Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 19/383,342

HANDHELD FAN

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 07, 2025
Priority
Nov 19, 2024 — CN 202422830763.0 +1 more
Examiner
KASTURE, DNYANESH G
Art Unit
3746
Tech Center
3700 — Mechanical Engineering & Manufacturing
Assignee
Shenzhen Maiyue Intelligent Technology Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
48%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 9m
Est. Remaining
75%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 48% of resolved cases
48%
Career Allowance Rate
306 granted / 635 resolved
-21.8% vs TC avg
Strong +27% interview lift
Without
With
+26.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 6m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
673
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
51.8%
+11.8% vs TC avg
§102
16.3%
-23.7% vs TC avg
§112
30.2%
-9.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 635 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION This is the first office action on the merits with reference to the above identified patent application filed on 07 November 2025. Claims 1 – 15 are pending and currently being examined. 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 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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. 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 – 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1). In Re Claim 1, Chen discloses a handheld fan (title), comprising: a housing (1); a fan module (22, 23) disposed in the housing; a power module (5) disposed in the housing (1) and configured to supply power to the fan module (22, 23); a first circuit board (6; Figure 5) disposed in the housing (1), wherein the fan module (22, 24) and the power module (5) are electrically connected to the first circuit board (6) separately (Column 3, Lines 54 – 55); the housing (1) contains a cable module comprising a cable (an electronic “external device” in Column 6, Line 16 is charged via an implicit charging cable that is plugged into USB port 93 – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; the cable and USB port read on a cable module) that supplies power (for charging – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20) to an external electronic device (Column 6, Line 16) through the power module (5); (Column 3, Lines 46 – 55; Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; Figures 1, 2, 5). Chen does not disclose that the cable module is retractable. However, Figure 3 of Loewen discloses a retractable cable module for a mobile device charger comprising: a turntable (142) and a cable (140) connected to the turntable (142), wherein the turntable (142) is provided with a first conductive member (by definition, the “slipjoint contacts” 164, 166 function as annular tracks for two corresponding/respective conductive brushes that respectively connect to two leads of the cable as evidenced by Bryant which discloses conductive brushes 58a and 58b that engage annular tracks 66 and 68 – Column 4, Lines 48 – 59, each of the conductive brushes read on the first conductive member), the cable (140) is electrically connected to the first conductive member (“a printed circuit board 162, which in turn provides current to the cable 140 via two slipjoint contacts 164 and 166” – paragraph [0037]), the first circuit board (162) is provided with a second conductive member (either 164 or 166), the second conductive member (164 or 166) is in slidable contact and conduction with (as evidenced by Bryant) the first conductive member to electrically connect the cable (140) to the first circuit board (162) (paragraph [0037]), one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member is a contact pin (i.e. the conductive brush as evidenced by Bryant), and the other is an annular conductor (164 or 166); and the cable (140) is configured to pull (“extended into a second configuration” – paragraph [0036]) the turntable (142) to rotate relative to the first circuit board (162) to extend out of the housing (“outside the enclosure” – paragraph [0036]) to connect the cable (140) to an external electronic device (“portable electronic device” – paragraph [0036]), and supply power to the external electronic device through the power module (280 or electrical plug 114/116), and the turntable is further configured to drive the cable (140) extending out of the housing to roll into the housing (i.e. from the second configuration back to the first configuration – paragraph [0036]: “the spring 144 then retracts the cable 140 into its first configuration”); (paragraphs [0036],[0037]; Figure 3). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to substitute the external electronics device charging cable module (including USB port 93) of Chen with the retractable external electronics device charging cable module as taught by Loewen for the purpose of making the device more compact by integrating the charging cable, thus obviating the need for a separate charging cable to plug into the external electronics device. In Re Claim 2, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 1, and the conductive brushes (58a, 58b), i.e. the first conductive member of Bryant are in elastic contact (in order to function as disclosed) with the annular conductor (66, 68), i.e. the second conductive member. In Re Claim 3, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 2, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the retractable cable module comprises a torsion spring (144), a first free end of the torsion spring is connected to the turntable (this limitation must be met so that the torsion spring can perform its intended function), positions of a second free end of the torsion spring and the first circuit board are fixed relative to each other (this limitation must be met so that the torsion spring can perform its intended function), the first circuit board (162) is rotatably connected (see paragraphs [0036] and [0037]) to