Appeal No. 96-0661
Application 08/189,833
Matsubara discloses (col. 5, line 1) that the heating element
therein may be formed by sintering, while Fukuda discloses a
similar heating element/filter (18) that is of a honeycomb
construction. Given the collective teachings of these
references we are convinced that it would have been obvious to
one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of appellant’s
invention to form a heating element of the composition
disclosed in Matsubara in a honeycomb form by sinter forging.
Thus, we will also sustain the examiner’s rejection of claims
21 and 22 under 35 U.S.C. § 103.
Claims 4 and 8 on appeal require that the surfaces of the
heating elements of independent claims 1 and 5 be "covered
with membranes to prevent a thermal oxidation." Claims 11
through 18 on appeal similarly require the surfaces of the
heating elements of independent claims 1 and 5 to be "coated
with a material to prevent thermal oxidation" and that such
material be a fine metal oxide powder, such as an oxide of
zirconium, aluminum or nitriding aluminum, and that the
coating be coated to a thickness of "at least 20 microns." In
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