USPTO Examiner SIRMONS KEVIN C - Art Unit 3783

Recent Applications

Detailed information about the 100 most recent patent applications.

Application NumberTitleFiling DateDisposal DateDispositionTime (months)Office ActionsRestrictionsInterviewAppeal
17037273PREFILLED SYRINGESeptember 2020April 2024Abandon4310NoNo
17025005SYRINGE ASSEMBLY AND PREFILLED SYRINGESeptember 2020January 2024Abandon4010NoNo
16976397SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF BODILY FLUIDSAugust 2020January 2025Abandon5211NoNo
16970492INTRAVENOUS ACCESSORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING SAMEAugust 2020October 2022Abandon2620NoNo
16983205INFUSION SET FOR A FLUID PUMPAugust 2020October 2022Abandon2610NoNo
16914178Balloon Catheter SystemsJune 2020June 2025Abandon5960YesNo
16877146SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SINUS ACCESSMay 2020October 2023Abandon4101NoNo
16856263SECURE PERIPHERALLY INSERTED CENTRAL CATHETER (PICC)April 2020June 2022Abandon2511NoNo
16845256DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM ACCESS SHEATHApril 2020April 2025Abandon6040YesYes
16821480METHODS AND DEVICES FOR FLUID DELIVERY AND ANALYTE SENSING VIA AN IMPLANTABLE PORTMarch 2020May 2025Abandon6021NoNo
16634625INFUSION SITE PROTECTORJanuary 2020October 2021Abandon2001NoNo
16685950METHODS FOR DELIVERY OF THERAPEUTIC MATERIALS TO TREAT CANCERNovember 2019October 2022Abandon3510NoNo
16664633TRANSPARENT CATHETER AND HUBOctober 2019January 2022Abandon2710NoNo
16491606APPARATUS FOR TRANSCUTANEOUS TREATMENT BY GASSeptember 2019October 2024Abandon6020NoNo
16552031TRANSDERMAL ADMINISTRATION DEVICEAugust 2019August 2022Abandon3520YesNo
16535471CATHETER SHEATH DEVICES AND METHODS OF OPERATING CATHETER SHEATH DEVICEAugust 2019November 2019Allow300NoNo
16476694INJECTION DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS OF USE AND ASSEMBLYJuly 2019November 2021Abandon2810NoNo
16504325MULTI-VOLUME DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM WITH VACUUM-ASSISTED MIXING AND/OR DELIVERYJuly 2019August 2022Abandon3721NoNo
16466784DEVICE FOR INJECTING A CONTROLLED DOSE OF SOLUTION, RELATIVE PRODUCTION METHOD AND KITJune 2019October 2021Abandon2801NoNo
16425450DRIP CHAMBER AND SPIKE ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICAL LINESMay 2019October 2022Abandon4140YesNo
16425135DUAL-TUBE DEVICE AN INFLATABLE CUFF FOR REMOVING IMPACTED FECAL MATTER FROM THE COLON, AND A METHOD OF USING THE SAMEMay 2019July 2022Abandon3820YesNo
16343456IMAGE CAPTURE DEVICE WITH VIEWING FUNCTIONALITYApril 2019May 2020Abandon1300NoNo
16283295NEEDLELESS INJECTORFebruary 2019January 2020Abandon1100NoNo
16211371Apparatus for promoting hair growthDecember 2018September 2021Abandon3311YesNo
16178758INJECTION NEEDLE FOR ENDOSCOPENovember 2018July 2021Abandon3320NoNo
16085083Ophthalmic Delivery Device And Ophthalmic Active Agent Containing CompositionsSeptember 2018October 2023Abandon6010NoNo
16081735Method for Checking the Condition of a Therapeutic Agent Housed in an Injection DeviceAugust 2018August 2021Abandon3620NoNo
16074682A HYPOCYCLOID END-OF-CONTENT MECHANISMAugust 2018April 2019Abandon800NoNo
15575516Drug Delivery Device with Multifunctional Bias StructureNovember 2017March 2019Abandon1500NoNo
15568518Cap Needle Assembly for an Injection Device with Predetermined Breaking PointOctober 2017March 2019Abandon1600NoNo
15460483SINGLE LUMEN BALLOON DELIVERY CATHETER WITH LUMEN BYPASS AT BALLOONMarch 2017August 2021Abandon5331YesNo
15420222SLEEVE FOR REINFORCING SYRINGE CARTRIDGEJanuary 2017June 2021Abandon5241YesNo
15410044RADIOFREQUENCY AND PLASMA DEVICE FOR VAGINAL LAXITY AND REMODELINGJanuary 2017March 2021Abandon5031YesNo
15102191IMPLANTABLE THERAPEUTIC DEVICESJune 2016March 2021Abandon5750NoNo
10825544INFLATABLE INTRALUMINAL MOLDING DEVICEApril 2004May 2005Allow1320NoNo
10605352MICROTUBES FOR SURGERY AND DENTISTRYSeptember 2003March 2005Allow1820NoNo
10655553SUCTION AND DIRECTIONAL IRRIGATION APPARATUSSeptember 2003August 2005Allow2320NoNo
10635503SAFETY NEEDLE AND SHIELDAugust 2003September 2005Allow2511NoNo
