Appeal No. 2005-0247 Page 6
Application No. 10/171,657
"An[ ] embodiment of resistive heater elements 12 is shown in FIG. 3 in which the
elongated portions 31 are curved and are joined by end portions 32 to form a small
elongated opening 30. Thin conductive strips 33 are formed at spaced intervals on
elongated portions 31. The conductive strips 33 extend radially on curved elongated
portions 31 to force the electrical current path to follow the curvature and avoid current
crowding problems." Col. 4, ll. 20-29. Furthermore, Figure 3 shows that the curved
elongated portions 31 and the end portions 32 collectively form an annular shaped
heating element 12, with an opening 30 in the middle.
"[A] data pulse is supplied to control electrode 16 to energize the associated
resistive heater element 12. . . ." Col. 3, ll. 8-9. "[B]ubbles will nucleate normally on
both elongated portions . . . to form bubbles 26a and on both end portions 24 to form
bubbles 26b. . . ." Id. at ll. 50-52. "Due to a slight variation in current density,
bubble 26b will be formed with a slight delay from bubble 26a. These bubbles 26a and
26b continue to grow and coalesce or stick together at the perimeter . . . during bubble
growth." Id. at ll. 52-57. Because the heating element 12 is annular, with the
opening 30 in its middle, we agree with the examiner's finding that "[a]t some point in
time, the bubbles [26a and 26b] will have formed around the perimeter of the heat[ing
element 12]," (Examiner's Answer at 7), i.e., along the elongated portions 31 and the
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