Appeal No. 1998-3413
Application No. 08/512,782
that the collar or ring member (10) can be made in a variety
of colors, thereby providing another potential difference in
decorative characteristics between the ceramic flower pot and
the molded plastic collar or ring member.
In light of the foregoing, we agree with the examiner
that the method as set forth in claim 7 on appeal is
anticipated by Coleman. Thus, the examiner’s rejection of
claim 7 under
35 U.S.C. § 102(b) based on Coleman is sustained.
We next consider the examiner’s rejection of claims 1, 2
and 11 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) based on Coleman. With regard
to claims 1 and 2 on appeal, we agree with the examiner that
it is well known in the flower pot art to make multiple pots
that have generally the same shape and dimensions and to then
store those pots in a nested, stacked relationship. Moreover,
we agree with the examiner that the collar and pot combination
seen in Figure 4 of Coleman would have been recognized by
those of ordinary skill in the art as having the capability of
allowing such nestible, stacked storage thereof. In that
10
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