Appeal No. 1999-0929
Application No. 08/514,986
are intended to be part of the detecting device seen in Figure
15a of the patent, we note that the means for coupling the
second electrical conductor to the first electrical conductor
in the Figure 15a embodiment of Matsui would then constitute
the elements 96, 96’, 97, 98 and 99, with such elements
retaining the first (95) and second (95’) electrical
conductors parallel and substantially co-extensive to one
another to form a sensor assembly and insulating said second
electrical conductor from said first electrical conductor.
As for appellants’ assertion that the "sensor assembly"
as defined in claim 17 on appeal does not include elements
that provide mechanical support for the electrical conductors
as they extend across the one free, unrestrained span set
forth in the claim, we point out that claim 17 is drafted
using a "comprising" format and therefore does not exclude the
presence of other elements, such as elements (98, 99) of
Matsui, being part of the "sensor assembly" and providing a
degree of mechanical support for the sensor assembly as it
spans the distance between the two spaced apart positions set
forth in claim 17. Thus, the mere fact that the sensor
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