Appeal No. 2006-0031
Application 09/377,286
wicking is believed to be the result of capillary attraction between
the solder and the trace (page 1, lines 18-22). Healy’s figure 2
shows that the trace is covered with insulation (as indicated by the
above-cited excerpt, the opening in the insulation is the
interconnect pad, not the trace). The examiner has not explained
how, if the trace is covered with insulation, there can be wicking
along the trace. Nor has the examiner provided evidence or
technical reasoning which shows that the mere coupling of the trace
to Healy’s interconnect pad can result in an attractive force being
applied to solder placed on the interconnect pad.
The examiner argues that the claims do not require exposure of
the trace to the solder (answer, page 6). The claims require an
attractive force between a trace and solder. If exposure of the
trace to the solder is required to produce that attractive force,
then the claims implicitly require such exposure.
The examiner argues that one of ordinary skill in the art would
have construed the void illustrated by Healy as defining an exposed
pad and exposed portions of the trace and stub (answer, page 6). As
indicated by the above-cited excerpt of Healy, the reference
discloses that the insulation removal exposes the interconnect pad.
The examiner has not provided evidence or technical reasoning which
shows that one of ordinary skill in the art would have construed
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