Appeal No. 1997-0432
Application No. 08/200,951
thermosetting powder of a polyester resin, an epoxy resin or a
mixture of the two, and the external coating is then
polymerized in a furnace; the improvement wherein, before the
spraying of said powder, the method includes:
a) applying an initial coating consisting of zinc to the
metallic structure by an electrolytic process;
b) applying a layer consisting essentially of an acrylic
coating onto the zinc coating; and
c) drying the layer of acrylic coating to define an
intermediate acrylic coating serving as a bonding sublayer
between said metallic structure and said external coating and
onto which sublayer said powder is sprayed.
In addition to the admitted state of the prior art
presented in appellants' specification, the examiner relies
upon the following references as evidence of obviousness:
Camelon et al. (Camelon) 3,953,644 Apr. 27, 1976
H. Silman et al. (Silman), Protective and Decorative Coatings
for Metals 416-35 (Finishing Publications Ltd., Teddington,
Middlesex, England 1978)
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to coated
metallic structures, and a process for producing the same,
comprising a coating of zinc adhered to the metallic surface,
and a polymerized acrylic coating between the zinc and an
outer coating of a thermosetting powder comprising a polyester
resin, an epoxy resin or a mixture of the two. According to
appellants, "[t]he coating process of the present invention
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