Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 19/473,670

SHIFT DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 08, 2025
Priority
Apr 21, 2023 — JP 2023-070476 +1 more
Examiner
MACARTHUR, VICTOR L
Art Unit
3618
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Tokai Rika Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
66%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 0m
Est. Remaining
79%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 66% — above average
66%
Career Allowance Rate
717 granted / 1082 resolved
+14.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+12.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
1125
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
31.9%
-8.1% vs TC avg
§102
33.2%
-6.8% vs TC avg
§112
31.3%
-8.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1082 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by EP 1022193. Claim 1. A shift device, comprising: a shift body (14 and portion between 36 and 22) having a shaft body (14 and portion between 36 and 22) that is rotatably supported; a plurality of projecting portions (36, 22) projecting out from the shaft body; and a mechanism portion (36, 22) provided at each of the plurality of projecting portions. Claim 2. The shift device of Claim 1, wherein: one of the projecting portions is disposed at one side of the shaft body in a rotating direction of the shift body, and another of the projecting portions is disposed at another side of the shaft body in the rotating direction of the shift body (see figure 1). Claim 3. The shift device of Claim 1, wherein one of the projecting portions and another of the projecting portions project out toward mutually opposite sides with the shaft body therebetween (see figure 1). Claim 4. The shift device of Claim 1, wherein the projecting portions project out in directions orthogonal to a vertical direction of the shift body (see figure 1). Claim 5. The shift device of Claim 1, wherein the projecting portions project out in a vertical direction of the shift body (see figure 1). Claim 6. The shift device of Claim 1, wherein the mechanism portion is: an urging mechanism (one of 36 and 22) urging the shift body to a home position, a position detecting mechanism (other of 36 and 22) detecting a shift position of the shift body, or a locking mechanism (28) locking rotation of the shift body. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICTOR L MACARTHUR whose telephone number is (571)272-7085. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /VICTOR L MACARTHUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 08, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12741759
RADICAL LATCH INTERFACE SYSTEM
4y 9m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
Patent 12728952
Bottom bracket gearshift for an electric bicycle and electric bicycle with such a bottom bracket gearshift
4y 7m to grant Granted Sep 08, 2026
Patent 12729763
SHIFT DEVICE
1y 9m to grant Granted Sep 08, 2026
Patent 12729755
PINION GEAR UNIT AND SWIVEL ACTUATOR USING SAME
1y 6m to grant Granted Sep 08, 2026
Patent 12709016
PROCESS TOOL TENDING ROBOTS
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
66%
Grant Probability
79%
With Interview (+12.8%)
3y 0m (~2y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1082 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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