Ex parte BRESSLER et al. - Page 5




                 Appeal No. 1996-0903                                                                                                                   
                 Application No. 07/692,211                                                                                                             

                          Appellants have proffered no evidence to support the                                                                          
                 argument that Nakamura’s plastic composition, which is                                                                                 
                 disclosed as comprising an epoxy resin as noted supra, is                                                                              
                 reversibly curable rather than being irreversibly curable.                                                                             
                 Such arguments by counsel, however, cannot take the place of                                                                           
                 evidence.  See In re Pearson, 494 F.2d 1399, 1405, 181 USPQ                                                                            
                 641, 646 (CCPA 1974). Therefore, the examiner’s finding as                                                                             
                 supported by The Condensed Chemical Dictionary stands                                                                                  
                 unrebutted on the record before us.                                                                                                    
                          Indeed, the independent claims do not even require that                                                                       
                 the plastic composition be irreversibly cured.  Instead, the                                                                           
                 independent claims merely require that the plastic composition                                                                         
                 be capable of being irreversibly cured.  The evidence shows                                                                            
                 that an epoxy resin as disclosed by Nakamura is capable of                                                                             
                 being irreversibly cured.  Furthermore, the mere presence of a                                                                         
                 solvent does not necessarily preclude irreversible curing due                                                                          
                 to polymerization (which hardens the substance by a change in                                                                          
                 the chemical make-up of the composition and hence constitutes                                                                          
                 irreversible curing), as well as by solvent evaporation.                                             3                                 


                      3See Golding, Polymers And Resins, page 638 (D. Van                                                                               
                      Nostrand Company, Inc. 1959) (copy attached).                                                                                     
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