Appeal No. 1998-2948
Application 08/400,861
anodically oxidized (Br5). It is also argued that the
Examiner was incorrect in stating that anodically oxidizing an
aluminum film containing a rare earth element does not
influence the properties of the film, and that the Examiner
was incorrect in stating that Appellants had not shown that
anodic oxidation would materially affect the properties of the
alloy (RBr2).
Since anodic oxidation works on a number of different
aluminum alloys in Kiyota, there is no apparent reason why one
of ordinary skill in the art would be deterred from anodically
oxidizing the aluminum/rare earth element alloys of the
secondary references when used in the environment of Kiyota.
Obviousness does not require absolute predictability of
success.
Appellants argue that the anodic oxidation layer formed
on aluminum/rare earth element alloys have a greater
dielectric breakdown voltage than layers formed on
aluminum/tantalum alloys in Kiyota and one of ordinary skill
in the art would have no reason to expect the beneficial
results resulting from anodic oxidation of an aluminum/rare
earth element alloy (Br6-7). It is argued that the present
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