Appeal No. 2001-0304 Page 8
Application No. 09/168,358
interpose a simple electromechanical position transducer between the clamp and the
mast” would itself appear to support the position that it would have been obvious to one
skilled in the art to mount at least one end or portion of the sensor (transducer) on the
clamp.
Petersson also does not disclose a controller automatically operable, in response
to the inclination sensor, to cause the tilting mechanism to adjust the load to an attitude
which is untilted with respect to gravity, as called for in claim 21. Instead, the inclination
sensor registers the inclination to an indicator which is used by the driver to manually
adjust the clamp to the desired attitude. It is the examiner’s position, however, that
Auramo provides suggestion to automate the inclination adjustment function of Petersson
(final rejection, page 4). For the reasons which follow, we find ourselves in agreement with
the examiner on this issue.
Auramo recognizes that paper roll edge damage can occur when paper rolls are
handled using handling apparatus of the type disclosed by Petersson. To avoid such
costly damage, Auramo teaches automatic alignment of the clamping device, via
alignment of the mast, to the correct angle during lowering of a load to ensure that the
paper rolls are lowered in the true vertical position. Auramo further discloses that the
alignment can also be performed during both the lifting and lowering of a load (sentence
bridging the columns on page 2). The above-mentioned teachings of Auramo would have
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