Appeal No. 97-0612
Application 08/322,218
these features are advantageous in that “[b]ecause of the
contoured or curved edges 97, more reliable transformers 32 are
possible. This is because any sharp edges on the strip 39 would
concentrate the electrical field stress and create a point from
which electrical corona can initiate insulation failure” (pages
16 and 17).
In the present appeal, the appellants do not dispute the
examiner’s proposed combination of Vaughan and Sparks which was
supported by this Board in the earlier appeal. The appellants,
however, do challenge the examiner’s reliance on Skinner to cure
the tacitly acknowledged failure of Vaughan and Sparks to teach
or suggest a method and apparatus meeting the curved edge and
curved end limitations in claims 1 through 3. In this regard,
Vaughan relates to the production of a whole tube having no
slits, and while Sparks relates to the production of a flat strip
from a slit tube, the slit would appear to have sharply cornered
edges formed by a rectangular key 200.
Skinner discloses a whole metal tube extrusion method and
apparatus involving “a die construction utilizing male and female
elements so combined and constructed as to facilitate easy flow
of the metal under pressure” (page 1, lines 4 through 7). The
die construction includes a female die member 20 and a mandrel
-4-
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