Ex Parte De Haan et al - Page 3



         Appeal No. 2004-2297                                       Page 3          
         Application No. 10/196,817                                                 

         have made but chose not to make in the brief have not been                 
         considered.  See 37 CFR § 41.37(c)(1)(vii).                                

                                      OPINION                                       
              In reaching our decision in this appeal, we have carefully            
         considered the subject matter on appeal, the rejection advanced            
         by the examiner, and the evidence of obviousness relied upon by            
         the examiner as support for the rejection.  We have, likewise,             
         reviewed and taken into consideration, in reaching our decision,           
         appellants' arguments set forth in the brief along with the                
         examiner's rationale in support of the rejections and arguments            
         in rebuttal set forth in the examiner's answer.                            
              Upon consideration of the record before us, we reverse,               
         essentially for the reasons set forth by appellants.  We observe           
         at the outset appellants' statement (brief, page 3) that "claims           
         4 and 11 stand and fall together."  Accordingly, we select claim           
         4 as representative of the group.                                          
              In rejecting claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103, it is incumbent            
         upon the examiner to establish a factual basis to support the              
         legal conclusion of obviousness.  See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071,           
         1073, 5 USPQ2d 1596, 1598 (Fed. Cir. 1988).  In so doing, the              







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