10467235INJECTION SYRINGE AND DISPOSAL CONTAINER FOR INJECTION NEEDLE UNITSAugust 2003March 2005Allow1910NoNo
10439435OVER-THE-NEEDLE SAFETY MIDLINE CATHETERMay 2003February 2005Allow2120NoNo
10436435CATHETER VALVE TO PREVENT BLADDER ATROPHYMay 2003December 2004Allow1910NoNo
10411243SAFETY SYRINGEApril 2003January 2004Allow910NoNo
10411241SAFETY SYRINGEApril 2003September 2003Allow500NoNo
10470593INTRAVASCULAR BALLOON OCCLUSION DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USING THE SAMEMarch 2003March 2005Allow2410NoNo
10379436COOLING DEVICE FOR AN INJECTION APPARATUSMarch 2003March 2005Allow2420NoNo
10372132SAFETY HYPODERMIC SYRINGEFebruary 2003April 2004Allow1300NoNo
10360253VENIPUNCTURE SITE PROTECTOR AND METHOD OF USING SAMEFebruary 2003April 2004Allow1400NoNo
10347800SAFETY SYRINGEJanuary 2003November 2004Allow2100NoNo
10348441MEDICAL INSTRUMENT FOR IRRIGATION AND/OR SUCTIONJanuary 2003September 2005Allow3230NoNo
10248418EMBOLI CAPTURING DEVICEJanuary 2003June 2004Allow1610NoNo
10327623VISCOUS FLUID INJECTION SYSTEMDecember 2002August 2005Allow3220NoNo
10319472INJECTION DEVICESDecember 2002February 2005Allow2620NoNo
10203850VESTIBULAR IRRIGATOR TEST SYSTEM (VITS)November 2002December 2004Allow2810NoNo
10301461DELIVERY DEVICE AND CARTRIDGE THEREFORENovember 2002March 2008Allow6021NoNo
10292663SYRINGENovember 2002January 2004Allow1411NoNo
10287566CATHETER ASSEMBLY WITH JOINABLE CATHETERSNovember 2002February 2005Allow2710NoNo
10281837DISPOSABLE PERINEUM CLEANING DEVICEOctober 2002September 2004Allow2300NoNo
10273045DUAL CHAMBERED FLUID DISPLACEMENT APPARATUSOctober 2002December 2004Allow2610NoNo
10252336DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS & METHODSSeptember 2002December 2003Allow1401NoNo
10246324VASCULAR ACCESS PORT WITH NEEDLE DETECTORSeptember 2002June 2005Allow3320NoNo
10221340DEVICE FOR INSERTING IMPLANTSSeptember 2002February 2005Allow2920NoNo
10237139PRESSURE ISOLATION MECHANISMS AND FLUID DELIVERY SYSTEMS INCLUDING PRESSURE ISOLATION MECHANISMSSeptember 2002November 2004Allow2621NoNo
10234767DEVICE FOR TARGETED, CATHERIZED DELIVERY OF MEDICATIONSSeptember 2002July 2004Allow2211NoNo
10208743AUTOMATIC SAFETY SYRINGEAugust 2002November 2003Allow1510NoNo
10191864SAFETY DEVICE FOR SYRINGEJuly 2002February 2004Allow1900NoNo
10187058CATHETER HAVING A FUNNEL-SHAPED OCCLUSION BALLOON OF UNIFORM THICKNESS AND METHODS OF MANUFACTUREJune 2002October 2004Allow2811NoNo
10172160CATHETER AND METHOD OF FLUID REMOVAL FROM A BODY CAVITYJune 2002August 2005Allow3841NoNo
10031565INJECTION DEVICEMay 2002April 2003Allow1500NoNo
10125365METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IMPARTING CURVES IN ELONGATED MEDICAL CATHETERSApril 2002May 2005Allow3710NoNo
09926275DISPOSABLE SAFETY SYRINGEJanuary 2002June 2003Allow2110NoNo
09998562CONNECTING DEVICES FOR CATHETERS, PERFUSION EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS FOR PERFUSING OR DRAINING LIQUIDS IN THE HUMAN BODYNovember 2001June 2003Allow1821NoNo
10008563DISPOSABLE NEEDLE-FREE INJECTION APPARATUS AND METHODNovember 2001April 2003Allow1701NoNo
10011262SYRINGE SAFETY DEVICENovember 2001November 2003Allow2410NoNo
09957861ERGONOMIC SYRINGESeptember 2001April 2003Allow1910NoNo
09960558AURAL CATHETER SYSTEM INCLUDING ANCHOR BALLOON AND BALLOON INFLATION DEVICESeptember 2001June 2003Allow2010NoNo
09856258MEDICAMENT TRANSFERRING DEVICESeptember 2001June 2003Allow2510NoNo
09952501ADJUSTABLE PROFILE STEERABLE CATHETERSeptember 2001December 2003Allow2711NoNo
09953460SAFETY SYRINGESeptember 2001August 2003Allow2310NoNo
09948061RETRACTABLE HYPODERMIC SYRINGESeptember 2001July 2003Allow2310NoNo
09919254CONTRAST MEDIUM DELIVERY SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODJuly 2001May 2005Allow5040NoYes
09892366NEEDLELESS JET INJECTOR SYSTEM WITH SEPARATE DRUG RESERVOIRJune 2001May 2003Allow2310NoNo
09814020INJECTOR SYSTEMS AND SYRINGE ADAPTERS FOR USE THEREWITHMarch 2001January 2004Allow3411NoNo
09814138SYRINGE ADAPTERS FOR USE WITH AN INJECTORMarch 2001November 2003Allow3121NoNo
09780823X-RAY PROBE SHEATH APPARATUSFebruary 2001July 2002Allow1700NoNo

