Appeal No. 1999-2399
Application 08/705,798
flexibility with laterally opposed sections of said region
being attached to a torsionally stiff brace . . ., with said
brace longitudinally dividing said region of perpendicular
flexibility" because the low rigidity sections 12a in Kikuchi
are connected to high rigidity sections, thus teaching away
from a brace that joins flexible sections (Br8).
The Examiner finds that beam 12 defines a laterally
extensive region of perpendicular flexibility with laterally
opposed sections being attached to torsionally stiff braces
12a (FR2; EA4) and (EA9): "The region of perpendicular
flexibility is the regions of beam 12 not encompassed by
braces 12a."
We are not persuaded by the Examiner's reasoning. The
embodiment of figure 9 is expected to have the same action and
effect as the embodiment of figure 5. Elements 12a are low
rigidity sections and the flat plate sections of supporting
plate 12 are high rigidity sections. The high rigidity flat
plate sections of 12 do not bend and, therefore, are not a
"laterally extensive region of perpendicular flexibility," as
found by the Examiner. Low rigidity section 12a allows the
plate 12 to readily bend in a perpendicular direction and is
- 8 -
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007