Appeal No. 1998-0236
Application No. 08/472,536
comprises a lower post 14 and an upper post 16 aligned with
the lower post and detachably supported on the lower post by a
connector 34. The upper furniture section 12 is therefore
removably mounted on the lower section 14 to permit the two
furniture sections to be separated as shown in Figure 2 of the
Perkins patent to provide flexibility and convenience to a
user (see column 1, lines 15-18 of the Perkins specification).
Such a teaching would have been ample motivation for one of
ordinary skill in the art to substitute Perkins’ post
assemblies (12, 14, 34) for Bianco’s corner support posts 12
to removable mount the upper bed section on the lower
furniture section. In addition, Perkins suggests the
provision of not one but four side rails 18 for each of the
upper and lower sections for the self-evident purpose of
reinforcing the support frame structure.
With regard to appellant’s arguments on page 37 of the
brief, the fact that both of Perkins’ upper and lower
furniture sections are shown to be bunk beds does not detract
from the obviousness of substituting Perkins’ posts assemblies
for Bianco’s support posts as discussed supra. In the first
place, bunk beds are furniture components. Thus, the
16
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