Ex parte HEIDENREICH et al. - Page 6




          Appeal No. 1999-1065                                                       
          Application No. 08/754,379                                                 


          and every element of the claim on such speculation.  Thus, the             
          rejection under § 102 cannot be sustained.                                 
               Since all the limitations of claim 21 and of claims 22                
          through 24, 30 and 31, which are dependent on claim 21, are                
          not disclosed in Everett, we will not sustain the examiner’s               
          rejection of claims 21 through 24, 30 and 31 under 35 U.S.C.               
          § 102(b).                                                                  
                               The § 103(a) rejection                                
               We will not sustain the rejection of claims 25 through 27             
          and 32 through 34 under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) over Everett in                 
          view of Roth or Chin.                                                      
               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 Rijckaert, 9 F.3d 1531, 1532, 28 USPQ2d                
          1955, 1956 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443,                 
          1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443, 1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992).  Only if that                 
          burden is met does the burden of coming forward with evidence              
          or argument shift to the applicant.  Id.  If the examiner                  
          fails to establish a prima facie case, the rejection is                    
          improper and will be overturned.  In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071,               
          1074, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598 (Fed. Cir. 1988).  In order to                   
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