Appeal No. 2002-0919
Application No. 09/152,170
from the claimed invention in that there is no disclosure of consolidating the thermoplastic
composite structure in a mold.
Berg discloses a helical tooling process for the production of thermoplastic matrix
composite tubes. (Col. 1, ll. 5-6). The process comprises two steps wherein a thermoplastic
filament is wrapped or wound onto a cylindrical configuration and the wound fibers are
subsequently consolidated. (Col. 1, ll. 30-38). The consolidation step employs heat and
pressure. The process of Berg does not use a thermoplastic liner around which the
thermoplastic filament is wound. Also, the consolidation step does not occur in a mold.
Ashton discloses a process for making a tubular shaft member. (Col. 1, l. 5). The
tubular member is formed from continuous filament winding of fibrous reinforced material
such as fiberglass. (Col. 2, ll. 10-12). The filaments are wound on a mandrel that is formed
from a flexible thermoplastic membrane. (Col. 2, ll. 17-21; col. 6, ll. 5-9). Ashton discloses
that after the filaments are applied to the mandrel, the sheathing is consolidated into a rigid
and resilient member. (Col. 7, ll. 23-28). Subsequently, the rigid member is placed into a
mold. (Col. 7, ll. 36-38). Once in the mold, the sheathing is expanded to conform to the
shape of the mold wherein the bonding resin is cured. (Col. 7, ll. 56-65). After the resin has
been cured to a hardened condition, Ashton discloses the flexible membrane mandrel is
removed from the fabricated member. (Col. 8, ll. 13-25). Thus, although Ashton discloses a
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