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 .
After reviewing the IDS submitted January 23, 2026, it was determined that the following rejections should be made.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 16-18, 20-23 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Abu-Akel et al (2016/0015167). Abu-Akel teaches a workstation (10; Fig. 2) comprising: a head unit assembly including a work surface (18); and a support column (62) extending between a first portion and a second portion, the head unit assembly configured to be removably coupled to the first portion, the second portion including: an attachment block (60) extending axially from the second portion of the support column away from the first portion of the support column; and a housing member (12) including a hollow section configured to receive the attachment block at least partially therein to couple the support column to the housing member, the housing member couplable to a structure (32) to couple the workstation to the structure; wherein the housing member includes attachment guides (a; see annotated figure below) extending into the hollow section, wherein the attachment block includes attachment channels (b) formed in the attachment block and extending toward a center of the attachment block, and wherein the attachment guides and the attachment channels are complementary such as to locate the support column relative to the housing member. Wherein the housing member is selectively couplable to one of a mobile base (32), a wall, a cabinet, a rack, or a pole. The housing member comprising: an auto-locking feature (snap-fit; paragraph 0064) configured to secure the attachment block into the housing member as the attachment block is inserted into the housing member. Wherein the attachment block has a smaller axial cross-sectional area than an axial cross-sectional area of the support column (Fig. 2). There is mobile base including a plurality of wheels (32), the housing member configured to couple to the mobile base opposite the plurality of wheels, the mobile base configured to facilitate rolling the workstation about a flooring surface. Wherein at least one wheel of the plurality of wheels comprises a lock to prevent movement of the mobile base around a facility when the lock is moved to a locked position (paragraph 0064). The workstation comprising: a power system housing (46) removably coupled to the mobile base and configured to house a power module and a battery, the power module and the battery configured to supply electrical power to electronic components of the workstation. Wherein the head unit assembly comprises: a head unit chassis (rear recessed frame of 18) configured to couple the work surface to the head unit assembly; and a keyboard tray (20) located below the work surface, the keyboard tray slidably engaged with the head unit chassis so that the keyboard tray is translatable toward and away from the support column.
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Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 25 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abu-Akel et al (2016/0015167) in view of Terry (2012/0170293). As stated above, Abu-Akel teaches the limitations of claim 16, including a support column. For claims 25 and 26, Hansen fails to teach a security bracket to attach the housing member to a wall. Terry teaches a security bracket (Fig. 4) configured to be coupled to the wall (26), the security bracket configured to engage the first portion of the support column (at 23) to limit motion of a workstation (see title). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the workstation of Abu-Akel by adding a security bracket, such as is taught by Terry, around the support column, to securely position the workstation with housing member against a wall when desired.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24, 28 and 29 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 31-34 and 36-38 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 16-18, 20-23 and 30 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JANET M WILKENS whose telephone number is 571-272-6869. The examiner can normally be reached Mon thru Thurs 7am-5:30pm EST.
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Wilkens
February 11, 2026
/JANET M WILKENS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637