Court Opinion

ID: 9450868
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 16:59:55.879063+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:32:29.006188
License: Public Domain

MARTIN, Judge
(concurring).
I agree with the result here primarily because of the strong showing appellant has presented in affidavits. An affidavit of one Horpel, who is a licensed dry-wall contractor having a BS degree in “industrial engineering,” states inter alia (the trims labeled 101, 202, 303 being the type claimed):
Affiant also employs metal trims, such as casings identified by numbers 101, 202, 303 shown in Exhibit A. While similar casings are on the market that employ large round holes, affiant has found it best to use trim members with the slotted holes because of the additional bonding strength obtained by the use of such holes.
Affiant has constructed many houses which have employed trims of the type identified as insert No. 101 and of the type identified as L edge No. 202 of Exhibit A. Affiant has also constructed many houses which have employed trims of the same shape but with large round holes. Such trim has been used, for example, around doorways. In a group of about 300 houses in which affiant employed trims like insert No. 101 and L edge No. 202, but employing round holes, affiant found that within about two months of the completion óf houses employing such trim on the average, cracks and separation developed over an area of about one foot on the latch side of the doorway, but on the opposite side of the door jamb from which the door opens. In a group of about 200 houses in which affiant used only slotted trim of the type represented by insert No. 101 and L edge No. 202, no such cracks or separation occurred. In fact, affiant never had any such cracks or separation appear when slotted casing has been used. In both instances referred to, approximately one hundred thousand feet of door trim was employed. Approximately 35 feet of trim is used around the average door. In other words, approximately 3,000 doors were installed with round hole trim, and approximately 3,000 with slotted trim. The houses averaged about twelve doors each. [Emphasis mine.]
I think that showing, in this crowded art, is sufficient to resolve the doubt I have in favor of appellant. Thus I think the reversal of the rejection on the prior art to be correct.