Ex Parte BITAR et al - Page 4




          Appeal No. 2002-0792                                                        
          Application 08/801,646                                                      


                                        OPINION                                       
               With full consideration being given to the subject matter on           
          appeal, the Examiner’s rejections and the arguments of Appellants           
          and the Examiner, for the reasons stated infra, we reverse the              
          Examiner’s rejection of claims 1 through 6, 13, 14, 18 through              
          34, 40 through 46, and 52 through 55 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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