Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is the final Office Action for the serial number 18/593,269, MODULAR FLOOR STAND SYSTEM, filed on 11/03/25.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-2 and 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication # 2020/0163248 to Chen in view of US Patent # 12,532,433 to Archibald et al.
Chen teaches a modular floor system comprising modular floor base (figure 22). The modular floor base comprising a base plate (8), framing member including vertical framing member (1) coupled to the base plate and the framing member includes a horizontal framing member (3) coupled to the vertical framing member and a sidewall plate (6) coupled to the framing member to from a cavity defined by one surface of the sidewall plate and the base plate. The cavity is configured to support piece of equipment (section 0001) on the horizontal framing member. The modular floor base comprises mounting feet (51). The sidewall plate includes perforation. The sidewall plate includes a cable opening. The mounting feet includes threaded fastener and nut. The height of the modular floor is adjusted by moving along in vertical position on the shaft of threaded fastener and adjusting the height of the nut on the shaft in selected vertical position.
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Chen teaches the modular floor system is installable on a subfloor of a data center (0002) but fails to teach the height of the modular floor base is adjusted based on a height of a raised floor on the subfloor of the data center. Archibald et al. teaches the height of raised floor on the subfloor of the data center is adjustable (column 7, lines 19-21). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used Chen’s modular floor base on the raised floor on the subfloor of the data center as taught by Archibald et al. to “enhance cooling by providing for air circulation beneath the cabinets”(column 7, lines 19-21 in Archibald et al.’s invention).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Archibald et al.
Chen teaches the base plate but fails to teach the base plate includes perforation however in figures 59 and 62 which are a different embodiment showing perforation (89). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added perforation in Chen’s base plate from figure 22 to provide accommodation for the cable to route therein (section 0144).
Claims 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Archibald et al. in further view of US Patent # 6,443,542 to Lindquist et al.
Chen teaches a modular floor system comprising modular floor base (figure 22). The modular floor base comprising a base plate (8), framing member including vertical framing member (1) coupled to the base plate and the framing member includes a horizontal framing member (3) coupled to the vertical framing member and a sidewall plate (6) coupled to the framing member to from a cavity defined by one surface of the sidewall plate and the base plate. The cavity is configured to support piece of equipment (section 0001) on the horizontal framing member. The modular floor base comprises mounting feet (51). The sidewall plate includes perforation. The sidewall plate includes a cable opening. The mounting feet includes threaded fastener and nut. The height of the modular floor is adjusted by moving along in vertical position on the shaft of threaded fastener and adjusting the height of the nut on the shaft in selected vertical position.
Chen teaches the first and second modular floor bases being coupled together (see figure 23) but fails to teach each of modular floor bases comprising mounting hole for receiving bolt. Lindquist et al. teaches the first and second modular floor bases (A and B) comprising mounting hole (134a and 59a) for receiving bolt (142). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added the mounting hole and bolt in Chen’s modular floor bases as taught by Lindquist et al. to provide security for connecting the two modular floor bases together.
Regarding claim 10, Chen teaches the base plate but fails to teach the base plate includes perforation however in figures 59 and 62 which are a different embodiment showing perforation (89). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have added perforation in Chen’s base plate from figure 22 to provide accommodation for the cable to route therein (section 0144).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/27/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicant’s argument, claims 1 and 3-14 did not specify the equipment is mounted on top of the modular floor system as shown in the Figure 2B from applicant’s drawing. The prior arts with Chen in combination of Archibald et al. have the ability of supporting and leveling the equipment on the data center floor. The equipment would be placed inside the Chen’s modular floor system and Archibald et al. as a secondary reference has the ability of leveling Chen’s modular floor system by adjusting the height of the floor system.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALFRED J WUJCIAK whose telephone number is (571)272-6827. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7am-3:30pm.
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ALFRED J. WUJCIAK
Examiner
Art Unit 3632
/ALFRED J WUJCIAK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636 6/29/26
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