Appeal No. 97-3998
Application 08/302,168
More particularly, Pitts’ provision of slits 106 or
258(a-d) meets the relatively broad guide-providing step
recited in claim 16. In this regard, Pitts’ slits constitute
guides to the same extent that the appellant’s notch 240 in
nib 230 constitutes a guide (see page 7 and Figure 2 of the
appellant’s disclosure). This being the case, Pitts’ steps of
inserting the edge of a sheet into the slit (wherein it
engages the slit side walls) and drawing it therethrough meet
the strand positioning and drawing steps recited in claim 16.
Thus, the appellant’s contention that the subject matter
recited in claim 16 is not anticipated by Pitts is not well
taken.
Claim 24, on the other hand, requires the guide to be in
a housing partially enclosing the marking element. The only
structures disclosed by Pitts which arguably correspond to
such a guide are the openings 108, 256(a-d) in barrel/housing
102, 252. There is no teaching in Pitts, however, that the
sheet being marked is ever positioned against these openings.
The examiner’s contention that the use of the Pitts
device would include, presumably under principles of
inherency, some contact between the sheet and the openings in
-6-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007