Interference No. 103,036
device 10D shown in Fig. 10, nonconductive
layers 30 and 32 (attached to the side of the
battery housing) surround the "color
indicating, heat sensitive material 70 which
undergoes a visible color change when the
material is heated to at least a pre-
determined temperature" (column 8, lines
37-41). In order for this embodiment to be
operable when applied to the side of a dry
cell battery, the construction of the battery
strength indicator, including the non-
conductive layers, must be such to permit
sufficient heat generated by the reduced
cross section conductive area 65 to flow to
the color indicator material to cause a color
change. Heat generated by the reduced
section conductive area 65 is within the
sealed chamber or zone 66 adjacent to
nonconductive layers 30 and 32, and will
naturally desire to flow in all directions
from reduced cross sectional conductive area
65, unless somehow constrained. In this
instance, the clear function of nonconductive
layers 30 and 32 is with regard to heat flow
to ensure that the heat generated by the
reduced conductive layer 65 is able to raise
the temperature of the color indicating, heat
sensitive material 70. The only way this can
be accomplished is if layers 30 and 32 are
thermally nonconductive. It would be
illogical for anyone of ordinary skill in
this art to understand that "nonconductive”
layers 30 and 32 are somehow thermally
conductive, since this would cause heat to
flow away from color indicating, heat
sensitive material 70 and would not permit
material 70 to receive heat to undergo a
visible color change to indicate the
remaining strength of the battery, as is
described. Likewise, in order for the
current to be able to flow through conductive
layer 64, "nonconductive" layers 30 and 32
must also be electrically nonconductive, or
else the device would short circuit.
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Last modified: November 3, 2007