Ex parte ROBIN K. ELKINS et al. - Page 6




          Appeal No. 96-0069                                                          
          Application 08/110,493                                                      


          It should be noted that claim 13 as reproduced above                        
          specifically recites an optical article having the shape of a               
          solid regular pyramid in which the sides of the pyramid meet at             
          the apex of the pyramid.  The corresponding device in Koechner              
          which may be “pyramidal” is the laser module bounded by faces 8             
          and 9 and concentrator 7.  This device in Koechner is described             
          as a “truncated pyramid” [column 4, line 30].  A truncated                  
          pyramid is a pyramid in which the top portion has been cut off.             
          Therefore, the truncated pyramid of Koechner does not have                  
          triangular faces which meet at the apex of the pyramid as recited           
          in the claimed invention.                                                   
          The examiner never recognizes this difference between the                   
          “pyramid” of Koechner and the pyramid as specifically recited in            
          claim 13.  The examiner’s position simply assumes that the                  
          pyramid of Koechner meets the pyramid of the claims which is not            
          the case.  Consequently, the examiner never addresses why the               
          pyramid as recited in the claims would have been obvious to the             
          artisan in view of the truncated pyramid of Koechner.  The                  
          failure of the examiner to even acknowledge the difference                  
          between Koechner’s truncated pyramid and the pyramid of the                 
          claims results in a failure by the examiner to establish a prima            
          facie case of obviousness.  While we are not able to say whether            

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