Appeal No. 2003-0785
Application 09/457,816
a suitable dielectric liquid crystal polymer for their invention.
The examiner asserts that choosing an LCP like “Vectran” would
have been found through routine engineering optimization and
experimentation as a preferably suitable material [answer, pages
3-4].
Appellants argue that neither Boutaghou nor Lambert
provides any disclosure directed to a disc drive that
incorporates a flexible circuit having a dielectric liquid
crystal substrate as recited in claim 2. Appellants argue that
the motivation proposed by the examiner is too speculative to
support the rejection. Appellants assert that the examiner has
provided no objective evidence that shows a motivation to combine
the references. Appellants also argue that the claimed
dielectric liquid crystal substrate achieves unobvious and
unexpected results [brief, pages 9-12].
The examiner responds that the reference to other
preferably suitable materials in Boutaghou provides a suggestion
to artisans to look for other suitable materials in the flexible
circuit art. The examiner asserts that the LCP taught by Lambert
would be known to have the properties desired for the flexible
circuit of Boutaghou [answer, pages 7-8].
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