Appeal No. 96-3586
Application No. 08/262,848
is directed to forming relief images such as intaglio printing
plates (col. 1, lines 7-9). To this end, Wright adheres a
layer of microcapsules (that includes a photosensitive
composition and an etchant) on an etchable support "such as a
support useful in preparing a printing plate, a printed
circuit, or the like" (col. 2, lines 2 and 3). The
photosensitive composition hardens when exposed to actinic
radiation and areas of the etchable support which are not
desired to be etched are exposed to such radiation in order
that the capsules will resist rupture during the application
of a force to the layer of microcapsules. Accordingly, when a
force is subsequently applied to the entire microcapsule
layer, the microcapsules will be ruptured only in those areas
that have not been exposed to actinic radiation, resulting in
a relief pattern being formed on the etchable support (see,
generally, column 2). Thus, while Wright broadly teaches an
etchant contained in rupturable microcapsules, there is
absolutely nothing therein which would either teach or fairly
suggest "applying to the etchable surface an indicia printed
with a mixture of a visible ink and an encapsulated surface
etchant" (emphasis added) as set forth in independent claim
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