Appeal No. 1999-0512
Application No. 08/701,979
stent as a stop, a cup having a first end portion restraining
the stent at its proximal end portion, and the cup and collar
cooperatively constructed and arranged to restrain the stent
distal and proximal end portions in a stent reduced condition
and to release the stent proximal end portion from the cup end
portion in a balloon expanded state.
Based upon the clear and unambiguous overall disclosure
of Ryan, we share the examiner’s point of view that the
assembly set forth in claim 1 is anticipated thereby. In
particular, we note that Ryan expressly teaches (column 12,
lines 3 through 10) the combination of interior (Fig. 15) and
exterior (Fig. 7A) end caps, anticipating appellants’ claimed
collar and cup, respectively.
As explained below, the argument advanced by appellants
does not convince us that the rejection is unsound.
In the main brief (page 7), it is asserted that the
interior end cap of Ryan is incapable of retaining the stent
in position and acting as a stop (page 7) and is expected to
7
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007