Appeal 2007-1939
Application 10/277,563
inventors in common with, the application on appeal. Ketcham teaches
inorganic-electrolyte fuel cells for generating electrical power, particularly
for vehicles.12 The fuel cell has an oxidant reservoir, a fuel reservoir, and an
electrolyte structure between the reservoirs in the form of a non-planar
sheet.13
The examiner applies the disclosure to claim 12 with reference to
Ketcham's Figures 2 and 3.14 Figure 3 shows an assembly with a compliant
solid-oxide sheet 63 sandwiched between facing electrodes 62, 64.15 The
claims require the anode to be "interior" and the cathode to be "exterior".
"Interior" and "exterior" are relative terms requiring some frame of
reference. The examiner notes that the metal interconnect plates 74 on either
side of the sandwich can be seen as defining enclosed spaces. Thus, either
electrode could be defined as "interior" or "exterior", depending on which
enclosed space is chosen as the point of reference.16 Either way, the solid-
oxide sheet 63 would form one wall of the enclosed space, thus defining a
packet element.
The examiner points to Ketcham's ceramic tube 38 as the frame that
supports an edge of the solid-oxide sheet 63 via baffle rings 40. It is not
clear whether the baffle rings 40 are involved in supporting the solid-oxide
sheet 63, but either directly or indirectly Ketcham's ceramic tube 38 appears
12 Ketcham at 2:53-55.
13 Ketcham at 1:63-67.
14 Ans. 4-6.
15 Ketcham at 6:17-22.
16 For instance, in the case of a door between adjoining rooms, both faces
may be described as "interior" with respect to the building. From the
perspective of each of the adjoining rooms, however, only the face in that
room is "interior".
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