Appeal No. 1999-1538
Application 08/661,733
In affirming the rejection of independent claim 5, we do not agree with appellants’
assessment of the teachings and showings in Narumi. Figure 1 of this reference shows
fixed member 8, which the examiner correlates to the claimed holder. There is no
corresponding showing of this element 8 in Figure 9, which the examiner relies upon
specifically. What is most telling in Figure 9 is the unidentified illustration within the pad
portion 41 of the supporting member 7 of a circular hole-like structure. These are
obviously used to attach the entire supporting portion 6 to the supporting member 7 as well
as to its corresponding non-illustrated fixed member 8 in Figure 9. These unillustrated hole
portions are not illustrated in the remaining figures in this reference. It is thus apparent
from Figure 9 that these unillustrated hole portions are utilized by Narumi for attaching the
supporting member 7 to the respective members 6 and 8. The examiner is therefore
correct that Narumi is silent as to the particular means of doing this.
On the other hand, the examiner’s reliance upon prior art Figure 15 of Ikegame is
not misplaced since it does illustrate hole portions 204, 205 of the plate spring 201, thus
suggesting an attachment means by means of projections or the like for attaching the
entire plate spring 201 to what may be considered corresponding lens holder 102 and lens
substrate 105 of prior art Figures 13 and 14, for example. The examiner’s reliance on
Figures 11 and 12 is also persuasive because they do show the protruding fixing pads 8b
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007