USPTO Examiner GARDNER NICOLE - Art Unit 3753

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
19079861SUPPORT BRACKET FOR FLUID CONDUIT ASSEMBLYMarch 2025September 2025Allow610YesNo
18850195SAFETY DEVICE FOR A TANK INTENDED TO CONTAIN A PRESSURIZED GASFebruary 2025November 2025Allow1420YesNo
18661685HYDROGEN SUPPLY COMBINATION VALVE HAVING FLOW REGULATION AND PRESSURE STABILIZATION FUNCTIONSMay 2024August 2024Allow300NoNo
18649832Apparatus For Facilitating Prevention of Unauthorized Handling of ValvesApril 2024January 2026Abandon2010NoNo
18443298Anti-Explosive Natural Gas Compressor with Selective DosingFebruary 2024November 2025Abandon2110NoNo
18420669PRESSURE REGULATORJanuary 2024July 2025Allow1810NoNo
18580923ROBOTIZED MANIFOLD SYSTEM COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BISTABLE VALVESJanuary 2024March 2025Allow1400NoNo
18545378PISTONS FOR USE IN FLUID EXCHANGE DEVICES AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODSDecember 2023May 2025Allow1610NoNo
18570196PRESSURE REDUCING DEVICEDecember 2023February 2026Allow2720NoNo
18537805FUEL CELL ELECTRIC VEHICLEDecember 2023February 2026Abandon2620NoNo
18510584MODULAR AIR VALVE SYSTEMNovember 2023December 2025Abandon2520NoNo
18558572PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE FOR HIGH PRESSURE VESSELNovember 2023June 2025Abandon2010NoNo
18385836SAFETY HANDLE FOR FAUCETOctober 2023April 2025Allow1710NoNo
18484357Adjustable Flow Control ValveOctober 2023February 2026Abandon2820NoNo
18480572DEVICE FOR PROTECTING A DEVICE FOR SUPPLYING PRESSURISED FLUIDOctober 2023February 2026Allow2820NoNo
18477025VALVE DEVICESeptember 2023January 2026Abandon2720NoNo
18475932PIPING MEMBERSeptember 2023September 2025Allow2410NoNo
18465846CRANE SYSTEMS AND PUMP MANIFOLD SYSTEMS, AND RELATED METHODS, FOR PUMPING OPERATIONSSeptember 2023April 2025Allow1940YesNo
18243794DRY PIPE VALVESeptember 2023March 2024Allow610NoNo
18242441SPRING CONTROLLING VALVESeptember 2023June 2025Allow2120YesNo
18237166Butterfly ValveAugust 2023February 2025Allow1810NoNo
18447353CHEMICAL DISPENSING SYSTEMAugust 2023February 2025Allow1820YesNo
18446158ELECTRONICALLY ACTIVATED, SPRING-DRIVEN INITIATORAugust 2023July 2025Allow2310NoNo
18364232HYDRANT ENCLOSURE WITH INTEGRAL FAUCETAugust 2023June 2024Allow1110NoNo
18362473ENERGY AND HYDROGEN TRANSPORT SYSTEMJuly 2023February 2025Abandon1930NoNo
18360138NON-POWERED WATER LEAKAGE BLOCKING DEVICEJuly 2023June 2025Abandon2301NoNo
18226825TANK FOR PRESSURIZED FLAMMABLE GASJuly 2023March 2026Abandon3110NoNo
18343022VALVE ACTUATOR ASSEMBLYJune 2023March 2024Allow810NoNo
18214130APPARATUS FOR SAFETY SHUT-OFF VALVEJune 2023March 2026Abandon3230YesNo
18331406PROPANE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR A RECREATIONAL VEHICLEJune 2023November 2025Abandon2920YesNo
18201254VALVE WITH INTEGRATED PRESSURE REGULATORMay 2023September 2025Allow2820YesNo
18251610METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC OPERATION AND FUNCTIONAL VERIFICATION OF LINE VALVES INSTALLED IN FLUID DISTRIBUTION NETWORKSMay 2023April 2025Abandon2310NoNo
18141810POOL CLEANING SYSTEM CONTROLLER VALVEMay 2023October 2024Allow1700NoNo
18034584Method for Producing a Fuel Rail for a Pressure Vessel System, Fuel Rail, Pressure Vessel System, and Motor VehicleApril 2023December 2024Allow2010NoNo
18034131ELECTRIC VALVEApril 2023July 2025Allow2720YesNo
18302388UMBRELLA CHECK VALVEApril 2023June 2024Allow1420NoNo
18133860MANIFOLD PIPE ASSEMBLIES FOR PROVIDING INERT ATMOSPHERES AND METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE USE THEREOFApril 2023October 2025Abandon3010NoNo
18132243SYSTEM FOR ADJUSTING RATE OF SPOOL CENTERING IN A PILOT-CONTROLLED HYDRAULIC SPOOL VALVEApril 2023February 2026Allow3411NoNo
18123237MODULAR PRESSURE VESSEL MOUNTING APPARATUSMarch 2023December 2025Abandon3350YesNo
18245314TANK DEVICE FOR STORING A GASEOUS MEDIUM, COMPRISING A VALVE DEVICEMarch 2023July 2025Allow2810NoNo
18178812MAGNETIC COUPLING FOR SPRAYHEADSMarch 2023March 2024Allow1210NoNo
18174788HOT SWAPPABLE FRACTURING PUMP SYSTEMFebruary 2023April 2024Allow1410NoNo
18170513SPRING VALVEFebruary 2023September 2024Abandon1910NoNo
18164567FLUID CONTROL VALVE UNIT AND VALVE TIMING CHANGING DEVICEFebruary 2023May 2025Allow2720NoNo
18156724ELECTROMAGNETIC VALVE MANIFOLDJanuary 2023September 2024Allow2000NoNo
18154453InsertJanuary 2023November 2024Abandon2220NoNo
18015009CHECK VALVEJanuary 2023December 2025Abandon3540NoNo
17982286FLEXIBLE PIPE CONNECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODSNovember 2022February 2026Allow3940NoNo
