USPTO Examiner VANAMAN FRANK BENNETT - Art Unit 3616

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
17111320TWO-WHEEL COMPACT INSPECTION CRAWLER WITH AUTOMATIC PROBE NORMALIZATIONDecember 2020June 2023Allow3020NoNo
16951418MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT FOR A POWERTRAIN OF A FOUR-WHEELED VEHICLENovember 2020January 2023Allow2520YesNo
17098630Multipurpose VehicleNovember 2020January 2023Allow2610NoNo
17099252RETROFIT FOR FARM EQUIPMENTNovember 2020April 2023Allow2940NoNo
17090354VEHICLE, UPPER UNIT AND NON-TRANSITORY STORAGE MEDIUMNovember 2020March 2023Allow2910NoNo
17090871REMOTE LOCATED CLUTCHNovember 2020June 2022Allow1920NoNo
17088089ELECTRIC VEHICLE DRIVE COMBINED WITH SUSPENSION STRUTNovember 2020November 2021Abandon1320NoNo
17084760DRIVE SYSTEM FOR ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE (ATV)October 2020July 2023Allow3220NoNo
17083598SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSING WITH ANALOG SENSORSOctober 2020April 2023Allow2921NoNo
17082012VEHICLE BODY STRUCTUREOctober 2020December 2022Abandon2610NoNo
17080493SHOCK-LINKED VEHICLE SUSPENSIONOctober 2020August 2023Allow3320YesNo
17048929AIR BAG DEVICE FOR SADDLED VEHICLEOctober 2020October 2022Allow2410NoNo
17048874MOTOR-VEHICLE WITH MULTI-MODE EXTREME TRAVEL SUSPENSION-SUSPENSION HYDRAULIC DESIGNOctober 2020December 2022Allow2620YesNo
17070364WORK VEHICLEOctober 2020December 2022Allow2610NoNo
17067976LOCKABLE STEERING MECHANISM FOR RIDE-ON VEHICLEOctober 2020March 2022Allow1710NoNo
17046980CHILD SWING STEERING VEHICLEOctober 2020September 2022Allow2320NoNo
17046715WHEELCHAIR SUSPENSIONOctober 2020May 2022Allow2810NoNo
17066074VEHICLE WITH ACCESSORY DRIVEOctober 2020July 2021Allow1000NoNo
17063881VEHICLEOctober 2020October 2023Abandon3620NoNo
17039582TRAILER STABILIZERSeptember 2020June 2022Allow2020NoNo
16948598POWER SYSTEM OF NEW-ENERGY VEHICLE AND NEW-ENERGY VEHICLESeptember 2020May 2023Abandon3210NoNo
17021146ELECTROMECHANICAL BRAKE SYSTEM HAVING SUSPENSION CONTROL FUNCTIONSeptember 2020April 2023Allow3110NoNo
17021571MOTION CONTROL SYSTEMSeptember 2020November 2023Allow3831YesNo
17015804ANCHOR PRETENSIONER MODULE FOR SEAT BELTSeptember 2020March 2022Allow1810NoNo
16977560WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A WHEEL SUSPENSION OF THIS KINDSeptember 2020November 2022Abandon2620NoNo
17004695SAFEGUARDING A VEHICLE'S INPUT LINE ASSEMBLYAugust 2020January 2023Allow2900NoNo
16966983CONTROL UNIT FOR AIR MANAGEMENT SYSTEMAugust 2020May 2022Abandon2110NoNo
16935871BRAKE ASSEMBLY FOR HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE PATIENT TRANSPORT APPARATUSJuly 2020September 2021Allow1420NoNo
16933747POWER CONTROLLERJuly 2020January 2023Abandon3010NoNo
16924182BRAKE HANDLE DEVICE AND ELECTRIC TRACTORJuly 2020April 2024Allow4640NoNo
16916379BICYCLE RIM FOR TUBELESS TIREJune 2020December 2020Allow510NoNo
16906567ELECTRIC VEHICLEJune 2020November 2022Allow2910NoNo
16955154Wheel of a VehicleJune 2020April 2023Allow3420NoNo
16902750SUSPENSION SYSTEM WITH VARIABLE ROLL RESISTANCEJune 2020February 2022Allow2020NoNo
16898349STABILIZER BAR CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHODJune 2020April 2023Allow3510NoNo
16896427Multipurpose VehicleJune 2020September 2022Allow2710NoNo
16767850MOBILE CRANE TRAVEL GEAR AXLEMay 2020September 2022Abandon2710NoNo
16885042HUB CAP SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VEHICLE WHEELSMay 2020August 2023Allow3820NoNo
15931474VEHICLE AND VEHICLE STEP APPARATUS WITH MULTIPLE DRIVE MOTORSMay 2020November 2021Allow1840YesNo
16763410Roll stabilizer, motor vehicle, and method for operating a motor vehicleMay 2020May 2022Allow2410YesNo
16762652VehicleMay 2020August 2022Allow2710YesNo
16870591MULTIFUNCTIONAL TRACTION OR CARRIER VEHICLEMay 2020November 2022Allow3010YesNo
16870433DRIVE SHAFT CONNECTING UNITMay 2020March 2023Allow3420NoNo
16865611VEHICLE LEVELING USING HANDHELD MOBILE DEVICEMay 2020June 2021Allow1410NoNo
16855313SUBFRAME FOR HOLDING AN ELECTRIC ENERGY ACCUMULATOR IN A MOTOR VEHICLEApril 2020January 2022Allow2120YesNo
16854269VEHICLE WHEEL HAVING A SUSPENSION AND A STEERING DEVICEApril 2020January 2022Allow2110NoNo
16852117TANDEM WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND TANDEM WHEEL KITApril 2020December 2023Allow4420NoNo
16847917BATTERY SYSTEM OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLEApril 2020May 2022Allow2550YesNo
16755752AERODYNAMIC WHEEL RIMApril 2020December 2022Allow3210NoNo
16755763WHEEL SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR SELF-PROPELLED ELECTRONIC DEVICEApril 2020October 2022Abandon3010NoNo
16844000PROPULSION DRIVE SYSTEM FOR MOBILE MACHINEApril 2020November 2022Allow3210NoNo
16839252Occupant Safety SystemsApril 2020May 2021Allow1320YesNo
16835703IN-WHEEL MOTOR UNIT COUPLING STRUCTUREMarch 2020July 2022Allow2720NoNo
