Appeal No. 2004-0160
Application No. 09/939,993
‘484 is equally susceptible to the same outlet blockage problem
contemplated by Caruso” (answer, page 12).
We appreciate that Caruso teaches a forced air dryer having
venting means adjacent the main air outlet for venting air if the
main air outlet is blocked in order to prevent the development of
substantial back pressure. Our difficulty with the examiner’s
rejection lies in the examiner’s determination that outlet blockage
and resulting back pressure is a cause of concern in DE ‘484. The
examiner has pointed to nothing in DE ‘484, and we are aware of
nothing, that supports this position. Accordingly, the examiner’s
determination (answer, paragraph bridging pages 12-13) that one of
ordinary skill in the art would look to Caruso to fashion a remedy
for the alleged back pressure buildup problem in DE ‘484 is not
well founded. In this regard, the Derwent abstract of DE ‘484
states that the rubber nozzle at the lower end of the housing from
which warm air emerges is interchangeable to suit different
vehicles. Based on this disclosure, it is reasonable to assume
that the rubber nozzle of DE ‘484 is intended to be in close
proximity and/or contact with the lock and its surrounding door
structure in order to direct the entirety of the hot air flow
toward and into the frozen lock, which mode of operation would cast
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