Appeal No. 95-0942
Application 07/877,772
the problem solved by his invention is controlling the tension
placed upon the wrapping sheet as the wrapping apparatus moves
about the pipe (column 1).
Koopman is directed to discrete sections of pipe, which can
be held in a fixture (see drawing). In the Koopman system, at
room temperature an entire section of pipe is covered with a
continuous wrap impregnated with resin, subsequent to which
induction heating is applied to the pipe section in a number of
back and forth passes until the resin is caused to flow. A
second induction heating step then cures the resin. See column
2, line 54 et seq., and claim 1.
The mere fact that the prior art structure could be modified
does not make such a modification obvious unless the prior art
suggests the desirability of doing so. See In re Gordon, 733
F.2d 900, 902, 221 USPQ 1125, 1127 (Fed. Cir. 1984). We fail to
perceive any teaching, suggestion or incentive in the references
which would have led one of ordinary skill in the art to modify
Tailor in the manner proposed by the examiner. First of all, to
substitute for Tailor's individual sheet wrapping system the
continuous wrapping system disclosed by Lindsey amounts not to a
modification of Tailor, but to a discarding of the Tailor
invention in its entirety. Second, Koopman does not teach
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