Appeal No. 2006-1067 Page 4
Application No. 09/822,839
up a stack of blanks to a second position (Figure 3E) where it can drop off the stack in
the hopper of a prefeeder P. The clamp is also moved along an inverted u-shaped path
via rollers 56 disposed in u-shaped grooves or slots 52 in guides 51 to invert the stack
as it is moved from the outfeed conveyor to the hopper of the prefeeder. As also
illustrated in Figures 3A through 3H, the stack turner 10 is wheeled, via casters 17, into
position between article prefeeder P and conveyor C adjacent output conveyor O of a
device for forming stacks of carton blanks S1.
Monsees lacks a means for turning the stacked sheets (blanks) in a plane
thereof, as required by claim 1. The examiner relies on Fujishiro for a suggestion to
provide such a feature.
Specifically, the examiner’s position, as stated on pages 3 and 4 of the answer, is
that such turning devices are old and well known in the art and provide various well
known benefits including providing a desired orientation of stacked sheets for one or
more subsequent operations, such as orientation of the workpiece for proper orientation
of instructions, logos, etc. for shipping/packaging. The examiner points to Fujishiro as
evidence that such turning means were known in the art at the time of appellant’s
invention. Fujishiro discloses a turntable 11 onto which a plurality of bundles of printed
sheets are accumulated. When a predetermined number of bundles has been
accumulated and a stack has been formed, the turntable is rotated 180 degrees and the
stack is transferred off the turntable onto a plurality of transferring rolls 20, 20’, 20”, 20”’.
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