Appeal No. 2003-1946
Application 09/156,952
sample vial’s cap. Claim 1 is illustrative:
1. A sample vial for use in an automated test apparatus,
the sample vial comprising:
a body comprising an outer surface, an open end, a closed
end, and at least one anti-rotation lug about said body outer
surface, the anti-rotation lug comprising a generally flat,
longitudinally disposed surface extending radially outwardly from
said body outer surface, the longitudinally disposed surface
comprising a lowermost edge that is substantially perpendicular
to said body outer surface, the lowermost edge located closer to
the open end than to the closed end;
a cap releasably engagable with said body, said cap
comprising an outer surface and a torque pattern on said cap
outer surface, said torque pattern comprising a plurality of
radially disposed ribs; and
a seal disposed between said body and said cap so as to be
capable of forming a substantially fluid-tight seal therebetween,
wherein both of the flat surface and the lowermost edge of
the at least one anti-rotation lug is accessible when the cap is
engaged with the body for reacting against proximate structure of
the automated test apparatus when installed therein to facilitate
at least one of automated removal and installation of the cap.
THE REFERENCES
Moore 5,855,289 Jan. 5, 1999
(filed Apr. 25, 1997)
Brodner 5,894,733 Apr. 20, 1999
(filed Jan. 7, 1998)
THE REJECTION
Claims 1-8, 10 and 12-26 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 as being unpatentable over Brodner in view of Moore.
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007