Appeal No. 2006-2037 Page 6
Application No. 10/414,938
lines 35-39. The structure 12 is composed of a base material 14 suitable for the
intended use of the structure 12. Ragheb, column 7, lines 15-16. At least one
layer 18 of a bioactive material is posited on one surface of the structure 12.
Ragheb, column 7, lines 62-65. According to Ragheb, the other surface of the
structure 12 “will either contain no bioactive material or one or more different
bioactive materials.” Ragheb, column 7, line 65 – column 8, line 1. Ragheb
discloses that this configuration allows for the delivery of one or more bioactive
materials or drugs to the blood stream from the lumen surface of the stent, while
a different treatment is delivered on the vessel surface of the stent. Ragheb,
column 8, lines 1-5. In addition, Ragheb discloses that the device 10 “also
comprises at least one porous layer 20 posited over the layer 18 of bioactive
material and the bioactive-material-free surface.” Ragheb, column 10,
lines 34-37. According to Ragheb, “[t]he purpose of the porous layer 20 is to
provide a controlled release of the bioactive material when the device 10 is
positioned in the vascular system of a patient.” Ragheb, column 10, lines 37-41.
Ragheb discloses that the device 10 “can further comprise at least one additional
coating layer 16 posited between the structure 12 and the at least one layer 18 of
bioactive material.” Ragheb, column 11, lines 5-8.
Therefore, Ragheb discloses a device 10 (for simplicity, a tube 3) that has
a particular structure 12. As illustrated in Figure 1, a cross-sectional view of the
3 According to the examiner, many of Ragheb’s “devices are nothing more than mere tubes.”
Answer, page 6.
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