Appeal No. 97-2734
Application 08/394,067
means for biasing said supporting means
to provide a dynamic support for said
handgrip while said orthopedic crutches
[sic] is in use.
In somewhat different terms, independent claim 12 on
appeal defines an orthopedic crutch which comprises a pair of
vertical supports (e.g., 26); an upper cross-member (e.g., 17)
rigidly connected to said vertical supports at an upper end
forming an armpit support; a support leg (e.g., 16), rigidly
connected intermediate the opposing ends of the vertical
supports; a handgrip (e.g., 24); and
means for dynamically supporting said
handgrip while said orthopedic crutch is
in use to provide a movable support for
both upward and downward movement of said
handgrip.
In the examiner's view the crutch of Stein includes
a handgrip as defined in appellants' claims 1 and 12, with the
structure seen best in Figure 3 and 4 of Stein being
responsive to the "means" clauses of claims 1 and 12.
However, we share appellants' view that Stein's crutch
11
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