Appeal No. 2006-0790
Reexamination Control No. 90/005,117
action and act against that continued movement”
(column 2, lines 4-8; emphasis added).
16. The function of the gas springs 56 is more
specifically described in Teague as follows (column 4,
5 lines 1-22):
When the bed is moved from its open position
to a balanced position wherein its center of
gravity 61 is directly over its pivot axis, and
upon further movement the gas springs continue to
10 act as compression springs but their action is
reversed. Hence, the springs act against the
force of gravity which moves the bed to its fully
closed position.
During the movement of the bed from its open
15 position to the position wherein its center of
gravity 61 is over its pivot axis 13, each lever
50 is swung to a position wherein its pivot 52 is
in alignment with the lever pivot 48 and the gas
spring pivot 58 so that the gas springs are
20 nearly fully extended and they are exerting no
moment of force. However, as bed 2 continues to
swing clockwise around its pivot axis to its
fully closed position, each of levers 50
continues to swing clockwise around its pivot
25 axis 48 and pivot 52 moves along an arcuate path
beyond its position in alignment with pivots 58
and 48. That further swinging movement of lever
50 causes the gas springs to be subjected to
compression and they act against and cushion the
30 action of gravity as the bed moves to its fully
closed or rest position...[Emphasis added.]
17. The only disclosure in the ‘624 patent under
reexamination with respect to a “gas spring”
9
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