Appeal No. 1999-0960 Application No. 08/785,437 Wright discloses a filter having an accordion pleated filter element 1. On one or both sides of the filter, a capping 6 of adhesive such as epoxy resin is applied to the edges 4 of the pleats (called "fold backs" in appellants’ application), and then screens 2, 3 are adhered to the capping. The capping 6 serves the dual purpose of anchoring the screens to the pleat edges and of protecting the edges 4 against backfire gases and abrasion (col. 2, lines 10 to 17, and col. 3, line 59, to col. 4, line 22), while the screens prevent distortion of the filter and maintain uniform spacing between the pleat edges (col. 2, lines 40 to 45). On page 6 of the answer, the examiner seems to take the position that the language of claim 1 is broad enough to be readable on Wright, because "the claim does not say that the protective mask has to be continuously adhered at every point to the fold backs." We do not agree with this position. In the Wright filter, as shown in Fig. 2, the screen wires are only adhered to the pleat edges 4 where they cross the edges, rather than running along the lengths of the edges. Such 4Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007