Appeal No. 1999-2241
Application No. 08/714,914
container or stem (22) can be made from various liquid-
impervious, substantially rigid, electrically-insulating
materials such as PTFE. (Column 2, lines 43-48.) Further, the
examiner found that the appellants admitted that O-rings made
from fluorocarbon elastomer have been used extensively in the
art. (Examiner's answer, pages 6-7; specification, page 4, lines
27-30.) Under these circumstances, we agree with the examiner
that it would have been prima facie obvious for one of ordinary
skill in the art to construct the container or stem (22) and the
O-rings of Frant's electrode with PTFE or a fluorocarbon
elastomer in order to provide a structure that is liquid-
impervious, substantially rigid, and electrically-insulating.
When a PTFE or fluorocarbon elastomer is selected as the material
of choice as suggested in the prior art, the recited modulus of
elasticity in flexure would necessarily flow from such selection
of material.
The appellants argue that the use of a second gasket in the
invention recited in the appealed claims serves purposes that are
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