Appeal No. 2001-0913
Application No. 09/002,058
Claim 1 is the only independent claim on appeal, and it reads as follows:
1. A string instrument comprising:
a first body having a resonant chamber;
a plurality of strings each manifesting a tone of a different frequency secured to and external
to the body and over the chamber for producing first acoustical waves in a range of frequencies, the
chamber exhibiting second acoustic waves in a range of frequencies responsive to and
corresponding to the first waves; and
acoustic wave enhancing means coupled to the body and to the chamber for selectively
enhancing only the acoustic waves of the lower portion of the range of frequencies of the second
waves.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Dunham 1,303,466 May 13, 1919
Kalaf 1,455,916 May 23, 1923
Redlinger2 1,635,502 Jul. 12, 1927
Pedersen 1,721,710 Jul. 23, 1929
Newton 2,953,052 Sep. 20, 1960
Doschek 3,101,810 Aug. 27, 1963
Desmond 3,524,377 Aug. 18, 1970
Kasha 4,079,654 Mar. 21, 1978
McGill 5,780,758 Jul. 14, 1998
(effective filing date Aug. 11, 1994)
de Cristofaro3 FR 370, 137 Jan. 29, 1907
(French Patent Application)
2 Although this reference is not listed in the prior art of record (answer, page 4), it is
relied on by the examiner to reject several claims on appeal (answer, pages 5 and 6).
3 A copy of the translation of this reference is attached.
2
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