the turntable (142), and the cable (140) is wound on a periphery (radially outward annular portion) of the torsion spring (144); the housing (106) forms a mounting slot (space inside 102) configured to limit (since the charging connector 108 does not enter the inside of 102) the cable (140) and the torsion spring (144), the cable (140) is capable of being wrapped up in the mounting slot (when retracted), the turntable (141) is disposed corresponding to the mounting slot, and the first circuit board (162) covers the mounting slot and is fixed to the housing (106), to form a receiving space for limiting the cable (140), the torsion spring (144), and the turntable (141). In Re Claim 4, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 3, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the retractable cable module comprises a limiting member (146) rotatably connected (by definition of “pawl”) to one of the circuit board (162) and the housing (106), the turntable (142) has a stopping position (when the pawl engages the ratchet) and an unlocking position (when the pawl disengages from the ratchet), in a process of pulling the cable (140) out of the housing (106), rotation of the turntable (142) is limited by the limiting member (146) when the turntable (142) is driven by the cable (140) to rotate to the stopping position for corresponding to the limiting member (146); and when the cable (140) is continuously pulled out of the housing (106) and is configured to drive the turntable (142) to rotate, the limiting member (146) is rotated relative to the housing (106) and is moved to the unlocking position, making the cable (140) roll into the mounting slot (space inside 102). In Re Claim 5, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 2, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the retractable cable module comprises a casing (102, 104) disposed in the housing (106) and a torsion spring (144) disposed in the casing (102, 104), the turntable (142) is rotatably disposed in the casing (102, 104), a first free end of the torsion spring is connected to the turntable (this limitation must be met so that the torsion spring can perform its intended function), positions of a second free end of the torsion spring and the first circuit board are fixed relative to each other (this limitation must be met so that the torsion spring can perform its intended function), the cable (140) is wound on a periphery (radially outward annular portion) of the torsion spring (144), the casing (102, 104) is provided with a through hole (although 102 and 104 are a one piece construction, this limitation would be met if they were made in separate pieces and connected together {MPEP 2144.04 (V-C)}, note that applicant’s casing 1431 is covered by 1433) corresponding to the turntable (142), and the first conductive member (the conductive brush as evidenced by Bryant) is exposed outside the casing (102, 104) from the through hole and abuts against the second conductive member (164, 166). In Re Claim 6, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 5, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the casing (102, 104) comprises a bottom cover and a surface cover connected to the bottom cover (although 102 and 104 are a one piece construction, this limitation would be met if they were made in separate pieces and connected together {MPEP 2144.04 (V-C)}), the bottom cover and the surface cover define an accommodation space for accommodating the torsion spring (144) and the cable (140), the bottom cover (annular portion of 102) is provided with the through hole, and the turntable (142) is rotatably connected to the surface cover (104). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to split the body (102) of Loewen into an annular bottom cover and a flat surface cover as claimed because it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements and joined together is routine skill in the art – MPEP 2144.04 (V-C). PNG media_image1.png 702 866 media_image1.png Greyscale Annotated Figure 3 of Loewen In Re Claim 7, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 6, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the through hole (in 102) is in clearance fit with the turntable (because the turntable 142 rotates inside 102), and a thickness of the portion of the bottom cover (i.e. the height of the annular portion of 102 on the 104 surface side) defining the through hole is no greater than that of the turntable (this is only a matter of splitting the body 102 at a height equal to or less than the turntable; see annotated figure above - MPEP 2144.04 (V-C)). In Re Claim 8, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 6, and Figure 3 of Loewen discloses that the retractable cable module comprises a limiting member (146) rotatably connected (by definition of “pawl”) to the casing (102, 104), the turntable (142) has a stopping position (when the pawl engages the ratchet) and an unlocking position (when the pawl disengages from the ratchet), in a process of pulling the cable (140) out of the casing (102, 104), rotation of the turntable (142) is limited by the limiting member (146) when the turntable (142) is driven by the cable (140) to rotate to the stopping position for corresponding to the limiting member (146); and when the cable (140) is continuously pulled out of the casing (102, 104) and is configured to drive the turntable (142) to rotate, the limiting member (146) is rotated relative to the casing (102, 104) and is moved to the unlocking position, making the cable (140) roll into the casing (102, 104). Claim(s) 1, 2 and 9 – 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan (PG Pub US 20250215902 A1) in view of Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) and further in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1). In Re Claims 1, 2 and 9, Tan discloses a handheld fan (title), comprising: a housing (1, 21); a fan module (3, 4) disposed in the housing; a power module (6) disposed in the housing (1, 21) and