Appeal No. 2006-0264
Application No. 10/217,064
lines 51 et seq., includes the lead stabilizer as a consumable
component that is monitored and added with a replenishing
solution.
Appellants contend that Araki shows the measurement of the
metal value in the bath, i.e., nickel, and nowhere does the
reference make mention of "analyzing the concentration of an
inhibitor in the bath, or of analyzing the concentration of each
component in the bath" (page 4 of Brief, last paragraph).
However, as explained above, Araki expressly discloses analyzing
and adjusting at least one of the consumable ingredients in the
bath, which includes lead among others (see Abstract, column 5,
lines 42 et seq., and column 9, lines 49 et seq.). Also,
inasmuch as Araki discloses that "the plating bath is always
maintained at a substantially constant concentration by the
replenishment" (column 11, lines 4-5), it follows that the
concentration of the lead stabilizer is maintained at a constant
level through measurement and adjustment.
Appealed claim 10 additionally calls for the sequential
addition of three separate regenerating solutions which decouples
the regulation of a lead concentration from the regulation of the
remaining bath components. As for the sequential addition of the
three regenerating solutions, the examiner has properly explained
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