Appeal No. 1996-2481 Page 4 Application No. 07/828763 OPINION In reaching our decision in this appeal, we considered the subject matter on appeal and the rejections and evidence advanced by the examiner. We also considered the arguments of the appellants and examiner. After considering the record before us, we cannot say that the evidence anticipates the invention of claims 1-3, 11-15, and 42-45. It is our view, however, that it anticipates the invention of claims 16-18. In addition, it is our view that the evidence and level of skill in the art would have suggested the invention of claims 19 and 20. We cannot say, however, that these would have suggested the invention of claim 21. Accordingly, we affirm- in-part. Our opinion considers the anticipation of claims 1- 3, 11-18, and 42-45 and the obviousness of claims 19-21 seriatim. Anticipation of Claims 1-3, 11-18, and 42-45 We begin our consideration of claims 1-3, 11-18, and 42- 45 by recalling that a prior art reference anticipates a claim only if it teaches expressly or inherently every limitation of the claim. Absence of any limitation from thePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007