Appeal No. 2000-0581
Application No. 08/429,155
may be used with the tip to help attach it to a blade. This
raises the question whether the various elements recited in
claim 28, the attaching device, aligning means and fastening
means, are required to be disposed on or part of the blade tip
itself or whether they can be part of another structure
capable of use with the tip.
In light of the above discussion, we remand the
application to the examiner to ascertain (1) whether each of
the above-cited "device" or "means" limitations invokes the
sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112 and (2) the disclosed
structure in the specification which corresponds to each
limitation that invokes the sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. §
112. If the examiner is not able to ascertain, with
certainty, what structure corresponds to any limitations that
invoke the sixth paragraph of 35 U.S.C. § 112, a rejection of
the claims under the second paragraph of 35 U.S.C.
§ 112 may be appropriate, as discussed above. Additionally,
upon remand, the examiner should also address the specific
questions pertaining to claim 28 raised above.
After ascertaining the structure which corresponds to the
claim limitations so that the scope of the claims can be
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