Appeal No. 1998-1885
Application No. 07/914,359
generate heat (column 4, lines 3-12), and when the relay is
closed current is shunted around the heat element to prevent
it from being activated (column 4, lines 37-42). Relays (K-
101) and (K-103) and heat elements (R ) and (R ) of Follmer’sH’ P
Figure 3 embodiment operate in similar fashion.
In rejecting claim 1 as being anticipated by Follmer, the
examiner considers Follmer’s alternator (2), relay (K-1) and
resistance heat element (R ) as corresponding to the claimed
H
power supply, switch means, and heating means, respectively.
Regarding the claimed arrangement of the switch means relative
to the power supply means and the heating means, the examiner
maintains that the switch of Follmer has switch contacts
which completely shunt the heating element when the switch
relay is activated and therefore the heater is clearly
deactivated. The language of claim 1 does not specify whether
or not the switch is
in series with the heater or whether the switch is in parallel
with the heater, or any other orientation of the switch
relative to the heater. All that claim 1 specifies is that
the switch selectively switch[s] on or off the heater from the
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