Appeal No. 96-2270
Application 08/073,108
drum 2 through which concentric pipes are inserted for the
purpose of providing a rinsing fluid 7 under pressure via outer
pipe 20 and thereafter removing the fluid via inner pipe 10 which
is connected to a pump 6. We find nothing, nor does the examiner
even allege there is anything, in Baxter which would suggest
modifying the drum or canister 2 of Mertens to include a suction
port and patient port as claimed.
Moreover, we cannot agree with the examiner that there is
anything in the combined teachings of Mertens and Baxter to
suggest modifying the device of Mertens to include the limitation
expressly set forth in independent claim 23 of:
an indicator for altering said suction canister in
response to cleaning thereof so as to provide a visible
indication that said suction canister has been cleaned.
While Baxter broadly teaches an indicator, Baxter’s canister or
container is for holding sterile fluids such as intravenous
solutions and is not altered in response to cleaning as claimed.
Baxter merely provides a flexible sealing disk 13 which loosely
overlies air inlet 11 and fluid discharge opening 12 and, when a
vacuum is properly maintained in the container, the sealing disk
is visibly cupped or depressed around the air inlet and fluid
discharge openings. If, however, the seal in Baxter should
somehow be broken, then the sealing disk is no longer cupped or
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