Appeal 2007-0164
Application 10/286,122
removing any damaged material from a flow-path region of the
stationary shroud to leave an initially exposed base-metal flow-path surface;
and
applying a base-metal restoration overlying the initially exposed flow-
path surface, the step of applying including the steps of
furnishing a source of a structural material that is compatible with the
base metal, and
depositing the source of the structural material overlying the initially
exposed base-metal flow-path surface of the stationary shroud by laser
cladding to form a repaired base-metal flow-path surface.
The Examiner relies upon the following references as evidence of
obviousness:
Mehta US 4,743,733 May 10, 1988
Kerrand US 5,372,861 Dec. 13, 1994
Dimitrienko US 5,759,641 Jun. 2, 1998
Jones US 5,889,254 Mar. 30, 1999
Islam US 6,269,540 B1 Aug. 7, 2001
Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a method for repairing a
stationary shroud of a gas turbine engine. The method entails removing
damaged material from the stationary shroud before depositing a structural
material in the form of a powder or wire by laser cladding.
The appealed claims stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as
follows:
(a) claims 1-7, 9, 11-15, 17, 19, and 20 over Mehta in view of
Dimitrienko or Islam further in view of Kerrand or Jones;
(b) claims 10 and 18 over Mehta in view of Islam and Jones; and
(c) claims 8 and 16 over Mehta in view of Dimitrienko and Kerrand.
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