Appeal No. 2004-0177
Application 09/792,574
DISCUSSION
Reid, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses “an
interchangeable magnetic display system which allows for a
plurality of different magnetic display panels, bearing visual
indicia, to be releasably attached to articles of apparel”
(column 2, lines 38 through 41). The system comprises a
ferromagnetic metal plate 22 and a plurality of flexible magnetic
display panels 38 bearing visual indicia 38a produced, for
example, by photography. The metal plate and display panels may
have rectangular shapes (see column 6, lines 20 through 23), with
the metal plate including extensions 16 and holes 15 at its four
corners for accommodating various apparel attachment means. Reid
teaches that
[i]n operation, the wearer of the hat or other apparel
can releasably attach a magnetic display panel simply
by placing the magnetic side of a magnetic display near
the surface of the metal plate. The magnetic display
will then click onto the metal plate as a result of
magnetic attraction once the magnetic surface is close
enough to the metal surface for magnetic attraction to
pull the parts together. The display panel may then be
easily adjusted to the center of the plate. This
procedure can easily be performed while the wearer is
wearing the hat or item of apparel [column 7, line 59,
through column 8, line 1].
Likening Reid’s metal plate 22 to a lower support member
having corner attachment orifices as recited in independent claim
1, the examiner acknowledges (see page 3 in the answer) that the
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