Appeal No. 2000-0506
Application 08/979,592
Von Herrmann (‘013) includes a front wall (2) having an upper
end connected to the top wall (4) and a lower end (at 10) that
is generally C-shaped and is angled toward the back wall (3)
to form a chamber or recess (5) to loosely hold a rod means
(6). In contrast to appellant’s claimed apparatus, the hanger
of Von Herrmann (‘013) includes a pad (8) having pressure-
sensitive adhesive on both sides thereof for securing the
hanger to a supporting wall (7), instead of a sliding type
mechanical “attachment means” as set forth in the claims on
appeal. Recognizing this deficiency in Von Herrmann (‘013),
the examiner has turned to the teachings of the map rail (16)
and hook arrangement (10) in Cauffman, urging that it would
have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the
time appellant’s invention was made “to have modified Von
Hermann [sic] to have substituted the attachment means and
wall mount as taught by Cauffman for the purpose of
facilitating removal and attachment of the housing to a
surface” (answer, page 5).
Even if we assume that the Cauffman patent is analogous
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