Appeal No. 2004-1922 Page 4
Application No. 09/760,567
allow the [Allsop] stick to act strictly rigid when desired” (Paper No. 9, page 3). We do
not agree, for the reasons set forth below.
Allsop is directed to a shock-absorbing ski pole. It is explained in the patent that
in the course of skiing, substantial impact is transmitted through a skier’s poles to the
hands, arms and shoulders, a situation which is undesirable, and that the invention
solves this problem by providing means to absorb these impacts while retaining the
“feel” through the poles that a skier desires (columns 2 and 3). In furtherance of this
aim, Allsop provides in the hand grip member a shock absorbing system comprising
cylinder and piston means (16 and 18) interposed between the grip (24) and the shaft
(14) of the ski pole (Figure 3). The piston is biased within the cylinder by a spring (20)
and the cylinder is provided with a bleed orifice (33) to control exiting of air from the
cylinder during compression caused by the impact of the end of the pole with the skiing
surface. A guide pin (26) coacting with slots (52) prevents relative rotation between the
piston and the cylinder. See columns 6 and 7. Allsop does not disclose or teach that
the shock absorbing system be equipped with means for selective activation and
deactivation; it is activated all of the time.
Schwarting discloses a crutch having a foot terminating at its distal end in a ring
(15) that carries a plurality of teeth (16) which provide traction on slippery surfaces.
Mounted for longitudinal movement within the ring is a retractable plug (18) that is
spring-biased to an extended position beyond the teeth. A rotatable and longitudinally
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