17923095SAFETY VALVE SYSTEM FOR A COMBUSTION GAS VEHICLE, COMBUSTION GAS VEHICLE, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND STORAGE MEANSNovember 2022April 2025Abandon2910NoNo
17959677HIGH-PRESSURE GAS TANK CONNECTION STRUCTUREOctober 2022December 2023Allow1510NoNo
17958758Magneto Strictive Actuated Pressure Regulator Module For Inflation SystemOctober 2022September 2024Allow2410NoNo
17952766VALVE ASSEMBLYSeptember 2022September 2024Allow2310NoNo
17935114VALVE HAVING LOCKING FUNCTIONSeptember 2022September 2024Allow3310NoNo
17951235RADIALLY EXPANDABLE LOCKS FOR VALVE SYSTEMSSeptember 2022September 2024Allow2410NoNo
17931983METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING TANK UNITSeptember 2022May 2024Allow2010NoNo
17894268ACTUATOR ARRANGEMENT FOR MULTI-VALVE ASSEMBLYAugust 2022April 2025Allow3211NoNo
17883818VALVE ACTUATORAugust 2022January 2024Allow1810NoNo
17818100PLANETARY FLUID CONTROL VALVEAugust 2022September 2023Allow1410YesNo
17817038HIGH-PRESSURE GAS STORAGE AND SUPPLY DEVICEAugust 2022August 2025Abandon3740NoNo
17874411VALVE WITH INTEGRATED PRESSURE REGULATORJuly 2022September 2024Allow2620YesNo
17872516HOT SWAPPABLE FRACTURING PUMP SYSTEMJuly 2022October 2022Allow300NoNo
17870337VALVE ACTUATORJuly 2022April 2024Allow2111NoNo
17808106LIQUID STORAGE TANKJune 2022December 2023Allow1830NoNo
17843380JETTED CHECK VALVEJune 2022March 2023Allow910NoNo
17839730WATER DIVERSION VALVE AND SHOWER DEVICEJune 2022September 2024Abandon2710NoNo
17824018Valve AssemblyMay 2022May 2023Allow1210NoNo
17748283PADDLE VALVE AND HOUSING THEREFORMay 2022March 2024Abandon2220NoNo
17747249VALVEMay 2022June 2025Abandon3741YesNo
17663574VALVE DEVICE FOR HIGH PRESSURE GAS STORAGE TANKMay 2022June 2024Abandon2520NoNo
17662490LOW-PROFILE PAIRED RELIEF VALVEMay 2022July 2025Allow3920NoYes
17732129SLAM-SHUT SAFETY DEVICES FOR A FLUID REGULATORApril 2022July 2024Allow2721NoNo
17727920POPPET-STYLE VALVE ARRANGEMENTSApril 2022January 2024Allow2111YesNo
17769800ARRANGEMENT WITH A VALVEApril 2022August 2025Abandon4030YesNo
17721194TELESCOPING WATERWAY WITH INTEGRATED VALVEApril 2022August 2025Allow4010NoNo
17716046VALVE FOR THROTTLING GAS FLOW FROM A SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TOOLApril 2022March 2024Allow2430YesNo
17716811THREE-WAY PIEZOELECTRICALLY-ACTUATED MICROVALVE DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATIONApril 2022June 2023Allow1410NoNo
17766839SAFETY VALVEApril 2022June 2024Allow2700NoNo
17712720METHOD OF SHUTTING OFF WATER AND A WATER OUTLET DEVICEApril 2022March 2024Allow2410YesNo
17707292METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZED GAS DELIVERY WITH AUTOMATED REDUNDANT PRESSURE REGULATION SAFETY FEATUREMarch 2022March 2024Allow2411NoNo
17655546Dialysis Treatment Facility Wall-Box ApparatusMarch 2022June 2024Allow2710NoNo
176933633-2 WAY EXPANSION VALVEMarch 2022April 2023Allow1310NoNo
17690092POPPET AND SEAT CARTRIDGE VALVE SUBASSEMBLYMarch 2022February 2024Allow2320YesYes
17689323BUTTERFLY VALVE WITH VIBRATION RESISTANT MOUNTMarch 2022November 2025Abandon4420NoYes
17686842CRYOGENIC FLUID COUPLINGMarch 2022February 2025Allow3620NoNo
17686652HYDRANT ENCLOSURE WITH INTEGRAL FAUCETMarch 2022April 2023Allow1410NoNo
17679558VALVE RECOVERY CONTROL APPARATUS FOR HYDROGEN TANKFebruary 2022March 2024Allow2520YesNo
17671283PISTONS FOR USE IN FLUID EXCHANGE DEVICES AND RELATED DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODSFebruary 2022August 2023Allow1820NoNo
17629700System for regulating the flow rate of a liquid and corresponding regulation methodJanuary 2022July 2025Allow4230NoNo
17575818BUTTERFLY VALVE ASSEMBLYJanuary 2022October 2023Allow2120NoNo
17563303Valve Assembly for Downhole Pump of Reciprocating Pump SystemDecember 2021September 2024Allow3321YesNo
17616675FLUID SUPPLY DEVICEDecember 2021October 2025Abandon4620YesNo
17541646VALVEDecember 2021September 2024Allow3430NoNo
17540658Pressure Regulating Check ValveDecember 2021March 2023Allow1610NoNo
17536192Fluid manifold apparatus, in particular water distribution apparatusNovember 2021September 2023Allow2210NoNo
17527522PRESSURE OR FLOW REGULATION METHOD FOR GASEOUS HYDROGEN DISPENSING SYSTEMNovember 2021August 2024Allow3330NoNo
17524476DUAL SOLENOID INITIATOR VALVE FOR COMPRESSED FLUID SOURCESNovember 2021April 2025Abandon4140NoNo
17520061FLUID END USING CARTRIDGE CHECK VALVE AND WEDGE RETENTION SYSTEMNovember 2021July 2024Allow3240NoNo
17512690SAFETY VACUUM SUPPLY GAS CYLINDEROctober 2021September 2024Allow3540NoNo
17512670HYDROGEN REFUELING STATION EVALUATION DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOFOctober 2021August 2023Allow2210NoNo
17498465ENCLOSURE VENT ASSEMBLYOctober 2021January 2025Abandon3921NoYes