16834002FRAME EXTENSION FOR VEHICLEMarch 2020December 2021Allow2110NoNo
16830467ELECTRICALLY POWERED SUSPENSION SYSTEMMarch 2020October 2022Allow3110NoNo
16649323HOUSING UNIT AND AXLE ASSEMBLYMarch 2020November 2022Allow3230YesNo
16826094VEHICLE AND VEHICLE STEP APPARATUS WITH MULTIPLE DRIVE MOTORSMarch 2020April 2021Allow1320NoNo
16824594WATER ENERGY CLEANER FOR POOLMarch 2020March 2023Abandon3510NoNo
16815282STEERING APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLEMarch 2020January 2022Abandon2310NoNo
16810894ROLLOVER PROTECTION FOR A VEHICLEMarch 2020November 2022Allow3240NoNo
16809808TWIST-BEAM AXLE FOR AN ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN MOTOR VEHICLEMarch 2020October 2022Abandon3120NoNo
16644131MOTOR VEHICLE WHEELSET ANTI-ROLL DEVICE WITH ACTUATING MEANS OPERATED BY A HYDRAULIC CONTROL CIRCUITMarch 2020February 2022Allow2320NoNo
16639645ROLL STABILIZER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLEFebruary 2020April 2021Allow1410NoNo
16788524DEVICE AND AN APPARATUS FOR PROTECTING AN AUTOMOBILE UNDERSIDEFebruary 2020October 2021Abandon2050NoNo
16787686ELECTRIFIED DRIVETRAIN FOR A VEHICLEFebruary 2020February 2023Allow3620NoNo
16784642ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLEFebruary 2020November 2023Allow4650YesNo
16634750ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, COMPRISING AN ENERGY ABSORPTION DEVICEJanuary 2020March 2021Allow1420YesNo
16740467DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING HEIGHT OF VEHICLEJanuary 2020February 2023Allow3740NoNo
16740470DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING HEIGHT OF VEHICLEJanuary 2020August 2022Allow3121NoNo
16736685SELF-BALANCING SYSTEMS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLESJanuary 2020June 2022Allow2921NoNo
16627843SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLEDecember 2019May 2022Abandon2820NoNo
16625952Vehicle Driving ApparatusDecember 2019February 2022Abandon2620NoNo
16720438WHEEL WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CAPSDecember 2019October 2021Allow2210YesNo
16715937MODULAR DRIVE SYSTEM FOR A MACHINEDecember 2019July 2022Allow3110YesNo
16711704Bearing Spring/Damper System of a Vehicle WheelDecember 2019August 2021Allow2110NoNo
16711092REMOTE LOCATED CLUTCHDecember 2019July 2020Allow720YesNo
16708745Work Vehicle and Front Grill of Work VehicleDecember 2019June 2022Allow3121YesNo
16621162STEERING SHAFT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOFDecember 2019August 2022Allow3220NoNo
16696731FUEL SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLENovember 2019April 2021Allow1640NoNo
16694634VEHICLE STEERING ASSEMBLYNovember 2019July 2021Allow2010NoNo
16689343Front End Motor-Generator System and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Operating MethodNovember 2019May 2023Allow4220YesNo
16684779APPARATUS FOR GUIDING INFLATION FLUID WITHIN AN AIRBAGNovember 2019May 2022Allow3020NoNo
16685466Structure for Mounting Drive Device and Steering Device on Vehicle Body of VehicleNovember 2019January 2022Allow2610NoNo
16683459FOUR-WHEEL CHASSIS, TWO-WHEEL CHASSIS, ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOFNovember 2019October 2022Abandon3530NoNo
16682916VEHICLE CHASSISNovember 2019September 2021Allow2210NoNo
16677110UTILITY VEHICLENovember 2019April 2023Allow4220YesNo
16610513OBSTACLE CLIMBING SURVEILLANCE ROBOT AND ENERGY-ABSORBING FRAME THEREFORNovember 2019April 2022Allow3010YesNo
16671607SUSPENSION CONTROL SYSTEM FOR VEHICLENovember 2019April 2021Allow1810NoNo
16665182POWER TRANSMISSION APPARATUSOctober 2019January 2022Allow2720YesNo
16660607HYDRAULIC ANTI-ROLL BAR LINKOctober 2019July 2021Allow2110NoNo
16658996RIDE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ROTARY CUTTING MACHINESOctober 2019January 2023Abandon3940YesNo
16659213SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING GROUND INCLINATION OF ROTARY CUTTING MACHINESOctober 2019February 2023Allow3920YesNo
16654537Trailer Leveling Assemblies and MethodOctober 2019September 2022Allow3510NoNo
16655149VEHICLE AND VEHICLE STEP APPARATUS WITH MULTIPLE DRIVE MOTORSOctober 2019February 2020Allow410NoNo
16601301Pneumatic Sway AssistOctober 2019September 2021Abandon2310NoNo
16605160OSCILLATION-TYPE VEHICLEOctober 2019September 2021Allow2310NoNo
16598872VEHICLE AIR FLOW CONTROL SYSTEMOctober 2019February 2023Abandon4010NoNo
16598008MOBILE MECHANISM AND MOBILE ROBOT HAVING SAME, AND MOBILE METHODOctober 2019March 2022Allow2930NoNo
16593485ELECTRIC BUS SEAT AND ELECTRIC BATTERY ARRANGEMENTOctober 2019August 2022Allow3420NoNo
16593052MOBILE OBJECTOctober 2019August 2021Allow2210NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
6
Examiner Affirmed
6
(100.0%)
Examiner Reversed
0
(0.0%)
Reversal Percentile
14.7%
Lower than average

