Ex Parte Bumgarner et al - Page 1






                                      The opinion in support of the decision being entered                                        
                                 today was not written for publication and is not binding                                         
                                 precedent of the Board.                                                                          
                                 UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE                                                        
                                                       _______________                                                            
                                       BEFORE THE BOARD OF PATENT APPEALS                                                         
                                                   AND INTERFERENCES                                                              
                                                       _______________                                                            
                                               Ex parte KIRK P. BUMGARNER,                                                        
                                     KENNETH W. ROBERTS and DAVID A. TUCKER                                                       
                                                        ______________                                                            
                                                     Appeal No. 2006-0235                                                         
                                                     Application 09/733,352                                                       
                                                       _______________                                                            
                                                           ON BRIEF                                                               
                                                       _______________                                                            
               Before GARRIS, WARREN and FRANKLIN, Administrative Patent Judges.                                                  
               WARREN, Administrative Patent Judge.                                                                               
                                                      Decision on Appeal                                                          
                      This is an appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134 from the decision of the examiner finally                           
               rejecting claims 1 through 14, 16 through 30, 33 through 37, 59 and 60.1                                           
                      Claim 1 illustrates appellants’ invention of a method of screening an optical fiber during                  
               a fiber draw process, and is representative of the claims on appeal:                                               
                      1.  A method of screening an optical fiber during a fiber draw process, comprising pulling                  
               a length of optical fiber from an optical fiber perform imparting a tensile stress to said fiber to                
               thereby test the strength of said fiber and subsequent to said imparting a tensile stress, winding                 
               said fiber onto a spool, wherein said tensile stress is imparted to said fiber via first and second                
               capstan, fiber tension between said capstans is monitored during the draw via a load cell, and the                 
               speed of one of the capstans is adjusted in response to feedback from the load cell about the                      
               monitored tension to maintain a desired tensile screening force on said fiber.                                     
                      The references relied on by the examiner are:                                                               
                                                                                                                                 
               1  The claims stand of record as of the amendment filed May 18, 2004.                                              

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