Appeal No. 2000-1489 Page 5
Application No. 09/188,421
The appellant argues (brief, pp. 5-6) that the vehicle
access ramp of Vartanian is permanently affixed to the vehicle
in which it is placed and thus there is absolutely no
suggestion whatsoever in Vartanian that the ramp could be
removably positioned within the doorway to enable the ramp to
be completely removed therefrom so that the service van may be
used for other purposes. The appellant then concludes that it
would not have been obvious to provide the ramp structure
described in claims 1 and 5 based upon the teachings of
Vartanian. We do not agree for the reasons that follow.
Vartanian's invention relates to a foldable vehicle wheel
chair ramp which can be deployed, swung out of the way, and
stowed in a vehicle, by means of a ramp mounting with mutually
perpendicular alternative pivot axes. Vartanian teaches
(column 1, line 61, to column 2, line 2) that
[t]here is a need for a vehicle access ramp which
can function in the manner of ramps of the type stowed in
doorways, preferably including plural folded panels, but
does not block the doorway when stowed. For this purpose
the ramp of the invention has alternative pivot axes,
namely, a horizontal pivot used to deploy the ramp
downwardly to the ground for wheelchair access, and also
a vertical pivot which allows the stowed ramp to be swung
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