Ex parte ALBRIGHT - Page 4




          Appeal No. 1998-1107                                       Page 4           
          Application No. 08/536,768                                                  


                                       OPINION                                        
               In deciding this appeal, we considered the subject matter              
          on appeal and the rejection advanced by the examiner.                       
          Furthermore, we duly considered the arguments and evidence of               
          the appellant and examiner.  After considering the totality of              
          the record, we are persuaded that the examiner erred in                     
          rejecting claims 6-30.  Accordingly, we reverse.                            


               We begin by noting the following principles from Rowe v.               
          Dror, 112 F.3d 473, 478, 42 USPQ2d 1550, 1553 (Fed. Cir.                    
          1997).                                                                      
               A prior art reference anticipates a claim only if                      
               the reference discloses, either expressly or                           
               inherently, every limitation of the claim.  See                        
               Verdegaal Bros., Inc. v. Union Oil Co., 814 F.2d                       
               628, 631, 2 USPQ2d 1051, 1053 (Fed. Cir. 1987).                        
               "[A]bsence from the reference of any claimed element                   
               negates anticipation."  Kloster Speedsteel AB v.                       
               Crucible, Inc., 793 F.2d 1565, 1571, 230 USPQ 81, 84                   
               (Fed. Cir. 1986).                                                      
          We also note the following principles from In re Rijckaert,                 
          9 F.3d 1531, 1532, 28 USPQ2d 1955, 1956 (Fed. Cir. 1993).                   
               In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, the                         
               examiner bears the initial burden of presenting a                      
               prima facie case of obviousness.  In re Oetiker, 977                   
               F.2d 1443, 1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir.                       
               1992)....  "A prima facie case of obviousness is                       







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