Appeal No. 2001-0073
Application 08/966,894
rigid tube 62 corresponds to the claimed "connecting tube." The
rigid tube 62 is coupled to the ink supply tube 60 via a seal 66
which overlaps the ends of tubing 62 and 110. The rigid tube 62
fits through an aperture 27 in the top panel 26 (mislabeled as
126 in figure 1) of the cartridge and a lower end 61 is located
approximately at the bottom of the ink supply container 24, shown
more or less proximate to the print head 22. In Erickson, the
rigid tube 62 is joined to the cartridge top 26 in an airtight
seal and includes appropriate strain relief (col. 8, lines 38-39;
col. 13, lines 5-7), such as by gluing the tubing to the
aperture 27, thereby sealing the ink jet cartridge and providing
the appropriate strain relief (col. 8, lines 29-31; col. 13,
lines 21-23 & 29-32).
The differences between Erickson and claim 22 are that
Erickson does not disclose the claimed "first fitting integrally
molded into said top panel . . ." or the limitation beginning
with "a second fitting . . . ." The difference between the
cartridge in Erickson and claim 26 is that the interior of the
cartridge in Erickson is not "devoid of . . . ink supply tubing"
and Erickson does not disclose the limitation beginning with "a
luer-lock fitting molded into said top panel . . . ."
McAffer discloses a transfer adaptor 21 for effecting fluid
communication, such as from an ampoule 61 to a vial 67 in
figure 2. The transfer adaptor 21 has a rigid cannula 23 with a
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