Appeal No. 2000-0356 Page 7
Application No. 08/825,424
extending beyond the support member, and terminating at a
position proximate to, but not inside, a flexible spring
section, the stamped ridge providing stiffness to the rigid
beam section to resist movement by the rigid beam in a
direction perpendicular to a plane containing the longitudinal
and lateral axes. . . ." Accordingly, the claims require
inter alia a ridge that is formed by stamping.
Having determined what subject matter is being claimed,
the next inquiry is whether the subject matter is obvious.
"’A prima facie case of obviousness is established when the
teachings from the prior art itself would appear to have
suggested the claimed subject matter to a person of ordinary
skill in the art.’" In re Bell, 991 F.2d 781, 782, 26 USPQ2d
1529, 1531 (Fed. Cir. 1993)
(quoting In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 1051, 189 USPQ 143,
147 (CCPA 1976)).
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