Appeal No. 1998-0210
Application No. 08/149,193
also be borne and distributed by the plurality of ribs and
that the flange provides a bottom traction surface. As we see
it, a person skilled in this art would appreciate that the
nature of the turf or surface upon which a golfer would stand
would determine what portions of the cleat would be engaged by
the turf or surface. The parts of the specification
referenced by appellants do not teach weight distribution by
the flange to the exclusion of the ribs. The reference to
page 6, lines 1 through 3 must be understood in light of the
disclosure that begins on page 5. On lines 13 through 15 of
page 5, the traction ribs 15 are specified as being formed on
“the bottom traction surface of generally concavo-convex
flange 12.” This shape of the flange provides a lower bend,
seen in Fig. 2, that aids in enlarging the surface area of the
cleat to provide more room for the traction ribs 15, and
provides “more surface area over which to distribute the
weight of the golfer” (page 5, last line to page 6, line 3).
The lower bend is such that the cleat is not so pronounced and
does not do so much damage to the turf (page 5, lines 10 and
11).
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