Appeals Overview

This analysis examines appeal outcomes and the strategic value of filing appeals for examiner SIRMONS, KEVIN C.

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Decisions

Total PTAB Decisions
1
Examiner Affirmed
1
(100.0%)
Examiner Reversed
0
(0.0%)
Reversal Percentile
20.4%
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
2
Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(50.0%)
Not Allowed After Appeal Filing
1
(50.0%)
Filing Benefit Percentile
83.5%
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, 50.0% 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

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

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

Examiner SIRMONS, KEVIN C - Prosecution Strategy Guide

Executive Summary

Examiner SIRMONS, KEVIN C works in Art Unit 3783 and has examined 84 patent applications in our dataset. With an allowance rate of 60.7%, this examiner allows applications at a lower rate than most examiners at the USPTO. Applications typically reach final disposition in approximately 26 months.

Allowance Patterns

Examiner SIRMONS, KEVIN C's allowance rate of 60.7% places them in the 22% percentile among all USPTO examiners. This examiner is less likely to allow applications than most examiners at the USPTO.

Office Action Patterns

On average, applications examined by SIRMONS, KEVIN C receive 1.38 office actions before reaching final disposition. This places the examiner in the 19% percentile for office actions issued. This examiner issues significantly fewer office actions than most examiners.

Prosecution Timeline

The median time to disposition (half-life) for applications examined by SIRMONS, KEVIN C is 26 months. This places the examiner in the 77% percentile for prosecution speed. Applications move through prosecution relatively quickly with this examiner.

Interview Effectiveness

Conducting an examiner interview provides a -68.0% benefit to allowance rate for applications examined by SIRMONS, KEVIN C. This interview benefit is in the 0% 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, 9.7% of applications are subsequently allowed. This success rate is in the 6% 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 57.1% of cases where such amendments are filed. This entry rate is in the 84% 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, 0.0% result in withdrawal of the rejection or reopening of prosecution. This success rate is in the 23% percentile among all examiners. Note: Pre-appeal conferences show limited success with this examiner compared to others. While still worth considering, be prepared to proceed with a full appeal brief if the PAC does not result in favorable action.

Appeal Withdrawal and Reconsideration

This examiner withdraws rejections or reopens prosecution in 50.0% of appeals filed. This is in the 22% percentile among all examiners. Of these withdrawals, 100.0% occur early in the appeal process (after Notice of Appeal but before Appeal Brief). Strategic Insight: This examiner rarely withdraws rejections during the appeal process compared to other examiners. If you file an appeal, be prepared to fully prosecute it to a PTAB decision. Per MPEP § 1207, the examiner will prepare an Examiner's Answer maintaining the rejections.

Petition Practice

When applicants file petitions regarding this examiner's actions, 58.3% are granted (fully or in part). This grant rate is in the 59% percentile among all examiners. Strategic Note: Petitions show above-average success regarding this examiner's actions. Petitionable matters include restriction requirements (MPEP § 1002.02(c)(2)) and various procedural issues.

Examiner Cooperation and Flexibility

Examiner's Amendments: This examiner makes examiner's amendments in 2.4% of allowed cases (in the 77% percentile). Per MPEP § 1302.04, examiner's amendments are used to place applications in condition for allowance when only minor changes are needed. This examiner frequently uses this tool compared to other examiners, indicating a cooperative approach to getting applications allowed. Strategic Insight: If you are close to allowance but minor claim amendments are needed, this examiner may be willing to make an examiner's amendment rather than requiring another round of prosecution.

Quayle Actions: This examiner issues Ex Parte Quayle actions in 0.0% of allowed cases (in the 51% 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:

  • Prepare for rigorous examination: With a below-average allowance rate, ensure your application has strong written description and enablement support. Consider filing a continuation if you need to add new matter.
  • 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.
  • Examiner cooperation: This examiner frequently makes examiner's amendments to place applications in condition for allowance. If you are close to allowance, the examiner may help finalize the claims.

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.