Ex Parte Shermer et al - Page 6

               Appeal 2007-3147                                                                             
               Application 10/072,435                                                                       

               specific teachings of the references but also the inferences which one skilled               
               in the art would reasonably be expected to draw therefrom…”).  The                           
               analysis supporting obviousness should be made explicit, and where the                       
               combination of prior art involves more than a simple substitution of one                     
               known element for another or the mere application of a known technique to                    
               something ready for the improvement, the analysis should “identify a reason                  
               that would have prompted a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine the                
               elements” in the manner claimed.  KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 127 S. Ct.                
               at 1739, 82 USPQ2d at 1396.                                                                  
                      Applying the preceding legal principles to the Factual Findings in the                
               record of this appeal, we determine that the Examiner has established a                      
               prima facie case of obviousness, which prima facie case has not been                         
               adequately rebutted by Appellants’ arguments.  As shown by Factual                           
               Finding (1) listed above, we determine that Martin discloses an abrasive                     
               sheet with a body portion and a tip portion where the tip portion is separable               
               from said body portion and defines a separate region of the sheet material                   
               relative to the body portion.  Furthermore, as shown by Factual Finding (3)                  
               listed above, we determine that Martin would have suggested multiple tip                     
               configurations with different shapes and sizes.                                              
                      As shown by Factual Finding (2) listed above, we determine that                       
               Martin teaches that it was well known in this art that hand held electric                    
               sanders have been designed to carry sandpaper sheets of quarter size, third                  
               size, or half size.  As shown by Factual Finding (4) listed above, we                        
               determine that Simons teaches that it was known in the art to have sandpaper                 
               with regions of weakened material (score lines) so that sections of the paper                


                                                     6                                                      

Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  Next

Last modified: September 9, 2013