USPTO Examiner MCGRATH ERIN E - Art Unit 3771

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
19217972Infusion Catheter and Balloon Catheter System and MethodMay 2025February 2026Allow920NoNo
18404930TREATMENT OF GERDJanuary 2024September 2025Allow2010NoNo
18379493AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC BONE DUST SCRAPEROctober 2023March 2026Abandon2910NoNo
182681873D PRINTED MEDICAL BALLOONS AND METHODS OF INTEGRATING HIGH STRENGTH FIBERS IN MEDICAL BALLOONSJune 2023December 2025Abandon3010NoNo
18254667SURGICAL STAPLERMay 2023March 2026Allow3310NoNo
18030169HAND-HELD SHAFT-TYPE SURGICAL INSTRUMENTApril 2023October 2025Allow3010NoNo
18102880STERILIZED MEDICAL DEVICE WITH TEARABLE COVERJanuary 2023January 2026Allow3511YesNo
18083217SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A SKIN SMOOTHING DEVICEDecember 2022September 2025Abandon3310NoNo
18078409ALBARRAN AND PULL WIRE CARRIER FOR AN ALBARRANDecember 2022February 2026Allow3820YesNo
18009331KERATIN REMOVAL TOOLDecember 2022October 2025Abandon3410NoNo
17965194NOVEL SURGICAL INCISION DEVICE FOR DENTAL IMPLANT PLACEMENTOctober 2022November 2025Allow3721YesNo
17944848SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR TUOHY NEEDLE CONNECTOR AND METHODS OF USESeptember 2022June 2025Allow3310NoNo
17900349MICRODEBRIDER WITH STABILITY INTERFACE BUSHINGAugust 2022May 2025Allow3320NoNo
17897173INSTRUMENT PRE-PRODUCT AND MEDICAL INSTRUMENTAugust 2022February 2025Allow3010NoNo
17884158SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS HAVING REPLACEABLE SEAL PLATESAugust 2022June 2025Abandon3510NoNo
17760148SUTURE WITH A PLURALITY OF COLOR MARKSAugust 2022November 2025Allow3930YesNo
17878137INPUT DEVICES FOR ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEMSAugust 2022February 2026Abandon4320NoNo
17873747MEDICAL DEVICEJuly 2022January 2026Allow4210NoNo
17759410MEDICAL SYSTEMS, DEVICES AND METHODS ADAPTED FOR TISSUE FIXATION AND APPROXIMATING TISSUE DEFECTSJuly 2022November 2025Allow4010YesNo
17869923SURGICAL INSTRUMENT AND STEERING GEAR THEREOFJuly 2022December 2025Allow4120NoNo
17867831SPINE CONNECTING RODJuly 2022August 2025Allow3710NoNo
17812084COLLET DEPLOYABLE HEMOSTASIS CLIPJuly 2022November 2025Allow4011NoNo
17791569SELF KNOTTING SUTURING INSTRUMENTJuly 2022August 2025Allow3830NoNo
17791227A DEVICE FOR THE STITCHING OF LAPAROSCOPIC INCISIONS AND METHODS THEREOFJuly 2022November 2025Allow4040NoNo
17857197T-shaped Anchorable MeshJuly 2022February 2026Abandon4330NoNo
17856158METHOD AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM FOR REGISTERING TWO-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DATA SET WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGE DATA SET OF BODY OF INTERESTJuly 2022January 2026Allow4320NoNo
17854500MULTISPAN CINCHABLE LOOPS FOR KNOTLESS SPANNING OF TISSUE BETWEEN ANCHOR POINTS AND TOOLS FOR USING THE SAMEJune 2022July 2025Allow3721YesNo
17758176LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY SYSTEM CALIBRATOR AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAMEJune 2022November 2025Abandon4010NoNo
17849111HEATING BLADE UNIT, TREATMENT TOOL, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HEATING BLADE UNITJune 2022July 2025Allow3721YesNo
17847341LINKED ASSEMBLY WITH ISTHMUS ANCHOR FOR TREATING PATULOUS EUSTACHIAN TUBEJune 2022September 2025Abandon3910NoNo
17787615AUTO-SUTURED ALLOGRAFTJune 2022March 2025Allow3310NoNo
17782327NEEDLING DEVICES AND PENETRATION DEPTHSJune 2022March 2026Abandon4510NoNo
17780228SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR LAPAROSCOPIC DELIVERY AND DEPLOYMENT OF A NEURAL INTERFACEMay 2022July 2025Allow3810NoNo
17749323BLOOD FLOW OCCLUSION DEVICES AND METHODS THEREOFMay 2022November 2025Abandon4210NoNo
17663938INFANT PACIFIER WITH EXTERNAL FEEDING PATHWAYMay 2022July 2025Abandon3810NoNo
17747968MEDICAL DEVICEMay 2022October 2025Allow4121NoNo
17746271DEFORMABLE BREAKING MEMBER HAVING MULTIPLE CONTACT PORTIONSMay 2022September 2025Allow4020NoNo
17663198PATIENT INTERFACE DEVICE FOR OPHTHALMIC SURGICAL LASER SYSTEMMay 2022October 2025Allow4110YesNo
17740216TISSUE ANCHORING DEVICE AND USE THEREOFMay 2022September 2025Abandon4010NoNo
17734913ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEM WITH FLOATING PATIENT MOUNTMay 2022January 2026Allow4430NoNo
17709232NEEDLE CLAMPING DEVICE AND LEG SUPPORT DEVICEMarch 2022May 2025Allow3811NoNo
17651736HEART VALVE MANUFACTURING DEVICES AND METHODSFebruary 2022February 2026Allow4821NoNo
