Appeal 2006-3345
Application 10/256,982
closing the sealing bars about the open end of the
package after generating the vacuum; and
continuously heating at least one sealing bar
during each of the supporting, generating, and closing
steps.
14. A vacuum packaging machine comprising:
a chamber;
a vacuum generator which generates a vacuum
within said chamber;
a sealing mechanism disposed within said chamber
and including opposing sealing bars arranged to receive
the open end of a package disposed within said chamber
and operable to close the sealing bars about the open end
of the package; and
a heater which is continuously connected to a
source of current to generate heat with at least one of said
opposing sealing bars when (i) said vacuum generator is
operated to generate said vacuum, and (ii) said sealing
mechanism is operated to close said opposing sealing
bars about the open end of the package.
THE REJECTIONS
The Examiner relies upon the following as evidence of unpatentability:
Kujubu US 3,958,391 May 25, 1976
Kristen US 4,941,310 Jul. 17, 1990
The following rejections are before us for review.
1. Claims 1, 2, 4-9, 11-14, and 16-18 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b)
as anticipated by Kujubu.
3
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