Appeal No. 2002-0922
Application No. 09/305,531
(i.e., bonding using infrared energy on an infrared-absorbing
material) to join the front and back panels. We cannot agree.
None of the applied prior art references provide any
teaching, motivation, or suggestion that would have led one of
ordinary skill in the art to combine Kauer and Grimm in the
manner as proposed by the examiner. In this regard, the examiner
is correct in pointing out that Grimm describes certain
advantages in using an infrared-absorbing material to bond
plastics. (Column 1, line 12 to column 3, line 15.) But none of
these advantages are relevant to Kauer’s disclosed method. For
example, Grimm teaches that electromagnetic welding, which is the
bonding method described in Kauer, may be undesirable because
“[e]xposure to a high frequency alternating current source causes
the ferromagnetic particles to respond and melt the surrounding
plastic material.” (Column 1, lines 46-49.) This effect,
however, is exactly what is intended in Kauer. (Column 4, lines
4-8.) ACS Hosp. Systems, Inc. v. Montefiore Hosp., 732 F.2d
1572, 1577, 221 USPQ 929, 933 (Fed. Cir. 1984)(“Obviousness
cannot be established by combining the teachings of the prior art
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