Appeal No. 1997-3074 Page 4
Application No. 08/392,598
non-integrated units, i.e., modular, as do appellants.
However, Latimer uses cables to connect the scanner and the
scale. On the one hand, we do not think it would be
unreasonable to consider the claim language “directly couples”
to read right on Latimer because the coupling of the two units
by a cable, or cables, may certainly be considered a direct
coupling, via cable. The claim does not preclude cables
joining the connectors of the scanner printed circuit board and
the scale printed circuit board. On the other hand, even if we
read the “directly couples” language of the claim in light of
the specification to mean there is a direct, connector to
connector coupling, without the use of any cable(s), as
appellants would have us interpret the claim, we still conclude
that the claimed subject matter would have been obvious, within
the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 103.
Clearly, Latimer suggests the desirability of separate
scanner and scale units easily connected and disconnected to
each other. Latimer, however, in the specific embodiment
disclosed, chooses to use cables to interconnect the units.
The skilled artisan, faced with such a teaching would clearly
have known to use a direct connection rather than cables, if
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