Appeal No. 2002-1117
Application No. 09/569,607
are "configured to pass through the side wall of the tubular
graft conduit at respective locations" as required in claim 1 and
also "further configured to reach respective locations on the
side wall of the tubular body conduit that are spaced annularly
around the aperture when the connector is in use and the first
and second members are extending substantially radially out from
the structure."
As for the examiner's newly added comments regarding Figure
1 of Berg '416 (answer, page 6), we share appellants' view as
expressed on page 7 of the reply brief that the wire frame (38)
and coating (36), which fills the apertures formed by the wires
of the frame, together define the "graft" or "graft conduit" of
Berg '416. Thus, the frame (38) is part of the graft itself and
is not "a structure which is annularly continuous and configured
for disposition annularly within the inside of the tubular graft
conduit" as required in appellants' claim 1 and which further
includes first and second members configured to function in the
manner set forth in claim 1.
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