What This Means

With a 0.0% reversal rate, the PTAB affirms the examiner's rejections in the vast majority of cases. This reversal rate is in the bottom 25% across the USPTO, indicating that appeals face significant challenges here.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
14
Allowed After Appeal Filing
4
(28.6%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
10
(71.4%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
44.0%
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, 28.6% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is below the USPTO average, suggesting that filing an appeal has limited effectiveness in prompting favorable reconsideration.

Strategic Recommendations

Appeals to PTAB face challenges. Ensure your case has strong merit before committing to full Board review.

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

Examiner VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT works in Art Unit 3616 and has examined 351 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 76.6%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 27 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT's allowance rate of 76.6% places them in the 45% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT receive 2.17 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 55% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues a slightly above-average number of office actions.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT is 27 months. This places the examiner in the 72% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly faster than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +18.6% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by VANAMAN, FRANK BENNETT. This interview benefit is in the 60% percentile among all examiners. Recommendation: Interviews provide an above-average benefit with this examiner and are worth considering.

Request for Continued Examination (RCE) Effectiveness

When applicants file an RCE with this examiner, 19.8% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 23% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs show lower effectiveness with this examiner compared to others. Consider whether a continuation application might be more strategic, especially if you need to add new matter or significantly broaden claims.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 51.9% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 79% 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.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 133.3% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 87% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: Pre-appeal conferences are highly effective with this examiner compared to others. Before filing a full appeal brief, strongly consider requesting a PAC. The PAC provides an opportunity for the examiner and supervisory personnel to reconsider the rejection before the case proceeds to the PTAB.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 60.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 37% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 22.2% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). Strategic Insight: This examiner shows below-average willingness to reconsider rejections during appeals. Be prepared to fully prosecute appeals if filed.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 40.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 29% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions show below-average success regarding this examiner's actions. Ensure you have a strong procedural basis before filing.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 31% percentile). This examiner makes examiner's amendments less often than average. You may need to make most claim amendments yourself.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 25.3% of allowed cases (in the 96% 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.
  • Request pre-appeal conferences: PACs are highly effective with this examiner. Before filing a full appeal brief, request a PAC to potentially resolve issues without full PTAB review.

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.