Technology areas: Semiconductors, Circuits & Optics • Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering
3 pending office actions • 2 art units • 3 examiners • 0 of 3 (0%) have an AI response strategy ready • 16 patents granted in the last 365 days
The ESAB Group Inc. has 4 pending office actions in the Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering technology area. These actions are distributed among 3 distinct examiners. The prosecution activity is further concentrated within 2 distinct art units. This indicates that the company's mechanical innovations are being reviewed by a small, focused group of examiners.
HUNTER, JOHN S is the busiest examiner, with 2 pending office actions. This means he is responsible for half of the 4 pending office actions. The other 2 actions are divided among the remaining 2 distinct examiners. With 2 distinct art units involved, the company faces a relatively consolidated examination environment. The influence of HUNTER, JOHN S is notable, as his 2 pending office actions represent a primary focus for the company's current prosecution efforts. Practitioners should prioritize understanding the specific requirements of the 3 distinct examiners involved.
Difficulty is derived from the rejection statutes on the most recent pending office action. §101-driven and multi-statute cases are graded Hard; §112-only and obviousness-type double-patenting cases are graded Easy; everything else is Medium. "Unknown" means we have not yet parsed a statute for that office action.
| Bucket | Cases |
|---|---|
| Multi-statute (no §101) | 3 (100%) |
How the docket's pending cases split across USPTO tech-center bands.
Manual office-action response work runs about 10 hours per case. The time-saved bands below show what IP Author's prosecution pipeline typically delivers — a conservative 20% on the low end, 35% in the middle, 50% on the high end.
| Examiner | Apps on this docket | Allow rate | Interview lift |
|---|---|---|---|
| MERLIN, JESSICA M | 1 | 61.8% | +24.1% |
| ECKARDT, ADAM MICHAEL | 1 | 65.5% | +38.7% |
| HUNTER, JOHN S | 1 | 83.1% | +22.4% |
Multi-statute / §101-driven matters, or cases in front of an examiner with an allow rate under 30%. The top 3 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19038895 | Auto Darkening Filter Lens and Control Panel for Welding Helmet | MERLIN, JESSICA M | — |
| 18459574 | CONSUMABLES FOR PLASMA CUTTING TORCH | ECKARDT, ADAM MICHAEL | — |
| 18446921 | ADAPTER MODULE FOR TORCH | HUNTER, JOHN S | — |
Cases in front of an examiner whose interview lift is 10 percentage points or more — i.e. interviewed cases historically resolve more favorably than non-interviewed ones. The top 3 ordered by deadline are shown.
| App # | Title | Examiner | Due in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19038895 | Auto Darkening Filter Lens and Control Panel for Welding Helmet | MERLIN, JESSICA M | — |
| 18459574 | CONSUMABLES FOR PLASMA CUTTING TORCH | ECKARDT, ADAM MICHAEL | — |
| 18446921 | ADAPTER MODULE FOR TORCH | HUNTER, JOHN S | — |
| Art Unit | Apps |
|---|---|
| 3761 | 2 |
| 2871 | 1 |
| App # | Title | Examiner | Art Unit | Statutes | Status | Due in | AI | Filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19038895 | Auto Darkening Filter Lens and Control Panel for Welding Helmet | MERLIN, JESSICA M | 2871 | §102§103 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Jan 28, 2025 |
| 18459574 | CONSUMABLES FOR PLASMA CUTTING TORCH | ECKARDT, ADAM MICHAEL | 3761 | §103§112 | Non-Final OA | — | Pending | Sep 01, 2023 |
| 18446921 | ADAPTER MODULE FOR TORCH | HUNTER, JOHN S | 3761 | §102§103 | Final Rejection | — | Pending | Aug 09, 2023 |
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Start Free TrialThe ESAB Group Inc. has 3 pending office actions as of October 2026, spread across 2 art units and 3 examiners.
Jessica M Merlin has the most, with 1 of The ESAB Group Inc.'s pending office actions.
Mostly Medical Devices & Mechanical Engineering (USPTO Tech Center 3700), based on where its pending office actions are examined.
