Ex parte GRIFFITH - Page 9




          Appeal No. 97-1810                                         Page 9           
          Application No. 08/321,262                                                  


          opening for subsequent manual unsealing" is not met since the               
          seal 12 in Munoz Saiz does not appear to be manually                        
          removable.  We find this argument to be unpersuasive for the                
          following reasons.  First, claim 21 does not require the                    
          sealing means to be manually removable.  Claim 21 only                      
          requires the sealing means to be manually unsealed.  Second,                
          as pointed out above, Munoz Saiz specifically teaches that the              
          wall 12 can be either pushed through or removed by pushing the              
          slanted end 7 into the handle 2.  Lastly, it is our opinion                 
          that the pushing of the brush head body into the handle to                  
          either push through or remove the wall is manually unsealing                
          the opening to the chamber.  In that regard, it quite apparent              
          to us that the pushing of the brush head body into the handle               
          is done manually (i.e., by the hands of a person) and the                   
          result is the unsealing of the chamber.                                     


               For the reasons set forth above, the decision of the                   
          examiner to reject claim 21 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 is affirmed.              












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