Appeal No. 2002-2118 Page 7
Application No. 09/010,614
Seto does teach that the cover 14 is slidably mounted onto connector 12 in the direction
of arrow "A" (Figure 1) and that the upwardly facing surfaces 40b and 42b of inwardly
directed flanges 40a and 42a of the cover 14 frictionally engage/contact the downwardly
facing surfaces 26 and 28 of the connector 12 during movement of the combined
connector-cover package by a vacuum-suction nozzle. However, it is our opinion that
such frictionally engagement or contact between the upwardly facing surfaces 40b and
42b of cover 14 and the downwardly facing surfaces 26 and 28 of connector 12 does
not constitute frictionally attaching the cover along the length of at least two sides of the
connector. Accordingly, the "frictionally attaching" step of claim 1 is not readable on
Seto.
For the reasons set forth above, the decision of the examiner to reject claim 1
and claim 5 dependent thereon under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) is reversed.
The anticipation rejection based on Ikesugi
We sustain the rejection of claims 1 and 5 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as being
anticipated by Ikesugi.
Ikesugi's invention relates generally to electrical connectors, and more
particularly, to a vacuum placement member associated with such connectors which
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