DETAILED ACTION
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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Randlov (20210227970). The reference to Randlov teaches structure as claimed including a lifting table, comprising: a tabletop (19), comprising a tabletop surface; and a lifting leg (14), coupled to the tabletop and configured to dispose the tabletop within a plurality of different heights, the lifting leg comprising: a first leg element (11) , comprising a first leg distal top end and a first leg distal bottom end; a second leg element (10), comprising a second leg distal top end and a second leg distal bottom end, wherein at least a portion of the second leg element (10) is disposed within the first leg element (11), and wherein the second leg element is configured to move relative to the first leg element; a first L-shaped friction sliding plate(2), comprising a first cross-sectional profile, the first L-shaped friction sliding plate disposed between the first leg element and the second leg element, coupled to the second leg distal top end of the second leg element, and configured to move relative to the first leg element; and a second L-shaped friction sliding plate, comprising a second cross-sectional profile (3) different from the first cross-sectional profile, the second L-shaped friction sliding plate disposed between the first leg element and the second leg element, coupled to the first leg distal bottom end of the first leg element, and configured to move relative to the second leg element.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Randlov (20210227970) in view of Walling (20200132116). The reference to Randlov teaches structure substantially as claimed as discussed above including L-shaped sliding plates, and grooves of different orientations (at least figs 1-2)(different orientations in that they are in different planes) the only difference being that the arm of the L-shaped members are not of different lengths and does not include vertical cutouts. However, the reference to Walling teaches the use of providing arms of different lengths of the L-shaped members (at least fig 7A at 76B, 78C) and vertical cutouts (fig 4A, B adjacent to 34 )
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure of Randlov with a reasonable expectation of success, to include a the arms of the L-shaped members of different lengths and vertical cutouts, as taught by Walling since such are conventional alternative structures used in the same intended purpose and environment and would have been a reasonably predictable result, thereby providing structure as claimed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 17 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited teach structure similar to applicant’s including vertically adjustable leg and table structure including friction reducing members.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE V CHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6865. The examiner can normally be reached m-f, m-w 5:30-3:00, th5:30-2:00.
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/JOSE V CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3637