Appeal No. 2003-0092
Application No. 09/432,525
look to safety features employed by other vertically movable
structures. We do not find that one of ordinary skill in the art
would limit his/her search to the field of lift tables.
Appellant also contends that "[t]he combination of the two
patents, though, does not also teach or suggest the use of a
guard mounted over and adapted to activate the sensor mechanism
when pressure is exerted upon the guard, as additionally recited
in amended claim 1" (page 7 of principal brief, first paragraph).
Appellant does not address, however, the examiner's finding that
Yeakle discloses a guard (46) which activates the sensor
mechanism. Also, it is not necessary for a finding of
obviousness that one of ordinary skill in the art modify Yeakle
by utilizing the pressure-sensitive ribbon described by Kemmerer.
We find that it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill
in the art to employ any conventional sensor mechanism on the
base of Yeakle's lift table. Indeed, Kemmerer expressly
discloses that "[o]ther types of sensor switches may be employed
instead of the pressure sensitive switches 60" (column 3,
lines 60-61).
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