Appeal No. 96-2416
Application 08/206,447
circuit of the motor, thereby stopping the motor and pump until
the cock is reopened (col. 2, lines 31-38).
The examiner has taken the position that the pressure
regulator 36 of Cruz-Uribe is comparable to the accumulator of
the claims “in general terms” (answer, page 5), and that Cruz-
Uribe differs from claim 1 “in the details of the pressure
regulator” (answer, page 4). While conceding on page 5 of the
answer that Cruz-Uribe fails to disclose (1) an accumulator with
a chamber and a movable body (claim element (a) ), (2) supply and 2
delivery port means (claim element (b)), and (3) means for
effecting operation of the pump (claim element (e)) , it is the 3
examiner’s view that “[i]t would have been obvious to modify the
Cruz-Uribe ink jet printing system with an embodiment for his
pressure regulator 36, such as those taught by Osaki and Debare,
for the purpose of implementing the Cruz-Uribe ink supply in a
known manner” (answer, page 4).
The examiner’s rejection is flawed in several respects.
First, it is not clear precisely how the examiner proposes to
2These claim element designations by letter are with respect
to our analysis of claim 1 supra.
3Cruz-Uribe also fails to disclose (4) means for exerting a
biasing force on the movable member for pressurizing the ink in
the accumulator (claim element (c)).
5
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