Appeal No. 1999-0611 Page 5
Application No. 08/814,272
a "front facade of a plurality of upright doors." While we do
agree with the examiner that "doors have numerous and vastly
different appearances" (answer, page 4), we find that a
"facade of a plurality of upright doors" requires an exterior
that appears to the viewer as a plurality of distinct
recognizable upright doors. From our viewpoint, the front
surfaces of the garage doors disclosed by Fimbell (see Figure
1) and Norberg (see Figure 1) do not present such an
appearance. While it is possible for one to carve out
portions of the exterior of the garage door of either Fimbell
or Norberg and designate them as doors, neither garage door
appears to the viewer as a plurality of distinct recognizable
upright doors.
With regard to independent claim 14, which requires
"frame means having at least one opening for exposing a
portion of the front wall, said one opening exposes portion of
the front wall having an upright door facade," the panels of
the garage door of Fimbell do comprise lower rails (16), upper
rails (18), end stiles (20) and mullions (22) which define
openings exposing the front surfaces of composite panes (24).
However, the front surface of a composite pane (24) does not,
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