Ex parte BAUER et al. - Page 6




          Appeal No. 1996-2809                                                        
          Application No. 08/399,961                                                  


          need not be set forth in the written specification if the                   
          skill in the art is such that the disclosure enables one to                 
          make [and practice] the invention.”  In re Gaubert, 524 F.2d                
          at 1226, 187 USPQ at 667.  Accordingly, we agree with                       
          appellants that the examiner on this record has not                         
          established a prima facie case of unpatentability within the                
          meaning of 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph.  In re Marzocchi,                
          439 F.2d 220, 224, 169 USPQ 367, 370 (CCPA 1971)(the examiner               
          has the initial burden of producing reasons that substantiate               
          a rejection based on lack of enablement).                                   
               We turn next to the Section 103 rejections of claims 1                 
          through 20.  The examiner takes the position that Saprokhin                 
          essentially describes the electrochemical cell recited in                   
          independent claim 1 except for an anode hanger and an outer                 
          gas separator positioned equidistance between the claimed                   
          anode assembly and the claimed cathode.  The examiner then                  
          relies on Tricoli to establish obviousness of incorporating                 
          the anode hanger and the particularly positioned outer gas                  
          separator in the electrochemical cell described in Saprokhin.               
          The remaining references are relied upon to show obviousness                


                                          6                                           





Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  Next 

Last modified: November 3, 2007