Appeal No. 2001-0912
Application No. 09/082,957
OPINION
Having carefully studied the record before us, we determine
that the Section 102 rejection should be sustained but that the
Section 103 rejection should not be sustained.
The Section 102 Rejection
It is axiomatic that, during examination proceedings, claims
are to be given their broadest reasonable interpretation
consistent with the specification. In re Hyatt, 211 F.3d 1367,
1372, 54 USPQ2d 1664, 1667 (Fed. Cir. 2000).
With this principle in mind, we fully share the examiner’s
finding that the here rejected claims are anticipated by Urasaki.
Indeed, in light of the well articulated and thoroughly detailed
findings of fact and rebuttals to argument presented by the
examiner in her answer, we will adopt these findings and
rebuttals as our own. We add the following comments merely for
emphasis.
On pages 1 and 2 of the reply brief, the appellants
acknowledge that Urasaki discloses (e.g., see lines 49-58 in
column 7) a puddle of solution is formed in the nip portion
between patentee’s figure 4 rollers. According to the
appellants, however, “the stated puddles are not the same as
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