Appeal No. 2003-0121
Application No. 09/143,318
current is passed from a power supply to an electrical device;
(2) mounting of the ultrasonic motor to the conductive member
such that a current path would exist between the conductive
member and an electrode of a piezoelectric element of the
ultrasonic motor if the components of the ultrasonic motor were
formed of conductive materials; and (3) at least one component of
the ultrasonic motor (claim 13) or at least one of the
oscillating member, the pressing mechanism and the moving body of
the ultrasonic motor (claim 1) which could, if formed of a
conductor, provide the current path between the conductive member
and the electrode of the piezoelectric element, is formed of an
insulating material (or has an insulating coating) to prevent
formation of the current path without the need for providing an
additional insulator between the conductive member and the
ultrasonic motor” (principal brief-pages 17-18).
Thus, appellants do not deny that the prior art discloses
that one or more elements of an ultrasonic motor may be formed of
an insulating material. But, they do argue that the prior art
does not disclose or suggest an electrical apparatus having an
ultrasonic motor mounted to a conductive member through which a
power supply current is passed, and that it does not disclose or
suggest that the ultrasonic motor is mounted to the conductive
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