configured to supply power to the fan module (3, 4); a first circuit board (5; Figure 3) disposed in the housing (1, 21), wherein the fan module (3, 4) and the power module (6) are electrically connected to the first circuit board (5) separately (paragraph [0070]), a holding part (21, 22) and an air outlet part (1, 11, 12) connected to one end of the holding part (21, 22), and the air outlet part (1, 11, 12) is provided with an air outlet (air is blown out through 11); and the power module (6) is disposed in the holding part (21, 22), the fan module (3, 4) is disposed in the air outlet part (1, 11, 12), and the holding part (21, 22) is rotatably connected to the air outlet part (1, 11, 12); (paragraphs [0057],[0058],[0068],[0070]; Figures 2, 3). Tan does not disclose a cable module having a cable that supplies power to an external electronics device. However, Chen discloses a handheld fan (title), comprising: a housing (1); a fan module (22, 23) disposed in the housing; a power module (5) disposed in the housing (1) and configured to supply power to the fan module (22, 23); a first circuit board (6; Figure 5) disposed in the housing (1), wherein the fan module (22, 24) and the power module (5) are electrically connected to the first circuit board (6) separately (Column 3, Lines 54 – 55); the housing (1) contains a cable module comprising a cable (an electronic “external device” in Column 6, Line 16 is charged via an implicit charging cable that is plugged into USB port 93 – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; the cable and USB port read on a cable module) that supplies power (for charging – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20) to an external electronic device (Column 6, Line 16) through the power module (5); (Column 3, Lines 46 – 55; Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; Figures 1, 2, 5). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to modify Tan to incorporate a cable module that supplies power to an external electronics device as taught by Chen for the purpose of increasing functionality because the modified device not only provides cooling air but is able to charge batteries of other devices. Tan and Chen do not disclose that the cable module is retractable. However, Figure 3 of Loewen discloses a retractable cable module for a mobile device charger comprising: a turntable (142) and a cable (140) connected to the turntable (142), wherein the turntable (142) is provided with a first conductive member (by definition, the “slipjoint contacts” 164, 166 function as annular tracks for two corresponding/respective conductive brushes that respectively connect to two leads of the cable as evidenced by Bryant which discloses conductive brushes 58a and 58b that engage annular tracks 66 and 68 – Column 4, Lines 48 – 59, each of the conductive brushes read on the first conductive member), the cable (140) is electrically connected to the first conductive member (“a printed circuit board 162, which in turn provides current to the cable 140 via two slipjoint contacts 164 and 166” – paragraph [0037]), the first circuit board (162) is provided with a second conductive member (either 164 or 166), the second conductive member (164 or 166) is in slidable contact and conduction with (as evidenced by Bryant) the first conductive member to electrically connect the cable (140) to the first circuit board (162) (paragraph [0037]), one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member is a contact pin (i.e. the conductive brush as evidenced by Bryant), and the other is an annular conductor (164 or 166); and the cable (140) is configured to pull (“extended into a second configuration” – paragraph [0036]) the turntable (142) to rotate relative to the first circuit board (162) to extend out of the housing (“outside the enclosure” – paragraph [0036]) to connect the cable (140) to an external electronic device (“portable electronic device” – paragraph [0036]), and supply power to the external electronic device through the power module (280 or electrical plug 114/116), and the turntable is further configured to drive the cable (140) extending out of the housing to roll into the housing (i.e. from the second configuration back to the first configuration – paragraph [0036]: “the spring 144 then retracts the cable 140 into its first configuration”), and the conductive brushes (58a, 58b), i.e. the first conductive member of Bryant are in elastic contact (in order to function as disclosed) with the annular conductor (66, 68), i.e. the second conductive member; (paragraphs [0036],[0037]; Figure 3). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to substitute the external electronics device charging cable module (including USB port 93) of Chen in the device of Tan / Chen with the retractable external electronics device charging cable module as taught by Loewen for the purpose of making the device more compact by integrating the charging cable, thus obviating the need for a separate charging cable to plug into the external electronics device. In Re Claim 10, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 9, and Tan further discloses that the air outlet part (1, 11, 12) comprises a fan cover (11) and a mounting part (12) connected to the fan cover (11), the fan cover (11) is provided with the air outlet, the mounting part (12) is rotatably connected to the holding part (21, 22), and the first circuit board (5) and the retractable cable module (in view of the Loewen modification of Tan’s cable module) are disposed in the mounting part (12). In Re Claim 11, the combined references above disclose all the limitations of Claim 9, and the retractable cable module is coupled to the circuit board as taught by Loewen, and Tan discloses that they would be disposed in the holding part. Claim(s) 1, 2, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda (PG Pub US 20200191152 A1) in view of Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) and further in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1). In