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner GARDNER, NICOLE.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
9
Examiner Affirmed
5
(55.6%)
Examiner Reversed
4
(44.4%)
Reversal Percentile
67.6%
Higher than average

What This Means

With a 44.4% reversal rate, the PTAB reverses the examiner's rejections in a meaningful percentage of cases. This reversal rate is above the USPTO average, indicating that appeals have better success here than typical.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
27
Allowed After Appeal Filing
10
(37.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
17
(63.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
61.0%
Higher 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, 37.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is above the USPTO average, suggesting that filing an appeal can be an effective strategy for prompting reconsideration.

Strategic Recommendations

Appeals to PTAB show good success rates. If you have a strong case on the merits, consider fully prosecuting the appeal to a Board decision.

Filing a Notice of Appeal is strategically valuable. The act of filing often prompts favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Examiner GARDNER, NICOLE - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner GARDNER, NICOLE works in Art Unit 3753 and has examined 383 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 70.5%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 30 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner GARDNER, NICOLE's allowance rate of 70.5% places them in the 33% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by GARDNER, NICOLE receive 2.23 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 62% 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 GARDNER, NICOLE is 30 months. This places the examiner in the 62% percentile for prosecution speed. Prosecution timelines are slightly faster than average with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +15.8% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by GARDNER, NICOLE. This interview benefit is in the 56% 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, 23.5% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 33% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs show below-average effectiveness with this examiner. Carefully evaluate whether an RCE or continuation is the better strategy.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 34.0% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 51% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: This examiner shows above-average receptiveness to after-final amendments. If your amendments clearly overcome the rejections and do not raise new issues, consider filing after-final amendments before resorting to an RCE.

Pre-Appeal Conference Effectiveness

When applicants request a pre-appeal conference (PAC) with this examiner, 66.7% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 57% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Recommendation: Pre-appeal conferences show above-average effectiveness with this examiner. If you have strong arguments, a PAC request may result in favorable reconsideration.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 62.5% of appeals filed. This is in the 41% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 60.0% 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, 49.1% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 45% 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 44% 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 3.0% of allowed cases (in the 73% percentile). This examiner issues Quayle actions more often than average when claims are allowable but formal matters remain (MPEP § 714.14).

Prosecution Strategy Recommendations

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

    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.