Appeal No. 1997-4430
Application 08/421,463
end of a shorter leg nesting behind the bulbous end of a
longer leg to minimize the overall thickness of the folded
pipe.
As to claim 61, we find that the claimed replacement pipe
product is not anticipated by the Laurent teaching. As can be
discerned from the Laurent document, an initial cylindrical
tube is provided with an elastic memory, which initial tube
shape is subsequently returned to or regained from a deformed
tube configuration (Figs. 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D). This is not 4
the replacement tube product of claim 61 which requires a
memory for a “reduced non-circular form”.
The Obviousness Rejections
We reverse the respective rejections of claims 39 through
41 and 65, and claim 66 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, for reasons set
forth, infra.
4 We note that the teaching of Laurent is somewhat akin to
the embodiment of appellant’s Figures 1 and 3 wherein a memory
exists for a rounded tubular shape.
7
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