Appeal No. 2005-2529
Application No. 10/154,140
an end cap coupled to a second end of said sleeve; and
a bias member operatively associated with said bias member
retainer housing and said end cap for biasing said bias member
retainer housing away from said end cap and absorbing energy
during impact of said end cap,
wherein said bias member retainer housing is adapted to
prevent said bias member from entering said cavity when a force
insufficient to cause compressive failure of rubber is applied to
said bias member retaining housing, and is adapted to permit said
bias member to enter said cavity when a force minimally
sufficient to cause compressive failure of rubber is applied to
said bias member retaining housing.
The examiner relies upon the following reference as evidence
of obviousness:
Fenton 627,227 June 20, 1899
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to a handlebar
safety device comprising a bias member that enters the cavity of
the handlebar when a force sufficient to cause a traumatic
abdominal wall hernia (TAWH) in a human being is applied to the
housing retaining the bias member. The retainer housing can be
made of plastic or rubber.
Appealed claims 13-15, 17-20, 22, 24-26 and 28 stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph. Claims 1, 3,
4, 6, 8-10, 12-15, 17, 19, 20, 22-26, 28 and 30 stand rejected
under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Fenton.
Appellants have not separately grouped nor offered separate
arguments for the claims on appeal. Accordingly, the appealed
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