Appeal No. 1999-2446 Page 17
Application No. 08/705,592
burden since the declarant's statements that "the woven
willows of Scott are smooth enough to adhere together when
wet" and that "[t]hey form a confluent mass that will block
water flow instead of filtering it" are conclusions
unsupported by any factual evidence. Affidavits and
declarations fail in their purpose when they recite
conclusions with few facts to buttress the conclusions. See
In re Brandstadter, 484 F.2d 1395, 1406, 179 USPQ 286, 294
(CCPA 1973), In re Thompson, 545 F.2d 1290, 1295, 192 USPQ
275, 277-78 (CCPA 1976) and In re DeBlauwe, 736 F.2d 699, 705,
222 USPQ 191, 196 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
As noted above, Scott does teach all the limitations of
claim 6. A disclosure that anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102
also renders the claim unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103, for
"anticipation is the epitome of obviousness." Jones v. Hardy,
727 F.2d 1524, 1529, 220 USPQ 1021, 1025 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
See also In re Fracalossi, 681 F.2d 792, 794, 215 USPQ 569,
571 (CCPA 1982); In re Pearson, 494 F.2d 1399, 1402, 181 USPQ
641, 644 (CCPA 1974). Thus, we sustain the examiner's
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