Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026

Examiner: LONG, ROBERT FRANKLIN

Tech Center 3700 • Art Units: 3721 3731 3764

This examiner grants 72% of resolved cases

Performance Statistics

72.0%
Allow Rate
+2.0% vs TC avg
1,175
Total Applications
+20.9%
Interview Lift
1143
Avg Prosecution Days
Based on 1109 resolved cases, 2023–2026

Rejection Statute Breakdown

0%
§101 Eligibility
13.6%
§102 Novelty
75.0%
§103 Obviousness
7.6%
§112 Clarity

Currently Pending Office Actions

App #TitleStatusAssignee
18591945 CUTTING TOOL SUPPORT FOR IN-SITU HOLE MANUFACTURING Final Rejection RTX Corporation
19084145 POWER TOOL WITH ENCLOSED GEARCASE Non-Final OA MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
19029307 MULTI-SPEED POWER TOOL WITH ELECTRONIC CLUTCH Final Rejection MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
18690012 Systems and Methods for Multi-Channel Power Tool Communication Non-Final OA Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
18252899 HOLE SAW AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A HOLE SAW Final Rejection MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
17106806 MULTI-SPEED POWER TOOL WITH ELECTRONIC CLUTCH Non-Final OA MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION
19029221 SURGICAL INSTRUMENT WITH MULTIPLE PROGRAM RESPONSES DURING A FIRING MOTION Non-Final OA Cilag GmbH International
19027760 SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH DOUBLE SPHERICAL ARTICULATION JOINTS WITH PIVOTABLE LINKS Non-Final OA Cilag GmbH International
19020822 CIRCULARITY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SURGICAL STAPLERS Non-Final OA Cilag GmbH International
18883556 MOTOR-DRIVEN SURGICAL CUTTING INSTRUMENT WITH ELECTRIC ACTUATOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ASSEMBLY Non-Final OA Cilag GmbH International
18775458 SYSTEMS AND SUBSYSTEMS FOR FIRING A SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Final Rejection CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
18642985 SURGICAL STAPLER WITH TISSUE ENGAGEMENT FEATURES AROUND TISSUE CONTAINMENT PIN Final Rejection Cilag GmbH International
18379790 METHOD OF ASSEMBLING A STAPLE CARTRIDGE Final Rejection Cilag GmbH International
18379811 SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS WITH JAW AND FIRING ACTUATOR LOCKOUT ARRANGEMENTS LOCATED PROXIMAL TO A JAW PIVOT LOCATION Final Rejection Cilag GmbH International
18202531 SMART CIRCULAR STAPLERS Non-Final OA Cilag GmbH International
19037003 AUXILIARY WIRELESS DEVICE FOR POWER TOOL Final Rejection BLACK & DECKER INC.
18693729 POWERED FASTENING TOOL INCLUDING DRIVER RETURN SYSTEM AND DRIVER RETENTION SYSTEM Non-Final OA Black & Decker Inc.
18775022 IMPACT TOOL Non-Final OA Nanjing Chervon Industry Co., Ltd.
18241691 TECHNIQUE FOR TIGHTENING FASTENERS WITH ELECTRIC POWER TOOL Non-Final OA MAKITA CORPORATION
19213082 HANDHELD ELECTROMECHANICAL SURGICAL SYSTEM Non-Final OA Covidien LP
19087802 POWERED SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF IDENTIFYING TISSUE TYPES THEREWITH Non-Final OA Covidien LP
19076558 HAND-HELD SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS Non-Final OA Covidien LP
17366122 SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENT Final Rejection Covidien LP
19073000 END TOOL OF SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, CARTRIDGE, SURGICAL INSTRUMENT, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Final Rejection LIVSMED INC.
18934060 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMAGE DETECTION DURING INSTRUMENT GRASPING AND STAPLING Final Rejection INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
18643081 DEVICES FOR INSTRUMENT USE RECORDING, DEVICES FOR RECORDING INSTRUMENT REPROCESSING EVENTS, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS Non-Final OA INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC.
18486413 HANDHELD WORK APPARATUS AND DEFLECTION BOWL FOR ITS COMBUSTION ENGINE Non-Final OA Andreas Stihl AG & Co. KG
18837884 WORK MACHINE Final Rejection Koki Holdings Co., Ltd.
18838872 IMPACT WRENCH Non-Final OA Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
18573208 MACHINE TOOL, CONTROL METHOD, AND CONTROL PROGRAM Non-Final OA DMG MORI CO., LTD.

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