Appeal No. 1998-0259
Application No. 08/391,817
appearing in the claim. Thus, whether the feature is formed
solely in the encapsulant is immaterial. See In re Self, 671
F.2d 1344, 1350, 213 USPQ 1, 5 ((CCPA 1982). Nakazawa's
feature (i.e., V-groove 12a) is clearly located in what the
Examiner relies upon as the encapsulant, elements 5 and 12.
Element 5 is located over substrate 2a as required by claim 1.
Additionally, although Nakazawa recites 12 is a casing and 5
is a lid, a broad interpretation of these components qualifies
them as an encapsulant. Note the enclosed dictionary3
definition wherein it states, encapsulate- to enclose in or as
if in a capsule.
Kubota
The Examiner's explanation of Kubota is the same, element
for element, as that stated for Nakazawa supra. (Answer-page
5.)
Appellants acknowledge that Kubota is closely related to
Nakazawa (brief-page 8), and rely on the same arguments.
Accordingly, we again agree with the Examiner's position
3Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1986
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