Appeal No. 98-1531 Page 5
Application No. 08/371,511
(Figures 3A-3C). A shoulder belt 44 is disclosed which “has an
upper end 46 coupled to vehicle 31 proximate the roof or side
wall and a lower end 47 coupled by a mounting flange 48 to the
floor of the vehicle” (column 5, lines 5-8). It is clear that
Serber does not disclose or teach mounting the seat belt “to
said seat assembly” or “at a point above the horizontal plane
through the point where the seatpan and seat back meet,” both
as required by claim 1.
Horan is directed to a seat for use in aircraft which
repositions the body of the occupant to improve G-load
tolerance during high acceleration flight (column 1, lines 13-
15). The essence of the Horan invention is a means for
rotating the seat upwardly and moving the occupant’s legs
toward his/her chest when high acceleration forces are
anticipated (Figures 1 and 2). Disclosed in this reference is
a seat lap belt 30 that is attached at either side of the seat
10 to secure the lower torso of the pilot “through quick-
release buckles 31 coupled to both sides of the torso harness
suit 26" (column 3, lines 20-23).
We agree with the appellant that there would have been no
suggestion to combine the references in the manner proposed by
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Last modified: November 3, 2007