Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 19/266,302

LIGHTING DEVICE AND AUDIO OUTPUT DEVICE INCLUDING A TWIST LOCK ASSEMBLY

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jul 11, 2025
Priority
Jul 12, 2024 — provisional 63/670,158 +1 more
Examiner
MAI, THIEN T
Art Unit
2876
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
59%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
Est. Remaining
80%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 59% of resolved cases
59%
Career Allowance Rate
408 granted / 690 resolved
-8.9% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+20.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 1m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
730
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.4%
-36.6% vs TC avg
§103
86.0%
+46.0% vs TC avg
§102
5.3%
-34.7% vs TC avg
§112
1.4%
-38.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 690 resolved cases

Office Action

§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 . 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, 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) 1-3, 5, 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 20160109784) in view of Breidenassel (US 20120236563 ) 1. A product for use with a storage unit, the product comprising: a body; an output element (LEDs 23) supported by the body; a rotating disc (2) coupled to the body for rotation therewith, the rotating disc including a first locking member (Xu is silent to a first locking member; Breidenassel discloses a ring 18 engages with base 1 using a lock member and bayonet socket 11; Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Breidenassel so that the disc can be engaged and be secured with the base); and a base 1 configured to engage the storage unit, the base including a second locking member (Breidenassel, see socket 11); wherein the rotating disc is movable relative to the base between an engaged position, in which the first locking member engages the second locking member such that the base rotates with the rotating disc, and a disengaged position, in which the first locking member disengages the second locking member such that the rotating disc is rotatable relative to the base (Xu, Figs. 3, 6; Breidenassel, Figs. 4-10). 2.1, wherein the base (hook 11) includes a first engagement feature configured to align with a second engagement feature (receive means 102) in a receptacle of the storage unit. 3.2, wherein when the rotating disc is in the engaged position, the product is rotatable in a first direction to align the first engagement feature with the second engagement feature, thereby securing the base in the receptacle, and wherein when the rotating disc is in the engaged position, the product is rotatable in a second direction opposite the first direction to misalign the first engagement feature from the second engagement feature, thereby allowing the base to be removable from the receptacle (Xu, par. 46: When the release button 122 is pushed, the flanged end 121 thereof is driven away from the receiving means 102 of the mount 103, allowing the flanged hooks or L-shaped hooks 11 on the base plate to rotate out of the receiving means 102 and disengage from the mount 103 (See FIG. 4); Xu is silent to a first direction rotation; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to recognize that the position that the base plate is rotated out and disengaged is a position in which the base is freely moved and is also the position when the base is in a second position causing the misalignment; it would have also been obvious that when the hook 11 is extended into the receiving means 102 in a first direction, it is engaged to the receiving means 102 which is considered the aligned position. 5.1, wherein the first locking member includes a first material and the second locking member includes a second material, and wherein the first material engages the second material when in the engaged position to produce a frictional force between the rotating disc and the base for co-rotation (Breidenassel, Figs. 4-9, the locking members are made of materials and produce frictional force). 8.1, wherein the product is a lighting device and the output element is a light-emitting diode to provide illumination to a workspace (Xu, Figs. 1-6, par. 42). Claim(s) 10-12, 14, 16, 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 20160109784) Xu discloses 10. A product for use with a storage unit, the product comprising: a body having a first end and a second end opposite the first end (Figs. 1-2); an output element (LEDs 23) supported by the body; a base (1) configured to engage the storage unit (100); and a hook (11, Fig. 2) movably coupled to the base, the hook movable relative to the base between a stored position, in which the hook is received in the base, and an extended position, in which the hook extends outwardly from the base and is configured to couple to a support structure 102 (Xu, par. 46: When the release button 122 is pushed, the flanged end 121 thereof is driven away from the receiving means 102 of the mount 103, allowing the flanged hooks or L-shaped hooks 11 on the base plate to rotate out of the receiving means 102 and disengage from the mount 103 (See FIG. 4); Xu is silent to a stored position and an extended position; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to recognize that the position that the base plate is rotated out and disengaged is a position in which the base is freely moved and is also the position when the base is in a stored or non-engaged position; it would have also been obvious that when the hook 11 is extended into the receiving means 102, it is engaged to the receiving means 102 which is considered the extended position). 11.10, wherein the base includes a first engagement feature (i.e. another hook 11) configured to align with a second engagement feature (another receive means 102) in a receptacle of the storage unit to secure the product in the receptacle. 12.11, further comprising a battery receptacle (31) positioned at the first end of the body, and wherein the first engagement feature and the hook are both positioned on the second end of the body. 14.10, wherein the product is a lighting device and the output element is a light-emitting diode to provide illumination to a workspace (see all Figs., par. 42: output element is LED lights 23). Xu discloses 16. A product for use with a storage unit, the product comprising: a body having a first end and a second end (see all Figs.); a battery receptacle 31 positioned at the first end of the body, the battery receptacle configured to receive a battery pack; an output element (LEDs 23) supported by the body, the output element configured to be powered by the battery pack coupled to the battery receptacle; and a base (1) rotatably couplable to the storage unit, the base including a first engagement feature (a hook 11) configured to align with a second engagement feature (a receive means 102) in a receptacle of the storage unit, wherein the product is rotatable in a first direction to align the first engagement feature with the second engagement feature, thereby securing the base in the receptacle, and wherein the product is rotatable in a second direction opposite the first direction to misalign the first engagement feature from the second engagement feature, thereby allowing the base to be removable from the receptacle (Xu, par. 46: When the release button 122 is pushed, the flanged end 121 thereof is driven away from the receiving means 102 of the mount 103, allowing the flanged hooks or L-shaped hooks 11 on the base plate to rotate out of the receiving means 102 and disengage from the mount 103 (See FIG. 4); Xu is silent to a first direction rotation; however, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to recognize that the position that the base plate is rotated out and disengaged is a position in which the base is freely moved and is also the position when the base is in a second position causing the misalignment; it would have also been obvious that when the hook 11 is extended into the receiving means 102 in a first direction, it is engaged to the receiving means 102 which is considered the aligned position). 18.16, wherein the product includes a hook (i.e. another hook 11) movably coupled to the base, the hook movable relative to the base between a stored position, in which the hook is received in the base, and an extended position, in which the hook extends outwardly from the base and is configured to couple to a support structure (another receive means 102). 19.16, wherein the product is a lighting device and the output element is a light-emitting diode to provide illumination to a workspace (see all Figs., par. 42). Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 20160109784) Breidenassel (US 20120236563 )in view of Atsumi (US 20200361099) Re claim 9.1, Xu is silent to the product is an audio output device and the output element is a speaker. Atsumi discloses a device capable of attaching a camera, speaker, or light source thereto. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Atsumi by attaching a speaker in addition to or in place of the light source as a design choice. Claim(s) 15, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 20160109784) in view of Atsumi (US 20200361099) Re claim 15.10, Xu is silent to the product is an audio output device and the output element is a speaker. Atsumi discloses a device capable of attaching a camera, speaker, or light source thereto. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Atsumi by attaching a speaker in addition to or in place of the light source as a design choice. 20.16, see discussion regarding claims above. Allowable Subject Matter Claim(s) 4, 6-7, 13, 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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: the prior art of record does not disclose all limitations as set forth in claims 4, 13, 17 and their parent claims As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN MAI whose telephone number is (571)272-8283. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5pm. 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, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. 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. /THIEN T MAI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 11, 2025
Application Filed
Apr 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §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
59%
Grant Probability
80%
With Interview (+20.8%)
3y 1m (~2y 1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 690 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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