USPTO Examiner BOLTON WILLIAM A - Art Unit 2831

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
19104897AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH FOR AN ON-LOAD TAP CHANGERFebruary 2025January 2026Allow1120NoNo
18495516APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR IMPROVED SWITCHGEAR SENSOR DATA COMMUNICATIONOctober 2023March 2026Allow2800NoNo
18557014AIR-BLOWING TRIPPING MECHANISM AND MOLDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKEROctober 2023March 2026Allow2910NoNo
18288151SWITCHING SYSTEM OF AN ELECTRICAL DEVICEOctober 2023February 2026Allow2810YesNo
18556718RAPID SAFETY SWITCH AND RAPID SAFETY SWITCH SYSTEMOctober 2023March 2026Allow2910NoNo
18286331BREAKER UNIT AND AIR CIRCUIT BREAKER COMPRISING SAMEOctober 2023February 2026Allow2910NoNo
18285921CIRCUIT BREAKING UNIT AND AIR CIRCUIT BREAKER INCLUDING SAMEOctober 2023February 2026Allow2910NoNo
18285051VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKERSeptember 2023January 2026Allow2810NoNo
18285108ELECTRIC CIRCUIT BREAKER DEVICESeptember 2023January 2026Allow2810NoNo
18552117PYROTECHNIC CIRCUIT BREAKERSeptember 2023December 2025Allow2710NoNo
18471614CIRCUIT BREAKERSeptember 2023March 2026Allow2910NoNo
18470780CIRCUIT BREAKER AND POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMSeptember 2023January 2026Allow2810NoNo
18457765FULL RANGE BOOSTING DEVICE FOR ACCUMULATOR OF ON-LOAD TAP CHANGER, ACCUMULATOR, AND ON-LOAD TAP CHANGERAugust 2023March 2026Allow3100NoNo
18457853DEVICE, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR HIGH VOLTAGE SWITCHAugust 2023January 2026Allow2810NoNo
18358220High-Voltage Arc Quenching Systems and Electrical Switching Devices Comprising the SameJuly 2023February 2026Allow3110NoNo
18344999Medium Voltage or High Voltage Circuit BreakerJune 2023February 2026Allow3220NoNo
18212729Medium Voltage or High Voltage Circuit BreakerJune 2023December 2025Allow3020NoNo
18207500CAPACITOR HARVESTERJune 2023February 2026Allow3220YesNo
18207366CAPACITOR HARVESTERJune 2023January 2026Allow3220YesNo
18306200Electric power interrupter and method thereofApril 2023March 2026Allow3420YesNo
17018046POWER CONTACT ELECTRODE SURFACE PLASMA THERAPYSeptember 2020March 2021Allow600NoNo
16945810Switching deviceAugust 2020August 2021Allow1210NoNo
16934505VACUUM CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH DECELERATOR WITH INTEGRATED LATCH ASSEMBLYJuly 2020October 2021Allow1510YesNo
16764931INSULATING MEDIUM FOR AN ELECTRIC ENERGY TRANSMISSION DEVICEMay 2020April 2021Allow1110NoNo
16836277DISCONNECT SWITCH ASSEMBLIES WITH A SHARED ACTUATOR THAT CONCURRENTLY APPLIES MOTIVE FORCES IN OPPOSING DIRECTIONS AND RELATED CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND METHODSMarch 2020December 2020Allow910NoNo
16647647Gas-Blast Circuit BreakerMarch 2020February 2021Allow1120NoNo
16799997CIRCUIT BREAKERS WITH GAS-BLOCKING MEMBERS AND RELATED METHODSFebruary 2020December 2020Allow1010NoNo
16635180IMPROVED VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKERJanuary 2020June 2021Allow1710NoNo
16634957TRIGGER ELEMENT OF A PRESSURE TRIGGER, PRESSURE TRIGGER WITH A TRIGGER ELEMENT OF THIS KIND AND ELECTRIC SWITCHJanuary 2020March 2021Allow1320YesNo
16740870ARC SUPPRESSOR, SYSTEM, AND METHODJanuary 2020November 2020Allow1010NoNo
