Appeal No. 2005-0873
Application 10/067,347
The appealed claims relate to an optical coupling device
which comprises an optical lens placed between a light emitting
device and an optical fiber. The manufacture of the optical
coupling device is illustrated in figures 3a through 3d. The
lens substrate 10 of optical material is coated with a mask layer
MS. The mask layer is composed of photoresist. The mask layer
is photographically exposed and then subjected to a heat-
treatment which leaves a plurality of mask layer portions having
curved surfaces as shown in figure 3c. When the structure in
figure 3c is etched, an optical lens array having a plurality of
convex portions 11a through 11d is created, as shown in figure
3d.
The claimed subject matter may be further understood with
reference to the appealed claims appended to appellant’s brief.1
The references of record relied upon by the examiner as
evidence of anticipation and obviousness are:
Knapp et al. (Knapp) 5,768,456 Jun. 16, 1998
Althaus et al. (Althaus) 6,434,297 B1 Aug. 13, 2002
Grounds of Rejection
Claims 50 through 64 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e)
as anticipated by Althaus.
1 We note that an amendment entered after final rejection
corrects a typographical error in claim 65.
2
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