Appeal No. 2001-1280
Application No. 07/977,163
side mirror arrangement disclosed and illustrated by Lawson
includes a wedge-shaped support having its thin edge pointing
away from the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted to the
driver's side of the vehicle. However, Lawson points out in
column 2, lines 38-44, that
the "blind-spot" mirror can be associated with the side
view mirror at the passenger side. In this instance
the mirror may be somewhat larger in area and the
angularity of the block 7 may be slightly different,
depending upon the vehicle, to position the small
mirror at the desired angle to eliminate the blind
spot.
Further, Weureither (Figure 8; translation, page 9) teaches that
the thin edge of the wedge of such a mirror points to the left
(i.e., inward toward the vehicle), albeit forming a shallower
angle between the two mirrors, when mounted on the passenger's
side of the vehicle.
The test for obviousness is what the combined teachings of
the references would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in
the art. See In re Young, 927 F.2d 588, 591, 18 USPQ2d 1089,
1091 (Fed. Cir. 1991) and In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425, 208
USPQ 871, 881 (CCPA 1981). Indeed, a prima facie case of
obviousness is established where the reference teachings would
appear to be sufficient for one of ordinary skill in the art
having those teachings before him to make the proposed
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