16624992Arc quenching plate and arc quenching unit with such arc quenching plate and switching device with such arc quenching unitDecember 2019September 2020Allow910NoNo
16600680ARC CHAMBER FOR A DC CIRCUIT BREAKEROctober 2019July 2021Allow2140YesNo
16604838BREAKER FOR HIGH D.C. CURRENT OR VOLTAGE APPLICATIONS, FOR INSTANCE INDUSTRIAL AND/OR RAILWAYS APPLICATIONSOctober 2019June 2021Allow2010NoNo
16496629ELECTROMECHANICAL SWITCHING DEVICE COMPRISING SWITCHING CONTACTSSeptember 2019September 2021Allow2420NoNo
16539267REINFORCEMENT STRUCTURE FOR A VACUUM INTERRUPTERAugust 2019October 2020Allow1420NoNo
16507252MECHANICAL CUT-OFF APPARATUS FOR A HIGH-VOLTAGE OR VERY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT WITH SPLITTING DEVICEJuly 2019May 2020Allow1110NoNo
16311890Gas-Insulated Low- Or Medium-Voltage Switch With Swirling DeviceDecember 2018April 2020Allow1520NoNo
16223962SWITCHGEAR HAVING EARTH SWITCHDecember 2018January 2020Allow1300NoNo
16201992ROCKER SWITCHNovember 2018March 2020Allow1510NoNo
16300415Coupling Element for an Electrical Switching DeviceNovember 2018June 2019Allow800NoNo
15780178OPPOSITE ARC ISOLATION DEVICE OF HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT RELAYMay 2018June 2019Allow1210NoNo
15946347ARC GAS VENTING STRUCTURE OF AIR CIRCUIT BREAKERApril 2018April 2019Allow1200NoNo
15759182MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH AUTOMATIC OPENING/CLOSING FUNCTIONMarch 2018December 2019Allow2100NoNo
15898664GAS-INSULATED MEDIUM VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR WITH A CIRCUIT BREAKER POLE PART ARRANGEMENTFebruary 2018March 2019Allow1310NoNo
15753483SWITCHGEARFebruary 2018November 2018Allow900NoNo
15840608ARC SUPPRESSOR, SYSTEM, AND METHODDecember 2017October 2019Allow2210YesNo
15659678SWITCHING UNIT FOR AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH, AND ELECTRICAL SWITCHJuly 2017April 2019Allow2130YesNo
15543761HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKERJuly 2017November 2018Allow1620NoNo
15616850AIR CIRCUIT BREAKERJune 2017September 2018Allow1620NoNo
15313914QUICK ARC-BREAKING CIRCUIT-BREAKERApril 2017May 2018Allow1810NoNo
15493194VACUUM INTERRUPTERApril 2017October 2018Allow1720NoNo
15502985PRESELECTOR SWITCH ASSEMBLY FOR A VARIABLE TRANSFORMERFebruary 2017March 2020Allow3710NoNo
15390370MANUAL CHARGING APPARATUS FOR VACUUM INTERRUPTERDecember 2016November 2018Allow2330NoNo
15373501MEDIUM VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER FOR THE USE IN HIGH PRESSURE ENVIRONMENTSDecember 2016March 2018Allow1520NoNo
15268716Advanced Cooling System for Electrical EquipmentSeptember 2016December 2018Allow2630NoYes
15243257ARC SUPPRESSOR, SYSTEM, AND METHODAugust 2016August 2017Allow1110NoNo
15192088INSULATING HOUSING WITH INTEGRATED FUNCTIONS AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFORJune 2016September 2018Allow2621NoNo
15092319CONTACT OF VACUUM INTERRUPTERApril 2016September 2017Allow1720NoNo
15070518BREAKERMarch 2016June 2017Allow1510NoNo
14968899CONTACT CONTACTING STRUCTUREDecember 2015March 2017Allow1510NoNo
14772412PLATE STACK FOR A COOLING DEVICE IN INSTALLATION DEVICESSeptember 2015May 2017Allow2020YesNo
14762551SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTJuly 2015April 2017Allow2120NoNo
14803957SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF CLOSING RESISTOR UNIT FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERJuly 2015November 2016Allow1600NoNo