Re Claims 1, 2 and 9 Toyoda discloses a handheld fan (paragraph [0125]), comprising: a housing (308, 302, 303, 305); a fan module (302, 303) disposed in the housing; a power module (304) disposed in the housing and configured to supply power to the fan module (302, 303, 305); a holding part (308) and an air outlet part (305) connected to one end of the holding part (308), and the air outlet part (305) is provided with an air outlet (air is blown out through 305); and the power module (304) is disposed in the holding part (308), the fan module (302, 303) is disposed in the air outlet part (305), and the holding part (308) is rotatably connected (via hinge 307) to the air outlet part (305); (paragraphs [0108],[0109]; Figures 13, 14). Toyoda does not disclose a circuit board and a cable module having a cable that supplies power to an external electronics device. However, Chen discloses a handheld fan (title), comprising: a housing (1); a fan module (22, 23) disposed in the housing; a power module (5) disposed in the housing (1) and configured to supply power to the fan module (22, 23); a first circuit board (6; Figure 5) disposed in the housing (1), wherein the fan module (22, 24) and the power module (5) are electrically connected to the first circuit board (6) separately (Column 3, Lines 54 – 55); the housing (1) contains a cable module comprising a cable (an electronic “external device” in Column 6, Line 16 is charged via an implicit charging cable that is plugged into USB port 93 – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; the cable and USB port read on a cable module) that supplies power (for charging – see Column 6, Lines 15 – 20) to an external electronic device (Column 6, Line 16) through the power module (5); (Column 3, Lines 46 – 55; Column 6, Lines 15 – 20; Figures 1, 2, 5). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to modify Toyoda to incorporate a circuit board and cable module that supplies power to an external electronics device as taught by Chen for the purpose of increasing functionality because the modified device not only provides cooling air but is able to charge batteries of other devices. Toyoda and Chen do not disclose that the cable module is retractable. However, Figure 3 of Loewen discloses a retractable cable module for a mobile device charger comprising: a turntable (142) and a cable (140) connected to the turntable (142), wherein the turntable (142) is provided with a first conductive member (by definition, the “slipjoint contacts” 164, 166 function as annular tracks for two corresponding/respective conductive brushes that respectively connect to two leads of the cable as evidenced by Bryant which discloses conductive brushes 58a and 58b that engage annular tracks 66 and 68 – Column 4, Lines 48 – 59, each of the conductive brushes read on the first conductive member), the cable (140) is electrically connected to the first conductive member (“a printed circuit board 162, which in turn provides current to the cable 140 via two slipjoint contacts 164 and 166” – paragraph [0037]), the first circuit board (162) is provided with a second conductive member (either 164 or 166), the second conductive member (164 or 166) is in slidable contact and conduction with (as evidenced by Bryant) the first conductive member to electrically connect the cable (140) to the first circuit board (162) (paragraph [0037]), one of the first conductive member and the second conductive member is a contact pin (i.e. the conductive brush as evidenced by Bryant), and the other is an annular conductor (164 or 166); and the cable (140) is configured to pull (“extended into a second configuration” – paragraph [0036]) the turntable (142) to rotate relative to the first circuit board (162) to extend out of the housing (“outside the enclosure” – paragraph [0036]) to connect the cable (140) to an external electronic device (“portable electronic device” – paragraph [0036]), and supply power to the external electronic device through the power module (280 or electrical plug 114/116), and the turntable is further configured to drive the cable (140) extending out of the housing to roll into the housing (i.e. from the second configuration back to the first configuration – paragraph [0036]: “the spring 144 then retracts the cable 140 into its first configuration”), and the conductive brushes (58a, 58b), i.e. the first conductive member of Bryant are in elastic contact (in order to function as disclosed) with the annular conductor (66, 68), i.e. the second conductive member; (paragraphs [0036],[0037]; Figure 3). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to substitute the external electronics device charging cable module (including USB port 93) of Chen in the device of Toyoda / Chen with the retractable external electronics device charging cable module as taught by Loewen for the purpose of making the device more compact by integrating the charging cable, thus obviating the need for a separate charging cable to plug into the external electronics device. Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda (PG Pub US 20200191152 A1) in view of Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) and further in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1) and further in view of Jung (PG Pub US 20110079415 A1). In Re Claim 12, Toyoda, Chen, Loewen and Bryant disclose all the limitations of Claim 9, and Loewen discloses that when the cable (140) is extended out of the housing, one end is clamped by pawl/ratchet (146) so it remains in the extended position, and a rod (120) that is capable of connecting to a supporting structure (chain) (Loewen is part of Chen that has the outlet part and the holding part), but Toyoda, Chen, Loewen and Bryant do not disclose that the cable is capable of suspending the weight of the device and they do not disclose an annular structure of the cable. However, paragraph [0044] of Jung discloses that a power cable can be made into a loop (claimed annular structure) and that it has enough strength to support small portable electronics devices, the loop can be wrapped around support structures (such as the rod 120 of Loewen). