Appeal No. 2002-1674
Application 09/089,901
Ohara et al. (Ohara)3 JP 4-141827 May 15, 1992
(Published Japanese Patent Application)
Claims 1-20, all of the appealed claims, stand finally
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a).4 As evidence of obviousness,
the Examiner offers JP 4-141827 in view of Moriya with respect to
claims 1, 2, 7, 9, 11, 12, 17 and 19. The Examiner adds the
admitted prior art to the basic combination of JP 4-141827 and
Moriya with respect to claims 3, 6, 13, and 16, and adds
Pietrzykoski to the basic combination with respect to claims 8,
10, 18, and 20. The Johann reference is further added to the
combination of JP 4-141827, Moriya, and the admitted prior art
with respect to claims 4, 5, 14, and 15. In a separate rejection
under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a), any one of Nakane ‘285, Nakane ‘699, or
Nakane ‘932, is added to each of the stated rejections listed
above.
3 Since both Appellants and the Examiner refer to the Ohara reference by
document number (JP 4-141827), we will do so also to maintain consistency. A
copy of an English translation of this reference provided by the U.S. Patent
and Trademark Office, April 2000, is enclosed with this decision.
4 As indicated at page 2 of the Answer, the Examiner has withdrawn the
35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph, rejection of claims 1-20.
4
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