Appeal No. 2002-1846
Application 09/146,199
References Relied on by the Examiner
U.S. Reissue Patent No. 30,037 Bass June/1979
U.S. Patent No. 4,723,212 Mindrum et al. (“Mindrum”) February/1988
U.S. Patent No. 4,855,908 Shimoda et al. (“Shimoda”) August/1989
U.S. Patent No. 4,862,350 Orr et. al. (“Orr”) August/1989
U.S. Patent No. 5,056,019 Schultz et al. (Schultz) October/1991
The Rejections on Appeal
The following rejections are on appeal:
1. The rejection of claims 17-20, 24, 26-36, and 39-45 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
unpatentable over Mindrum, Bass, Orr, and Shimoda.2
2. The rejection of claims 21, 22 and 37 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over
Mindrum and Brachtl.
3. The rejection of claims 23, 25 and 38 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over
Mindrum and Schultz.
Discussion
We reverse all three rejections.
2 It is assumed that on page 3 of the examiner’s answer (Paper No. 19), the
identification of claims 26-37 as being rejected over Mindrum, Bass, Orr, and Shomoda, is a
typographical mistake, and should refer to claims 26-36, instead. See Paper No. 17. In any
event, if it is not a mistake, then we reverse the rejection of claim 37 for the same reasons we
reverse the rejection of claim 36 on which claim 37 depends.
2
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