Appeal No. 1996-2795
Application No. 08/430,155
This is an appeal from the final rejection of claims 2
through 5. In an Amendment After Final (paper number 19),
non-elected claim 1 was canceled, and claim 2 was amended.
The disclosed invention relates to a sensor that uses a
strain-sensitive film in contact with a flexible conduit. The
sensor housing for the conduit and the strain-sensitive film
permits the conduit to expand when liquid is pumped through
the conduit, and the expansion of the conduit is detected by
the strain-sensitive film.
Claim 2 is the only independent claim on appeal, and it
reads as follows:
2. A sensor including:
a flexible conduit;
housing means for receiving the flexible conduit and the
strain-sensitive film;2
said housing means including film and conduit support
means for supporting the film at a location adjacent to the
conduit support means wherein at least a portion of the
strain-sensitive film will be in contact with the conduit when
the housing and conduit are assembled;
means for permitting sufficient expansion of the conduit
to create strain of an amplitude to permit discrimination of
2We note in passing that claim 2 lacks antecedent basis
for "the strain-sensitive film."
2
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