Appeal No. 1998-2462
Application No. 08/548,696
mechanism in an ink jet printer for easier replenishing of an
ink supply container" (see Answer, page 6).
Causley discloses an ink cartridge with a collapsible ink
bag for an ink jet printer. Inside the bag is probe
supporting structure 174, or a platform, upon which the bag
collapses as the ink is used. Larkin teaches (column 1, lines
38-47) that mechanical interlocking means (later disclosed as
grooves and teeth on the opposing surfaces of the sides of the
bag) can be used to maintain a collapsible dispensing
container in a collapsed state to allow for a visual quantity
check of the contents remaining in the container. Thus, in
view of Larkin it would have been obvious to attach opposing
surfaces of the sides of an ink bag together as the bag
empties to be able to easily check how much ink remains in the
ink bag. However, the sides of Causley's ink bag do not
contact each other. Instead, they contact platform 174.
Therefore, the combination of Causley and Larkin would not
yield the step of "securing together the opposing interior
surfaces ... to prevent the opposing interior surfaces from
thereafter moving apart," recited in claim 5.
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