Appeal No. 2000-2293
Application No. 08/685,162
cartridge without any rotational functions while Sasaki provides
for a disc table that tilts about a hinge that connects the disc
table to a table support placed within the main body of the disc
player. We agree with Appellant (reply brief, page 2) that
nothing in the references would have taught or motivated one of
ordinary skill in the art to use the hooks of Kawamura in the
tilting tray of Sasaki to form a break-away mechanism that
couples the moveable portion to the disc supporting portion of
the holding tray and is adapted for preventing damage to the tray
from external forces, as recited in claim 1.
We note that independent claim 18 also recites a disc
supporting tray including a break-away mechanism attached to the
disc holding portion via an intermediate coupling portion.
Independent method claim 31 similarly requires the step of
coupling a disc supporting tray, via a break-away mechanism, to a
moveable tray withing the housing such that the disc supporting
tray extends out from the housing. Similar to claim 1, these two
claims require that the break-away mechanism be adapted for
preventing damage to the disc holding/supporting portion upon
impact of an external force to the tray. As discussed above with
respect to claim 1, Sasaki and Kawamura fail to disclose or
suggest the claimed break-away mechanism for preventing damage to
9
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007