Appeal 2007-0174
Application 09/780,303
stabilizing the precursor fiber by heating the precursor fiber in
an oxidizing environment as it is drawn through respective heating
chambers of an initial group of the plurality of furnaces while applying
tension to the precursor fiber; and
continuously carbonizing the stabilized fiber by further heating
the fiber in an oxidizing environment as it is drawn through the heating
chamber of a final one of the plurality of furnaces.
The Examiner relies upon the following references as evidence of
obviousness:
Pepper US 4,526,770 Jul. 2, 1985
Berkebile (deceased) US 5,316,654 May 31, 1994
McCullough US 5,700,573 Dec. 23, 1997
Uchida US 5,733,484 Mar. 31, 1998
Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a method for making
carbon fibers from an elongated precursor fiber utilizing a plurality of
furnaces disposed adjacent to one another in a serial side-by-side
relationship. The precursor fiber is first stabilized by heating in an oxidizing
environment as the fiber is drawn through an initial group of furnaces, and is
then stabilized by heating the fiber in an oxidizing environment as it is
drawn through the heating chamber of a final one of the plurality of
furnaces.
Appealed claims 9, 13-17, 20-24, and 27 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C . § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Pepper in view of Uchida.
Claims 10-12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable
over the stated combination of references further in view of Berkebile. Also,
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