Appeal No. 2000-0673
Application No. 08/960,276
Claims 56 and 58 read:
56. The method of claim 55 wherein the stent functions as a
cathode in an anode/cathode pair and is immersed in an aqueous
electrolyte solution including collagen and an electrical
potential is established between the anode and cathode
adequate to sustain electrodeposition of the collagen from the
solution onto the metal surface of the stent.
58. The method of claim 56 wherein the potential is about 3
volts.
In discussing the voltage to be applied between the
electrodes (the cathode being the item to be coated), Vieth
states at col. 5, line 65 to col. 6, line 3:
Voltage and current requirements are dependent upon
the dimensional parameters of a given system, such
as the area of the support to be coated, the
distance between electrodes, the temperature, and
the concentration of materials and electrolytes in
the aqueous mixture. Generally, it is preferable to
use a relatively low voltage supply, such as from
about 10 to 100 volts. The actual current
requirements are quite small, generally from 1 to 10
amperes. Working at low voltages avoids an
undesirable increase in temperature, which may
denature the enzyme or its carrier, and also tends
to favor electrophoresis over electrolysis.
Voltages for a given application can be readily
determined by simple trial and error.
While the about 3 volts recited in claim 58 is lower than the
voltage range disclosed by Vieth, supra, as generally
preferable, we consider that it would have been obvious to use
that voltage when electrodepositing collagen onto the stent of
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