17668755METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR RESTORING FLOWFebruary 2022June 2025Allow4110NoNo
17552488IMPLANTABLE SPHINCTER DEVICE WITH BEAD ORIENTATION CONTROL BASED ON BEAD INTERACTIVE GEOMETRYDecember 2021February 2025Allow3810YesNo
17619170SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING MR-GUIDED TRANSRECTAL PROSTATE BIOPSYDecember 2021July 2025Allow4310NoNo
17544180Method for treating advanced primary angle closure glaucomaDecember 2021January 2026Allow4930NoNo
17595813MICRO-INVASIVE SURGICAL DEVICE AND METHODS OF USENovember 2021May 2025Allow4220NoNo
17612835SELF-INTERFACING JAW MEMBERS FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENTSNovember 2021July 2024Abandon3210NoNo
17612189Needle-Tract Assistant Including Components and Methods ThereofNovember 2021March 2025Allow4020NoNo
17511166ANTI-VACUUM SURGE SYSTEMOctober 2021March 2025Allow4110NoNo
17803193ALTERNATING PRESSURE BEDOctober 2021November 2025Abandon4920NoNo
17491691DEVICES AND METHODS FOR COSMETIC SKIN RESURFACINGOctober 2021July 2025Abandon4610NoNo
17438205SURGICAL TOOLSeptember 2021February 2025Allow4110NoNo
17472201CONTROL DEVICE, ULTRASONIC TREATMENT SYSTEM, AND RESONANCE FREQUENCY SEARCHING METHODSeptember 2021August 2025Allow4720YesNo
17471283METHODS AND DEVICES FOR REPAIRING AND ANCHORING DAMAGED TISSUESeptember 2021November 2025Allow5031NoNo
17470822ONE-WAY LIFTING EMBEDDED CATGUT, LIFTING DEVICE, AND PLASTIC SURGERY METHOD USING SAMESeptember 2021June 2024Abandon3310NoNo
17426317METHOD FOR RESHAPING SEVERELY STENOSED AORTIC VALVE HAVING LEAFLETS WITH BICUSPID MALFORMATION AND SEVERE CALCIFICATIONJuly 2021February 2025Allow4320NoNo
17381838Lancing Device with EjectorJuly 2021June 2025Allow4711NoNo
17355666BENDABLE CATHETERJune 2021March 2025Abandon4410NoNo
17334078MULTISTAGE BIOABSORBABLE PLUG SYSTEMMay 2021March 2025Allow4510NoNo
17320745WIRELESS TATTOO DEVICEMay 2021July 2024Allow3810NoNo
17308443ENDOSCOPE CLIP AND OPERATION METHOD FOR CLIP ARMMay 2021January 2026Allow5721NoNo
17237023SINGLE-CORE FIBER AND MULTI-CORE FIBER CONFIGURATIONS FOR MEDICAL DEVICESApril 2021June 2025Abandon5011NoNo
17235847HAND-HELD POWER TOOL HAVING GRASP-ACTIVATED POWER SWITCHApril 2021September 2025Abandon5220NoNo
17286218IMPLANTS FOR FILLING BORE HOLES IN BONE AND METHODS FOR FILLING BORE HOLES IN BONEApril 2021September 2025Allow5320NoNo
17232783MEDICAL SYSTEM WITH SEPARATOR DEVICEApril 2021May 2025Allow4920NoNo
17286199Catheter System for Explanting an Intracardiac Medical Device, Particularly a Pacing SystemApril 2021March 2025Abandon4710NoNo
17279436CAM ROLLER TYPE HORIZONTAL EXTRUSION CRACKING SYSTEM FOR WALNUTSMarch 2021August 2023Allow2910NoNo
17249536VEIN STABILIZER DEVICE FOR THE VENIPUNCTURE PROCESSMarch 2021May 2025Abandon5130YesNo
17189891STAGED FRYER HEATING SYSTEMMarch 2021August 2023Allow3020YesNo
17183374LASER PROCESSING APPARATUSFebruary 2021August 2023Allow3020NoNo
17182723ROBOTIC DEVICE FOR DENTAL SURGERYFebruary 2021August 2025Allow5420NoNo
17181567Cutting Assembly Including A Grip For A Surgical InstrumentFebruary 2021August 2025Allow5420YesNo
17269237MEDICAL DEVICE FOR NEURAL REPAIRING OF THE SPINAL CORD OR OF A NERVEFebruary 2021November 2024Allow4510YesNo
17173267CUSTOMIZED IMPLANT AND METHODFebruary 2021September 2024Allow4320YesNo
17250607VASCULAR TREATMENT DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USEFebruary 2021September 2024Allow4320YesNo
17168166THROMBECTOMY DEVICES AND METHODSFebruary 2021June 2024Abandon4001NoNo
17050444SUTURING CLIPOctober 2020April 2025Allow5421NoNo
17031438APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR ALIGNMENT OF A SUSCEPTORSeptember 2020September 2023Allow3610YesNo
17012038HEATING ELEMENT, HEATING ASSEMBLY AND MOTOR VEHICLESeptember 2020July 2023Allow3420YesNo
17001213FOOD PRODUCT TEMPERATURE REGULATION UNITAugust 2020September 2023Allow3721NoNo
16787504WARMING CABINET FOR FOOD STORAGEFebruary 2020September 2023Allow4330YesNo
16332305Smoker GunMarch 2019September 2023Allow5431NoNo
16273612HEATING ELEMENT AND HEATER ASSEMBLIES, CARTRIDGES, AND E-VAPOR DEVICES INCLUDING A HEATING ELEMENTFebruary 2019August 2023Allow5460YesNo
16089878LASER MACHINING APPARATUS AND LASER MACHINING METHODSeptember 2018September 2023Allow6041YesYes
14698351LASER PROCESSING SYSTEM HAVING FUNCTION OF PREPARING TO RESTART PROCESSINGApril 2015November 2018Allow4350YesNo
14605370HEATING DEVICEJanuary 2015January 2019Allow4840NoNo
14505821FAN ASSEMBLYOctober 2014April 2019Allow5450YesNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner MCGRATH, ERIN E.

