Appeal No. 2002-0706
Application No. 09/194,773
column 2, lines 10-17. The examiner finds (the Answer, page 4),
and we agree, that Nenadic also “discloses that the most cost
effective method of producing chamfered substrates is to chamfer
the parts in ‘green’ or unfired state.” See Nenadic, column 1,
line 65-67.
Under these circumstances, we concur with the examiner that
one of ordinary skill in the art would have been led to chamfer
the ceramic oxygen sensor of the type described in Kurishita
prior to sintering, using techniques, such as the one taught by
Nenadic, motivated by a reasonable expectation of successfully
obtaining the advantages stated in Nenadic. See, e.g., In re
Thompson, 545 F.2d 1290, 1294, 192 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1976);
In re Clinton, 527 F.2d 1226, 1229, 188 USPQ 365, 367 (CCPA
1976).
The appellants take the position that the Nenadic reference
is nonanalogous art and that, therefore, it is improperly
combined with the Kurishita reference. See the Brief, page 8 and
the Reply Brief, page 4. In support of this position, the
appellants assert that the Nenadic reference, unlike the claimed
subject matter, is not directed to a method of manufacturing a
ceramic oxygen sensor. Id.
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