14761703SWITCHING DEVICE ARRANGEMENTJuly 2015April 2017Allow2120NoNo
14652971POWER CIRCUIT BREAKERJune 2015October 2016Allow1610NoNo
14688217EMBEDDED POLE PART WITH AN ISOLATING HOUSINGApril 2015January 2017Allow2120NoNo
14512188ELECTRIC CURRENT SWITCHING APPARATUSOctober 2014November 2015Allow1300NoNo
14505647CONTACT DEVICE, AND ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH IN WHICH THE CONTACT DEVICE IS USEDOctober 2014February 2017Allow2830NoNo
14389099ARRANGEMENT OF VACUUM SWITCHING TUBES IN A LOAD TRANSFER SWITCHSeptember 2014April 2016Allow1910NoNo
14382327ON-LOAD TAP CHANGERSeptember 2014May 2017Allow3320NoNo
14339246ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY AND VACUUM INTERRUPTER INCLUDING THE SAMEJuly 2014July 2016Allow2420NoNo
14373317NOVEL ON-OFF TRANSMISSION DEVICE FOR HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC SWITCHJuly 2014June 2016Allow2320NoNo
14361901GAS CIRCUIT BREAKERMay 2014November 2016Allow2910NoNo
14353068AIR CIRCUIT BREAKERApril 2014April 2015Allow1200NoNo
14124674POWER SWITCHING APPARATUSFebruary 2014May 2016Allow2920NoNo
14241451ELECTRICAL TRANSFER SWITCH SYSTEMFebruary 2014April 2016Allow2510NoNo
14162524THREE PHASE VACUUM INTERRUPTER SWITCH FOR HIGH VOLTAGE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMSJanuary 2014November 2016Allow3410NoNo
14162443CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR A VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKERJanuary 2014January 2016Allow2310NoNo
14135616ELECTRICAL SWITCHING DEVICEDecember 2013January 2016Allow2520NoNo
14135601SWITCHING DEVICEDecember 2013April 2016Allow2830NoNo
14105218POLARITY INDEPENDENT SWITCHING DEVICE FOR CARRYING AND DISCONNECTING DIRECT CURRENTDecember 2013September 2015Allow2110NoNo
14005582SINGLE- OR MULTI-POLE SWITCHING DEVICE, IN PARTICULAR FOR DC APPLICATIONSNovember 2013March 2017Allow4220NoNo
14046854MOLDED CASE CIRCUIT BREAKER WITH LARGE CAPACITYOctober 2013June 2015Allow2010NoNo
14006513ELECTROMAGNETIC CONTACTOROctober 2013April 2016Allow3030NoNo
14039889ARC SUPPRESSOR, SYSTEM, AND METHODSeptember 2013December 2015Allow2710YesNo
13881607TAP CHANGER WITH VACUUM INTERRUPTERSSeptember 2013December 2015Allow3120NoNo
13954257INSULATING CYLINDER AND A MAIN CIRCUIT STRUCTURE USING THE SAMEJuly 2013November 2015Allow2830NoNo
13933164SWITCHING DEVICEJuly 2013September 2015Allow2720NoNo
13991940SWITCH HAVING A QUENCHING CHAMBERJune 2013August 2015Allow2620YesNo
13925151VACUUM INTERRUPTER ARRANGEMENT FOR A CIRCUIT BREAKERJune 2013July 2015Allow2510NoNo
13849994VACUUM INTERRUPTER FOR A CIRCUIT BREAKER ARRANGEMENTMarch 2013November 2016Allow4440YesNo
13583543HYBRID CIRCUIT BREAKER HAVING A SWITCH WITH RETURN ON CLOSUREFebruary 2013April 2015Allow3110NoNo
13811757TAP CHANGER AND VACUUM SWITCHING TUBE FOR SUCH A TAP CHANGERFebruary 2013July 2015Allow2920NoNo
13711450ARC EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS FOR RING MAIN UNITDecember 2012January 2015Allow2610NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner BOLTON, WILLIAM A.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
1
Allowed After Appeal Filing
0
(0.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(100.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
6.4%
Lower than average

