Appeal No. 95-2333
Application 07/981,919
972 F.2d 1260, 1266 n.14, 23 USPQ2d 1780, 1783-84 n.14 (Fed.
Cir. 1992). In the present case, we find that the prior art
suggested the desirability of the modification.
The admitted prior art is a printer system with LED
arrays for illuminating line images. Dannatt teaches applying
a force perpendicular to a side surface of a lens array,
deforming the lens array in order to modify linearity of a
swath of light in an optical printing system without
disturbing the focal adjustment. We find that Dannatt
suggested deforming the linear gradient index lens array in
the admitted prior art for the purpose disclosed by Dannatt of
modifying the linearity of an emitted swath of light without
disturbing the focal adjustment. We further find that in
modifying linearity of the transmitted light, Dannatt changes
the length of the transmitted image line. Column 1, lines 54-
58; Figure 3. Thus, Dannatt suggested deforming the linear
gradient index lens array in the admitted prior art so as to
change the active write length as claimed.
Dannatt states that his invention is applicable to
any flexible lens including virtually any plastic lens.
Column 3, lines 1-5. We recognize that the lens array of
-5-
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