Appeal No. 2000-0154 Page 5
Application No. 08/942,954
using a preheating saddle before each fixing device of each
respective printer." (Id.) The appellant argues, "Sugaya
teaches elimination of the second pre-heating saddle for dual
printing,
. . Naeser . . . shows a pre-heating [sic] saddle in the
context of a single printer." (Reply Br. at 2.)
In deciding obviousness, “[a]nalysis begins with a key
legal question -- what is the invention claimed?” Panduit
Corp. v. Dennison Mfg. Co., 810 F.2d 1561, 1567, 1 USPQ2d
1593, 1597 (Fed. Cir. 1987). Here, independent claim 21
specifies in pertinent part the following limitations: "a heat
transfer fixing station for fixing a first toner image on a
first side of a recording medium by direct heating thermal
contact between the recording medium and at least one heating
roller; a heat transfer fixing station for fixing a second
toner image on a second side of the recording medium facing
opposite the first side by direct heating thermal contact
between the recording medium and at least one heating roller;
a pre-heating saddle along a running direction of the
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