Ex Parte YAMAMOTO et al - Page 20




         Appeal No. 1998-1418                                                        
         Application 08/313,249                                                      



         of the bottom opening of the pump shaft, thereby preventing the             
         medicant to be introduced therein.                                          


                    With this as our basis, we find that the limitation of           
         “about 2-3 mm” would be a reasonable distance between the pump              
         shaft and the side surface of the vessel, established through               
         routine experimentation.  For the above reasons, we will sustain            
         the examiner’s rejection of independent claim 38 on appeal under            
         35 U.S.C. § 103(a) based on Anthony, Bendig, Takahashi, Dobilas,            
         Junghans, Sukhin and Hughes.  In accordance with appellants'                
         grouping of the claims (brief, page 6) and as a result of their             
         failure to argue the patentability of claims 39 and 40 separate             
         from that of independent claim 38, from which they depend, we               
         conclude that claims 39 and 40 will fall with claim 38.  Thus,              
         the examiner's rejection of claims 39 and 40 under 35 U.S.C.                
         § 103 will also be sustained.                                               


                    With regard to the examiner’s rejection of claim 46              
         under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Anthony,                
         Bendig and Takahashi as applied to claim 1 above, and further in            
         view of Goodman, we note that claim 46 is directed to a method              
         of controlling an ultrasonic inhaler.  Claim 46 does not                    


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