Appeal No. 1999-0605
Application No. 08/697,214
Appellant’s invention relates to a support device which has a flexible support arm (1)
comprised of an elastically flexible, corrugated, plastic tube (2) surrounding a bendable
aluminum rod (3). The support arm is adapted to be supported at one end (6) thereof and
to support an object at the opposite end (10). As noted on page 2 of the specification, the
diameter of the aluminum rod is half the inner diameter of the plastic tube so as to impart
strength to the flexible arm while at the same time making it possible to run an electrical
wire through the plastic tube. A copy of independent claim 1 can be found in the Appendix
to appellant’s brief.
The prior art references relied upon by the examiner in rejecting the appealed claims
are:
Simons 1,786,459 Dec. 30, 1930
Bast et al. (Bast) 4,560,831 Dec. 24, 1985
Sheppard et al. (Sheppard) 4,842,174 Jun. 27, 1989
Trimmer 5,592,749 Jan. 14, 1997
Claims 1, 5 and 6 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over
Trimmer in view of Simons.
Claim 1, 5 and 6 additionally stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
unpatentable over Sheppard in view of Trimmer and Simons.
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