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to form the extended cable of Loewen into a loop as taught by Jung for the purpose of suspending the device to free up the users hands. Note that the loop would be capable of being worn by a user’s neck. Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda (PG Pub US 20200191152 A1) in view of Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) and further in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1) and further in view of Jung (PG Pub US 20110079415 A1) and further in view of Lee (PG Pub US 20050138948 A1). In Re Claim 13, Toyoda, Chen, Loewen, Bryant and Jung disclose all the limitations of Claim 12, and Toyoda discloses that the air outlet part and the holding part is provided with a shaft (the implied hinge pin of hinge 307), an axis of rotation of the air outlet part relative to the holding part passes through the shaft (the implied hinge pin of hinge 307), Jung discloses the annular structure that is capable of being suspended to the human body. Although routing the cable through one end of the shaft and out the other opposite end is only a manner of operation (MPEP 2114-II), Toyoda, Chen, Loewen, Bryant and Jung do not explicitly disclose that the shaft/hinge pin is hollow to allow the cable to be routed therethrough. However, Lee discloses a shaft (hinge pin 36) with a through hole (36a) which allows cable (W2) to pass through one end of the shaft (hinge pin) to the opposite other end; (paragraphs [0012],[0025]; Figure 3). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to form a through hole as taught by Lee in the hinge pin of Toyoda, for the purpose of saving weight (a hollow hinge pin would weigh less than a solid hinge pin). Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Toyoda (PG Pub US 20200191152 A1) in view of Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) and in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1) and in view of Lee (PG Pub US 20050138948 A1) and further in view of Zeng (PG Pub US 20210310718 A1). In Re Claim 14, Toyoda, Chen, Loewen and Bryant disclose all the limitations of Claim 9, and Toyoda discloses that the air outlet part and the holding part is provided with a shaft (the implied hinge pin of hinge 307), an axis of rotation of the air outlet part relative to the holding part passes through the shaft (the implied hinge pin of hinge 307), but they do not explicitly disclose that the shaft/hinge pin has a hole as claimed. However, Lee discloses a shaft (hinge pin 36) with a through hole (36a) which allows passage of wire through one end of the shaft (hinge pin) to the opposite other end; (paragraphs [0012],[0025]; Figure 3). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to form a through hole as taught by Lee in the hinge pin of Toyoda, for the purpose of saving weight (a hollow hinge pin would weigh less than a solid hinge pin). Chen, Loewen, Bryant, Toyoda and Lee do not disclose a lanyard. However, Zeng discloses a lanyard (38) that is routed through the fan (10), the lanyard (38) can be in the form of wire or cable (paragraph [0037]; Figures 1, 11). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to incorporate a lanyard as taught by Zeng into the handheld fan of Toyoda / Chen / Loewen / Bryant / Lee for the purpose of suspending the fan to free up the users hands. Note that routing the lanyard through the shaft hole is only a manner of operation which does not make a structural distinction over the prior art (MPEP 2114-II). Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US Patent 11,953,017 B1) in view of Loewen (PG Pub US 20160380446 A1) and as evidenced by Bryant (US Patent 6,349,808 B1) and further in view of GOH (PG Pub US 20170108910 A1). In Re Claim 15, Chen, Loewen and Bryant disclose all the limitations of Claim 2, but they do not disclose a digital display part (for the implied USB cable connected to USB port 93 of Chen). However, GOH discloses a USB charging cable (20) having a free end connected to a display part (32, 46) which in turn is connected to a connection part (24) that is in turn connected to electronics device (80) that needs to be charged; (paragraph [0043,[0046],[0047]; Figures 4, 6A). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed the invention to incorporate the display part as taught by GOH between the free end of the charging cable and connection part of the implied USB cable connected to USB port 93 of Chen for the purpose of keeping the user informed of the status of the charger. Pertinent Prior Art The following prior art is not being relied upon, it being made of record because it is considered to be pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Woods (PG Pub US 20120034816 A1) discloses in paragraph [0029] and Figure 5 that one end of torsion spring (428) is connected to the turntable (424) and the other end is connected to a fixed part (426), and the cable (460) is mounted around a periphery of the torsion spring (428). Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DNYANESH G KASTURE whose telephone number is (571)270-3928. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu, 7:30 AM to 6:00 PM. 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, Essama Omgba can be reached at 469-295-9278. 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. /D.G.K/Examiner, Art Unit 3746 /ESSAMA OMGBA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3746
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 07, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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2y 9m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
48%
Grant Probability
75%
With Interview (+26.9%)
3y 6m (~2y 9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 635 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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