Appeal No. 2004-2052
Application 09/509,147
the adapter block (see page 2, lines 22-27 and page 4, lines 20-
30 of the specification, and Figure 4 of the drawings).
We now turn our attention to the prior art rejections,
beginning with the rejection of claims 1, 3 through 5 and 8 under
35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by Jones. In this
instance, the examiner’s urges (answer, pages 6-7) that the
chemical analyzer of Jones comprises a turntable (12) (adapter
block) that has a series of openings (16) (fixing means) in a
ring (17) (guide means) on its periphery for holding vessels
(18), and further contends that the turntable (12) “rotates above
the platform which is fitted via a recess (see figures).” On
page 12 of the answer, the examiner specifically points to
Figures 9 and 10 of Jones, urging that the turntable (12) as seen
therein clearly comprises a recess with a rim that allows the
upper portion of the turntable to fit over a second portion of
the device.
Like appellants’ (brief, pages 6-8), we fail to see that
Jones describes, teaches or suggests a removable adapter block
that is capable of being seated on a laboratory magnetic stirrer
and which includes a recess in the base thereof for receiving an
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