Appeal No. 1999-0627 Page 7
Application No. 08/688,991
extending protrusion disposed generally at the location of the
boss (18b). As the examiner finds that a section (R) of the
handle comprising both that "tail" and a portion of the handle
located forwardly thereof respond to the rear section recited
in claim 1, the appellants' first argument that the "tail" is
not of a length and diameter to be easily grasped as claimed
is not relevant and is thus not persuasive. The appellants do
not assert that the section (R) of the handle, considered by
the examiner to respond to the claimed rear section, has such
a deficiency.
As to the appellants' argument that the section (R) of
the handle "could not reasonably be deemed a slight downwardly
angled bulbous rear section," we note that "bulbous" is
defined as "of, shaped like, or having a bulb or bulbs" and
that a "bulb" is a "rounded thing or enlarged part." 3
Accordingly, it is not apparent to us why the rear section (R)
could not reasonably be considered "slightly bulbous" as
claimed.
3Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition (Simon &
Schuster, Inc. 1988).
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