Appeal No. 2006-1467 Page 7
Application No. 10/302,271
of delivering hot air with some direction to or channeling of the
flow thereof. 1
Kirkland teaches a reworking process that includes
directing hot air or nitrogen (74, Fig. 4) to the solder balls
(66, Figure 4) via a nozzle (90, Fig. 4). See Kirkland at column
3, lines 38-67. Thus, the repair station, including the nozzle
(90) of Kirkland is obviously directed at the solder ball
connections to allow for the desired repair. In addition, one of
ordinary skill in the art would have readily recognized that the
hot air flow through the nozzle (90) of Kirkland is started (the
air flow through the nozzle is turned on) at some point in time
during the rework process, as reasonably maintained by the
examiner (answer, pages 4 and 6-8). After all, such hot air flow
is the required source of heat used in melting the solder balls
in the replacement operation of a solder-connected defective
electrical component as suggested by Kirkland.
As for the claim 1 requirement of loading the gimbal
assembly on a fixture, we agree with the examiner that using a
1During examination proceedings, claim terms are given
their broadest reasonable interpretation as they would be
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art when read in light
of appellants’ specification. See In re Sneed, 710 F.2d 1544,
1548, 218 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir. 1983).
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