Appeal No. 2001-0291 Page 2
Application No. 08/772,559
BACKGROUND
The appellants' invention relates to a guardrail barrier
which provides an effective depth or capture area intended to
receive a moving vehicle in a recessed portion of the
guardrail barrier bounded by upper and lower curved portions
projecting toward the roadway to stabilize the vehicle and
reduce the tendency for the vehicle to vault over or dive
under the barrier or to roll when redirected by holding the
vehicle against upward and downward motion (specification, p.
1). Claim 1, the sole independent claim on appeal, is
illustrative of the invention and reads as follows:
1. A guardrail barrier that balances section
modulus, moment of inertia and membrane effect
without requiring substantially more material to
reduce the tendency of high center of mass vehicles
from turning over comprising:
outer curves;
a central portion between said outer curves;
the central portion and outer curves being
positioned to provide an effective depth of between
substantially 9 to 15 inches.
The examiner relied upon the following prior art
references of record in rejecting the appealed claims:
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