Appeal No. 1998-1937
Application No. 08/518,509
connected via links 25 to the compensating bars 12 at
locations 26. Compensating bars 12 carry adjustable stop
bolts 15 that engage the links 25 when the door is in the
closed position, as shown in Figure 3. The adjustable stop
bolts ensure that “the point of connection of the springs 11
with the compensating bars 12 is maintained at all times
inside of the pivot 7 so that it is impossible for the point
of connection of the spring 11 during movement of the door to
pass over the center provided by the pivot 7” (column 2, lines
31-36).
In proposing to combine Carson and Holmes to reject claim
3, the examiner finds that Holmes “has a door, stays, and
functions similar to Carson” (final rejection, page 3), and
concludes that it would have been obvious
to have provided [in Carson] tension springs
positioned between an upwardly and forwardly
displaced location from a base ends [sic] of the
stays and middle positions on the stays because
doing so would have provided the advantage of urging
the door toward the open position to provide easy
lifting of the door when opening. [Final rejection,
page 4.]
Initially, we note that the examiner has not specified
7
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