to claim 2, Thomas teaches the tension screw has a tip held in a first seat (149) of the adapter body, a head held in a second seat (143) of the adapter body, and a threaded shaft onto which the fastener (151) is threaded (see threads in Fig. 5). In regards to claim 3, Thomas teaches the first and second seats (149, 143) substantially prevent longitudinal movement of the tension screw relative to the adapter body (i.e.; the fastener is held within 149). In regards to claim 5, Thomas teaches the head of the tension screw is accessible from an exterior of the adapter body (i.e.; on the right side in Fig. 5). In regards to claim 8, Thomas teaches a longitudinal axis (along the axis of 149) of the tension screw extends generally horizontally (see Fig. 5). In regards to claim 9, Thomas teaches the cavity (144) is capable of accommodating one or more protrusions of the elongated arm between the first and second curved edges (Col 7, Lines 58-61). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4, 6, 7 and 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Thomas is the closest prior art of record as discussed above. The prior art of record does not teach or suggest modifying Thomas’s apparatus to include the structural and functional limitations of Applicant’s claimed invention. Conclusion 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
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 17, 2025
Application Filed
Sep 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12766696
WORKBENCH AND RACK AND ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
3y 5m to grant Granted Oct 20, 2026
Patent 12733754
Cascade display rack and package method and installation method thereof
2y 4m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12727667
Portable Paper Organizer
1y 7m to grant Granted Sep 08, 2026
Patent 12714243
SHOWER DOOR ASSEMBLY DISPLAY
1y 10m to grant Granted Aug 25, 2026
Patent 12708200
ASSEMBLY TYPE FIXTURE AND ASSEMBLING PART OF ASSEMBLY TYPE FIXTURE
1y 9m to grant Granted Aug 18, 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
68%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+28.1%)
2y 2m (~6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1034 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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