Appeal No. 95-2622
Application 08/125,524
The strength element 10 is integrally formed from a fiber
reinforced resin material, wherein the resin thereof
preferably comprises an epoxy or polyester resin,
although
the use of other resins, such as polyurethane, phenolic,
or acrylic resins or mixtures of resins is contemplated.
Preferably the strength element 10 contains reinforcing
fibers of glass, ceramic, carbon or aramid materials,
such
as Kevlar (Dupont TM), or other polymeric fibers which
have high moduli of elasticity and high strengths and
which are embedded in the resin thereof in substantially
longitudinally extending relation . . . .
While persons having ordinary skill in the art reasonably
could have expected to integrally form Gruhn’s fiber
reinforced polymeric strength element by extrusion through a
die (Gruhn, col. 2, l. 10-17), we find no teaching in Gruhn
which reasonably would have led persons of ordinary skill in
the art to draw a fiber reinforced strength element from about
3.4 to 7.0 times its original length, and preferably from
about from 3.5 to 4.7 times its original length. Gruhn’s
reinforcing fibers are preferably made of glass, ceramic,
aramid materials, or other polymeric materials “which have a
high moduli of elasticity and high strengths and which are
embedded in the resin . . . in substantially longitudinally
relation” (Gruhn, col. 4, l. 66,
to col. 5, l. 1). Gruhn’s fiber reinforced polymeric strength
elements are designed for “increased resistance to breakage
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