Appeal 2006-2796
Application 09/230,439
1 THE INVENTION
2 The Appellant claims a self-cleaning facing structure adapted to be fixed to
3 an outdoor stair step, and an outdoor stair step having the self-cleaning facing
4 structure. Claim 18 is illustrative:
5 18. A self-cleaning facing structure adapted to be fixed to an outdoor stair
6 step, said facing structure comprising:
7 a beam-like working member made of a resilient material and having
8 an exposed treading surface adapted to be tread upon by pedestrians;
9 a horizontal fastening member projecting from a rearward facing
10 surface of the working member; and
11 a vertical fastening member projecting from a downward facing
12 surface of the working member;
13 wherein the horizontal and vertical fastening members are integrally
14 formed with the beam-like working member as a single unit;
15 wherein the horizontal fastening member is adapted to be mounted on
16 a horizontal tread surface of the step, and the vertical fastening member is
17 adapted to be mounted on a vertical tread surface of the step;
18 wherein the horizontal fastening member is adapted to have a
19 horizontal facing material applied thereon, and the vertical fastening
20 member is adapted to have a vertical facing material applied thereon; and
21 wherein a modulus of elasticity E of the resilient material of the
22 working member and a thickness H of the working member satisfy E/H < k,
23 where k is a constant having a value of 1011 Newtons per cubic meter.
24
25 THE REFERENCES
26 Naka ‘951 US 4,318,951 Mar. 9, 1982
27 Naka ‘294 US 4,321,294 Mar. 23, 1982
28 Naka ‘797 US 4,455,797 Jun. 26, 1984
29 Aidan US 5,073,430 Dec. 17, 1991
30 Nelson US 5,806,253 Sep. 15, 1998
31 Kemper US 6,047,506 Apr. 11, 2000
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Last modified: September 9, 2013