Appeal No. 2006-2396
Application No. 10/293,133
a front membrane having a print work area, the front membrane sealed to the fluid
distribution stack; and
an acoustic array connected to the fluid distribution stack, the acoustic array being
controllably positioned by the fluid distribution stack to form a predetermined gap with
the front membrane;
wherein, ink is transferred from the fluid distribution manifold through the fluid
distribution stack to the predetermined gap for the acoustic array to generate droplets of
ink emitted from the print work area.
The examiner relies on the following references:
Roy et al. (Roy) 6,199,970 Mar. 13, 2001
Smith 6,276,779 Aug. 21, 2001
Claims 1-5, 8-10, 14, and 16-231 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being
anticipated by the disclosure of Roy. Claim 13 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)
as being anticipated by the disclosure of Smith. Claims 6 and 7 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a). As evidence of obviousness, the examiner offers Roy in view of
Smith.
Rather than repeat the arguments of appellants or the examiner, we make reference
to the briefs and the answer for the respective details thereof.
OPINION
We have carefully considered the subject matter on appeal, the rejections advanced
by the examiner and the evidence of anticipation and obviousness relied upon by the
examiner as support for the rejections. We have, likewise, reviewed and taken into
consideration, in reaching our decision, the appellants’ arguments set forth in the briefs
along with the examiner’s rationale in support of the rejections and arguments in rebuttal
set forth in the examiner’s answer.
It is our view, after consideration of the record before us, that the evidence relied
upon supports each of the examiner’s rejections of the claims on appeal. Accordingly,
we affirm.
1 Although claim 16 is not listed in the statement of the rejection, it is clear that claim 16 must be part of
this rejection since it is the parent claim to claim 17 which is listed in the statement of the rejection.
2
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