Appeal No. 2000-0652 Page 15
Application No. 08/868,774
body 1 having an outer surface with hollowed-out portions so
that the operator's fingers may be placed therein in order to
ensure a perfect grip as taught by Ben Moura.
The appellants' argument (brief, pp. 10-14; reply brief,
p. 3) that the rejection of claim 25 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 is
in error is not persuasive for the reasons that follow.
First, for the reasons set forth above, it is our view
that the combined teachings of the applied prior art are
suggestive of the claimed invention without the use
impermissible hindsight. In that regard, Ben Moura clearly
teaches to provide the outer surface of body 1 with hollowed-
out portions 11 so that the operator's fingers may be placed
therein in order to ensure a perfect grip. It is this
teaching of Ben Moura that provides the required motivation
and suggestion to a person of ordinary skill in the art to
have modified Balkwill's device in the manner set forth above.
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