Appeal No. 95-3283
Application No. 08/050,911
seven-bladed fan 30 mounted thereon. The focus of the patentee’s
attention is on a pair of upstanding steering vanes. The passage
in the patent (column 3, lines 20 through 30), referenced by the
examiner, addresses the applicability of the vane arrangement to
other fluid propelled vehicles, e.g., air boats and propeller
aircraft. However, we do not perceive from this statement any
inference that the engine and power output disclosed by Van
Veldhuizen may appropriately be replaced by any aircraft engine
configuration. We, of course, recognize that those of ordinary
skill in the art understand that airboats typically employ
aircraft engines connected to solid direct-drive shafts
(appellant’s specification, page 1). Notwithstanding this latter
knowledge, we do not discern any basis for selecting the engine
and shaft configuration of Wright from among all known aircraft
engine arrangements for use with an airboat, apart from
appellant’s own teaching. The Stout patent does not overcome
this deficiency.
Since the only evidence before us fails to suggest the
claimed invention, we are constrained to reverse the rejections
of appellant’s claims under 35 USC § 103. It follows that we
need not address the affidavits mentioned in the brief (pages 24
5
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