Appeal No. 2006-2626
Application No. 10/315,175
argued (id.) that because Keffer's storage units are "free standing," Keffer teaches
away from the units being stackable.
From our review of Keffer, we are not persuaded that the reference teaches
away from the units being stackable. The fact that the storage units are free
standing means that they are capable of supporting themselves, e.g., on a floor or
table, without external support. We find no convincing reason why an artisan
would be led away from stacking "free standing" storage units.
From our review of Blowers, we agree with the examiner (answer, page 13)
that the mating sockets and pins of Blowers are used to ensure alignment of the
units when stacked. However, we do not agree with the examiner (id.) that "the
pins disclosed by Blowers are ribs."
Blowers discloses locating pin or pins 20 (e.g., col. 2, lines 42 and 50).
However, claim 1 requires ribs, not pins. A pin is not a rib because their structures
differ. From appellant's specification, we find references to ribs (see e.g., pages 3
and 7). However, we find no specific definition of a rib. Nor do we find any
specific description of the structure of the ribs. Turning to a dictionary definition
of a rib, we find from the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
©19762, that a rib is defined, inter alia, as “some part or piece similar to a rib and
serving to shape or support: the rib of an umbrella.” We additionally find that a
"pin" is defined, inter alia, as “a slender, cylindrical piece of wood or metal for
holding or fastening parts together, or serving as a support for suspending, one
thing from another.” From the definition of these terms, we find that the pins 20
2 A copy of the pertinent pages of the document is enclosed with our Decision.
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