Strategic Value of Filing an Appeal

Total Appeal Filings
1
Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(100.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
0
(0.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
99.8%
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, 100.0% of applications that filed an appeal were subsequently allowed. This appeal filing benefit rate is in the top 25% across the USPTO, indicating that filing appeals is particularly effective here. The act of filing often prompts favorable reconsideration during the mandatory appeal conference.

Strategic Recommendations

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

Examiner MCGRATH, ERIN E - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner MCGRATH, ERIN E works in Art Unit 3771 and has examined 45 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 77.8%, this examiner has a below-average tendency to allow applications. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 45 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner MCGRATH, ERIN E's allowance rate of 77.8% 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 MCGRATH, ERIN E receive 2.02 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 52% 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 MCGRATH, ERIN E is 45 months. This places the examiner in the 13% percentile for prosecution speed. Applications take longer to reach final disposition with this examiner compared to most others.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a +23.3% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by MCGRATH, ERIN E. This interview benefit is in the 69% 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, 31.8% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 66% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Insight: RCEs show above-average effectiveness with this examiner. Consider whether your amendments or new arguments are strong enough to warrant an RCE versus filing a continuation.

After-Final Amendment Practice

This examiner enters after-final amendments leading to allowance in 48.1% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 72% 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.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 100.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 99% 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, 80.0% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 85% 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 45% 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 5.7% of allowed cases (in the 82% 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:

  • 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.
  • Plan for extended prosecution: Applications take longer than average with this examiner. Factor this into your continuation strategy and client communications.

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.