Appeal No. 1999-1190
Application 08/481,367
THE INVENTION
The appellants’ claimed invention is directed toward a
method for removing embedded contamination from a metallic
surface by directing a laser beam onto the surface such that
laser-generated melt pool liquid is directly ejected from the
surface. Claim 12 is illustrative:
12. A method for the removal of embedded contamination
from a metallic surface, the method comprising directing a
laser beam on to [sic, onto] the surface, the laser beam
having sufficient power density to melt at least a portion of
said surface and to cause direct ejection of laser-generated
melt pool liquid from the metallic surface by laser-generated
vapor pressure in the melt pool liquid, thereby removing a
portion of said metallic surface layer containing the embedded
contamination.
THE REFERENCES
Wu et al. (Wu) 4,898,650 Feb. 6,
1990
Boquillon et al. (Boquillon) 5,151,134 Sep. 29,
1992
Wojcik et al. (EPA ‘646) 0 091 646 Oct. 19,
1983
(European patent application)
Hiromi (JP ‘200) 4-109200 Apr. 10,1
1992
(Japanese patent application)
THE REJECTIONS
1Our consideration of JP ‘200 is based upon the English
translation thereof which is of record.
2
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