Appeal No. 1997-2036
Application No. 08/335,991
therebetween. In applying Brown against claim 4, the examiner
asserts (Final Rejection, page 3) that elements 62, 66, and 81
meet the limitation of buffer chambers and elements 82 and 83
refer to channels. Appellant admits (pages 12-13) that
element 66 could be considered a chamber and that elements 82
and 83 are channels. However, appellant contends that
elements 62 and 81 are not chambers and, therefore, that claim
4 is not anticipated.
Brown identifies 62 as the housing, rather than a
chamber. Although a housing generally has dimensions similar
to those of a chamber, the chambers in claim 4 have certain
restrictions that are not met by element 62. For example,
housing 62 is not connected to other chambers by connecting
channels, as recited in
claim 4. Further, housing 62 is not part of the second
diffusion path and, therefore, does not carry fluid, as
recited in and implied by claim 4. Accordingly, element 62
cannot be one of the plurality of chambers recited in claim 4.
As to channel 81 being considered a chamber, the examiner
argues (Answer, page 4) that the term "channel" meets
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