Appeal No. 1999-1719 Page 4
Application No. 08/787,700
Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1. A window frame assembly, comprising:
a window frame; and,
a J-channel member integral with said window frame, said J-
channel member containing integral drains operatively arranged
to constrain and divert water away from and exterior to said
window frame, said drains comprising enclosed channels having
an inlet to receive rain water and an outlet to expel said
rain water exterior to said window frame.
Harbom discloses a sash for a window or door unit (column
1, lines 5-10) which has "at least one vent opening in the
upper portion of the sash... in communication with at least
one exterior water drain hole in the bottom of the sash..."
(column 2, lines 2-10).
The examiner, in the rejection, relies on Harbom's sash
(16) as a teaching or suggestion of a window frame and of a
portion of the sash (16) containing the internal passageway
(46) as the J-channel member of the appellant's claim 1. The
issue before us is whether one of ordinary skill in the art
would have understood Harbom's sash and internal passageway to
be a window frame assembly including a window frame and a J-
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