Appeal No. 1999-0180 Application No. 08/629,260 vibration member having flexible protrusions. As explained on page 2 of the specification, [o]n parts of the skin which overlie a relatively soft tissue and hence are relatively insensitive to mechanical vibrations, the flexible protrusions are not bent so that the mechanical vibrations penetrate deeply into the skin and into the underlying tissue, and an adequate anaesthetizing effect is achieved. On parts of the skin which closely overlie a bone and hence are relatively sensitive to mechanical vibrations, the flexible protrusions are bent, so that uncomfortable mechanical vibrations of the bone underlying the skin are limited as far as possible. Garenfeld, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses a depilation apparatus 1 having a first depilation member 3 comprising a first set of counter rotating rollers 5, 6, and a second depilation member 4 comprising a second set of counter rotating rollers 5, 6. Garenfeld further includes a vibration member in the form of a pivotally mounted screen plate 15 having hair passage openings therethrough which prevent skin from being gripped by the rollers of the depilation members while allowing hair to pass through the openings to the rollers. The vibrations of the screen have an anaesthetizing effect on the skin to relieve pain sensations experienced when hair is being pulled from the skin. Column 2, lines 48-53. Thus, Garenfeld is akin to the known 5Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007