Appeal No. 1999-2425
Application 08/659,380
engages the carpet piles just above the fabric backing, also
functions during laying of the carpet by pulling pile away
from a carpet seam so that the carpet edges are brought into
close abutting relationship and the backing tape more firmly
locks the raw tufts and backing together (col. 2, lines 42-51;
figure 4a).
The examiner argues that “[i]t would have been obvious to
one having ordinary skill in the art to have employed a flat
pressing surface on the tool taught by Wentz, since Reinhard
recognizes the desirability of employing a flat pressing
surface
on an operator-manipulated carpet seaming tool to provide
uniform pressing force” (final rejection mailed November 11,
1997, paper no. 7, pages 2-3). The examiner does not point
out, and it is not apparent, where Reinhard indicates that the
surface is flat in order to provide a uniform pressing force.
Regardless, even if a uniform force is beneficial in pressing
Reinhard’s binding tape to the carpet backing or pulling the
carpet piles back from the seam, the examiner has not
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