Appeal No. 2000-0356 Page 15
Application No. 08/825,424
the limitation of a "stamped ridge," that is, a permanent
ridge.
The majority finds that Figure 8 does not show a stamped
ridge. I agree. The specification states that the metal is
elastically deformed in Figure 8 and that the ridges will not
remain when the force is removed (col. 10, lines 7-17). In
addition to stating that Karam taught forming ridges by
stamping (final rejection, p. 4), the Examiner points to (in
the examiner's answer, p. 4) the following teachings in
Karam (col. 9, lines 63-66): "FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are
illustrative of a few of the ways the metal can be
plastically, or irreversibly, deformed on a small scale. Each
of these methods can be performed on various areas of the
suspension." (col. 9, lines 63-65). The majority finds that
this statement refers only to the embodiment of Figures 5, 6,
and 7, and does not refer to the embodiment of Figure 8. The
majority finds that the Examiner fails to allege, or provide
evidence of, the desirability of using stamping to form the
ridges in the embodiment of Figure 8. The majority concludes:
"Absent evidence of a benefit of stamped ridges, we are not
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