Understanding Appeal Filing Strategy

Filing a Notice of Appeal can sometimes lead to allowance even before the appeal is fully briefed or decided by the PTAB. This occurs when the examiner or their supervisor reconsiders the rejection during the mandatory appeal conference (MPEP § 1207.01) after the appeal is filed.

In this dataset, 0.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that filing appeals is less effective here than in most other areas.

Strategic Recommendations

Filing a Notice of Appeal shows limited benefit. Consider other strategies like interviews or amendments before appealing.

Examiner BOLTON, WILLIAM A - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner BOLTON, WILLIAM A works in Art Unit 2831 and has examined 74 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 100.0%, this examiner allows applications at a higher rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 20 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner BOLTON, WILLIAM A's allowance rate of 100.0% places them in the 96% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner is more likely to allow applications than most examiners at the USPTO.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by BOLTON, WILLIAM A receive 1.49 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 25% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues fewer office actions than average, which may indicate efficient prosecution or a more lenient examination style.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by BOLTON, WILLIAM A is 20 months. This places the examiner in the 93% percentile for prosecution speed. Applications move through prosecution relatively quickly with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +0.0% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by BOLTON, WILLIAM A. This interview benefit is in the 15% percentile among all examiners. Note: Interviews show limited statistical benefit with this examiner compared to others, though they may still be valuable for clarifying issues.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 47.1% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 96% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs are highly effective with this examiner compared to others. If you receive a final rejection, filing an RCE with substantive amendments or arguments has a strong likelihood of success.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 50.0% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 75% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner is highly receptive to after-final amendments compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 714.12, after-final amendments may be entered "under justifiable circumstances." Consider filing after-final amendments with a clear showing of allowability rather than immediately filing an RCE, as this examiner frequently enters such amendments.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 100.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 93% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: This examiner frequently reconsiders rejections during the appeal process compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1207.01, all appeals must go through a mandatory appeal conference. Filing a Notice of Appeal may prompt favorable reconsideration even before you file an Appeal Brief.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 100.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 92% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions are frequently granted regarding this examiner's actions compared to other examiners. Per MPEP § 1002.02(c), various examiner actions are petitionable to the Technology Center Director, including prematureness of final rejection, refusal to enter amendments, and requirement for information. If you believe an examiner action is improper, consider filing a petition.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 24% percentile). This examiner rarely makes examiner's amendments compared to other examiners. You should expect to make all necessary claim amendments yourself through formal amendment practice.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 18.9% of allowed cases (in the 93% percentile). Per MPEP § 714.14, a Quayle action indicates that all claims are allowable but formal matters remain. This examiner frequently uses Quayle actions compared to other examiners, which is a positive indicator that once substantive issues are resolved, allowance follows quickly.

Prosecution Strategy Recommendations

Based on the statistical analysis of this examiner's prosecution patterns, here are tailored strategic recommendations:

  • Consider after-final amendments: This examiner frequently enters after-final amendments. If you can clearly overcome rejections with claim amendments, file an after-final amendment before resorting to an RCE.
  • RCEs are effective: This examiner has a high allowance rate after RCE compared to others. If you receive a final rejection and have substantive amendments or arguments, an RCE is likely to be successful.
  • Appeal filing as negotiation tool: This examiner frequently reconsiders rejections during the appeal process. Filing a Notice of Appeal may prompt favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Relevant MPEP Sections for Prosecution Strategy

  • MPEP § 713.10: Examiner interviews - available before Notice of Allowance or transfer to PTAB
  • MPEP § 714.12: After-final amendments - may be entered "under justifiable circumstances"
  • MPEP § 1002.02(c): Petitionable matters to Technology Center Director
  • MPEP § 1004: Actions requiring primary examiner signature (allowances, final rejections, examiner's answers)
  • MPEP § 1207.01: Appeal conferences - mandatory for all appeals
  • MPEP § 1214.07: Reopening prosecution after appeal

Important Disclaimer

Not Legal Advice: The information provided in this report is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a qualified patent attorney or agent for advice specific to your situation.

No Guarantees: We do not provide any guarantees as to the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of the statistics presented above. Patent prosecution statistics are derived from publicly available USPTO data and are subject to data quality limitations, processing errors, and changes in USPTO practices over time.

Limitation of Liability: Under no circumstances will IronCrow AI be liable for any outcome, decision, or action resulting from your reliance on the statistics, analysis, or recommendations presented in this report. Past prosecution patterns do not guarantee future results.

Use at Your Own Risk: While we strive to provide accurate and useful prosecution statistics, you should independently verify any information that is material to your prosecution strategy and use your professional judgment in all patent prosecution matters.