Appeal Number: 2006-1059
Application Number: 09/780,603
Miles teaches a foldable mechanic’s creeper having the
basic structure set forth in claim 1 on appeal including a
plurality of casters (8-11) affixed to the frame of the creeper,
with each of said casters including a wheel. However, as
recognized by the examiner, Miles does not disclose wheels of
the particular configuration claimed or formed of a material
having a hardness level like that set forth in the claims on
appeal.
Bonzer addresses a shock resistant caster for use in
moving highly sensitive pieces of equipment, such as a delicate
computer or other similar electronic or electrical device
(col. 1, lines 34-39). Each of the casters in Bonzer includes
a cushioning block (19) that resists deflection of the movable
wheel carrying part (17) and a wheel (18) for engaging a floor
surface (12). As can be seen in Figure 2, the wheel (18) has an
annular peripheral tire portion (69) formed of a resiliently
deformable elastomeric material, e.g., neoprene rubber, and an
inner core portion (80) formed of a rigid material containing
and bonded to a rigid tubular bearing element (45). See column
3, lines 47-53 of Bonzer. In column 5, lines 15-17, it is noted
that the material of the cushioning block (19) is desirably
“substantially harder than the material of portion 69 of the
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