Ex parte RICE - Page 6




          Appeal No. 1998-0368                                                        
          Application No. 08/632,183                                                  


          Montefiore Hosp., 732 F.2d 1572, 1577, 221 USPQ 929, 933 (Fed.              
          Cir. 1984).  These showings by the Examiner are an essential                
          part of complying with the burden of presenting a prima facie               
          case of obviousness.  Note In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445,              
          24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992).                                      
               Furthermore, the Federal Circuit states that “[the] mere               
          fact that the prior art may be modified in the manner                       
          suggested by the Examiner does not make the modification                    
          obvious unless the prior art suggested the desirability of the              
          modification.” In re Fitch, 972 F.2d 1260, 1266 n.14, 23                    
          USPQ2d 1780, 1783-84 n.14 (Fed. Cir. 1992), citing In re                    
          Gordon, 773 F.2d 900, 902, 221 USPQ 1125, 1127 (Fed. Cir.                   
          1984).  “Obviousness may not be established using hindsight or              
          in view of the teachings or suggestions of the inventor.”                   
          Para-Ordnance Mfg. V. SGS Importers Int’l, 73 F.3d 1087, 37                 
          USPQ 2d at 1239 (Fed. Cir. 1995), citing W.L. Gore & Assocs.                
          v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d                                                  
          at 1551, 1553, 220 USPQ at 311, 312-13 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert.              
          denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984).                                                
                                     Analysis                                         


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