Appeal No. 1999-2618
Application 08/647,223
to the piston," which requires a magnetic joining in a
mechanical sense), cert. granted 69 U.S.L.W. 3779 (2001)
with Eaton v. Evans, 204 F.3d 1094, 1096, 53 USPQ2d 1696,
1697 (Fed. Cir. 2000) (the interference count recites
"complimentary bit lines coupled to a sense amplifier,"
"first plate electrode of said first capacitor coupled
selectively to said first bit line," etc., which requires
power or signal transfer in the electrical sense). While we
agree with the Examiner that "coupled" can mean mechanically
"joined" or "linked," we consider the mechanical definition
inappropriate in the electrical context of the present
claims. Although we do not disagree with the Examiner that
the relevant art could be considered to be the (electrical)
lighting art, merely asserting that one skilled in the
lighting art would interpret "coupled" as "joined" or
"linked" is not persuasive, especially in the face of
evidence by Appellant in the form of the Kerwin declaration.
Thus, we conclude that the Examiner erred in interpreting
the claims.
Under the electrical definition of "coupling" which
requires the ability to transfer energy or signals from one
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