Appeal No. 2006-1546
Application No. 09/974,262
combination with Yokota. (Answer, page 5). Otsuka teaches that
conventional airbag covers suffer from the problem of
insufficient rigidity when pressed upon (English Translation,
¶ [0008]), and that adding “ribs” (i.e., ridges) to the
“breakage parts” (i.e., tear-lines) solves the lack of rigidity
problem. (English Translation, ¶¶ [0013], [0015], [0017],
[0050]). One of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the
invention was made, given Otsuka’s teaching that adding “ribs”
(i.e., ridges) to “breakage parts” (i.e., tear lines) enhances
the rigidity thereof, would have been motivated to add such
“ribs” (i.e., ridges) to the tear lines in Yokota’s airbag cover
to enhance and control the rigidity thereof. The Examiner’s
obviousness conclusion is based on the explicit teachings of
Otsuka, not impermissible hindsight.
Appellants’ argument regarding the width and shape of
Otsuka’s tear lines as compared to Yokota’s tear lines is not
persuasive. Appellants argue that Yokota’s narrow tear lines
are a series of interconnected vertical, horizontal and curved
sections as shown in Yokota’s figure 4, whereas Otsuka’s wide
recess region 23 extends linearly through the center of the
rectangularly shaped cover. (Brief, page 12). Appellants
conclude that there would not have been motivation to have
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