Appeal No. 1998-2637 Page 4 Application No. 08/470,142 encloses a plurality of longitudinally extending wires and is provided with a longitudinally extending central passage. The leading end portion of the cannula is constructed to pierce human body tissue, such as by having its sheath comprise a tapered leading end and a plurality of stiffening wires (see Figure 21, for example). The cannula is inserted through tissue in a radially unexpanded condition and can be expanded radially outwardly against the inner walls of the vessel in which it is installed. The Rejection Under Section 102 Anticipation is established only when a single prior art reference discloses, either expressly or under the principles of inherency, each and every element of the claimed invention. See, for example, In re Paulsen, 30 F.3d 1475, 1480-1481, 31 USPQ2d 1671, 1675 (Fed. Cir. 1994) and In re Spada, 911 F.2d 705, 708, 15 USPQ2d 1655, 1657 (Fed. Cir. 1990). (1) Claim 70 stands rejected as being anticipated by Lee. The method recited in claim 70 includes the steps of providing a cannula having a sheath which at least partially encloses a plurality of wires, piercing a side wall of the blood vessel with a leading end portion of the cannula, moving the sheath and the wires of the cannula through the opening formed by the piercing step, and advancing the sheath and the wires of the cannula along an inner side surface of a blood vessel.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007