Ex Parte Kennefick et al - Page 7




              Appeal No. 2003-2036                                                                  Page 7                 
              Application No. 09/961,198                                                                                   


              have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to                            
              construct the instrument of Torrie with the slit having a wider opening at a proximal end                    
              in view of DiPoto in order to facilitate and ensure that the arms of the body are                            
              sufficiently flexible to expand radially.                                                                    


                     The appellants argue (brief, pp. 4-5) that the applied prior art does not suggest                     
              the claimed subject matter.  We agree.  All the claims under appeal require the                              
              instrument for applying a surgical fastener to include a slit through an elongated body                      
              wherein the proximal end of the slit opens into an aperture wider than the slit to reduce                    
              stress on the body at the slit proximal end.  However, these limitations are not                             
              suggested by the applied prior art.  In that regard, while DiPoto does teach an                              
              expandable suture anchor (i.e., a surgical fastener) having an outer member in which a                       
              slit extends through its body wherein the distal end of the slit opens into an aperture                      
              wider than the slit, DiPoto does not teach or suggest providing an instrument for                            
              applying a surgical fastener to include a slit through an elongated body wherein the                         
              proximal end of the slit opens into an aperture wider than the slit to reduce stress on the                  
              body at the slit proximal end.                                                                               


                     In our view, the only suggestion for modifying Torrie in the manner proposed by                       
              the examiner to meet the above-noted limitations stems from hindsight knowledge                              








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