Appeal No. 2002-0933
Application No. 09/325,944
answer. Appellant urges that Rague (col. 6, lines 56-59) merely
indicates that elements (78) and (80) are connected together to
assure a continuous electrical supply to the unit, and thus those
elements in the Rague patent do not constitute a "presence
sensing mechanism" which provides an indication of connection
upon substantially complete mating of the first and second mating
surfaces, as required in independent claim 9 and its dependent
claims. In appellant's view, Rague merely emphasizes a
continuous supply of electrical power without qualification as to
whether the connector is substantially completely mated.
We agree with appellant that elements (78) and (80) of Rague
appear to be designed to provide a supply of electrical power to
the unit without regard to whether the first and second mating
surfaces of the connectors (34, 36) or (37, 41) are substantially
completely mated or not. Claim 9 specifies that "upon
substantially complete mating of the first and second mating
surfaces, the presence sensing mechanism provides an indication
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