Appeal No. 98-1253
Application No. 08/249,931
It is also the appellants' contention that since the end
plug portion 52' of Otani has a flat portion thereon, it does
not direct fluid "away from the wire" that is inserted
therethrough. This argument is relevant, at the most, to
claims 11-15 and 17 since these are the only claims under
consideration which require a surface for directing fluid away
from the wire. Even with respect to these claims, however,
Otani's end plug portion 52, as depicted in Fig. 4 has a
beveled or inclined portion extending around the outer
periphery which forms "a surface" that would direct fluid in a
direction away from the wires 76'. Thus, although the
appellants are correct in noting that Otani end plug portion
also includes a flat portion, there is simply no claim
limitation which would preclude the arrangement of Otani.5
With respect to claims 9 and 15 the appellants argue that
Otani does not teach a lip portion that "is tapered such that
its diameter progressively increases" in a direction away from
the flange-like collars. We are at a loss to understand such a
5It is well settled that features not claimed may not be
relied upon in support of patentability. In re Self, 671 F.2d
1344, 1348, 213 USPQ 1, 5 (CCPA 1982).
6
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007