Appeal 2007-1054
Application 10/640,067
Appellants invented a system for conditioning the slotted substrate of
a fluid ejecting device. Particularly, the invention aims at conditioning the
substrate after forming a fluid handling slot therein, but prior to positioning
an orifice layer in said slotted substrate. (Specification 6-7).
Claim 28 is illustrative of the invention. It reads as follows:
28. A fluid ejecting device comprising:
a substrate comprising at least a first substrate surface and a second
substrate surface, and a fluid-handling slot formed through the substrate
between the first substrate surface and the second substrate surface, wherein
the fluid-handling slot is formed at least in part by laser machining into the
first substrate surface; and,
an orifice layer positioned over the first substrate surface, the orifice
layer having multiple firing nozzles formed therein, at least some of the
nozzles being in fluid flowing relation with the fluid-handling slot,
wherein forming the fluid-handling slot through the substrate produces
debris on the substrate, wherein the debris comprises substrate material,
wherein at least the first substrate surface is mechanically conditioned
after forming the fluid-handling slot through the substrate and prior to the
orifice layer being positioned over the first substrate surface, wherein
mechanically conditioning the at least the first substrate surface includes
removing the debris from the substrate.
In rejecting the claims on appeal, the Examiner relies upon the
following prior art:
Maggs US 3,867,217 Feb. 18, 1975
Baughman US 5,387,314 Feb. 7, 1995
Eyler US 5,525,417 Jun. 11, 1996
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