Ex Parte TINKER et al - Page 5



          Appeal No. 2002-0716                                                        
          Application 09/092,255                                                      

                                   OPINION                                            
               With full consideration being given to the subject matter on           
          appeal, the Examiner rejections and the arguments of Appellants             
          and the Examiner, for the reasons stated infra, we reverse the              
          Examiner’s rejection of claims 29 through 39, 46 through 54, 56,            
          57, 59 through 67, 69, 70 and 72 through 79 under 35 U.S.C.                 
          § 103.                                                                      

               In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, the Examiner                
          bears the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case of              
          obviousness.  In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445, 24 USPQ2d 1443,           
          1444 (Fed. Cir. 1992).  See also In re Piasecki, 745 F.2d 1468,             
          1472, 223 USPQ 785, 788 (Fed. Cir. 1984).  The Examiner can                 
          satisfy this burden by showing that some objective teaching in              
          the prior art or knowledge generally available to one of ordinary           
          skill in the art suggests the claimed subject matter.  In re                
          Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 1074, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598 (Fed. Cir. 1988).            
          Only if this initial burden is met does the burden of coming                
          forward with evidence or argument shift to the Appellants.                  
          Oetiker, 977 F.2d at 1445, 24 USPQ2d at 1444.  See also Piasecki,           
          745 F.2d at 1472, 223 USPQ at 788.                                          
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