Appeal No. 1997-1221
Application No. 08/299,591
art would have been motivated to use steel by the
teaching of Lim that steel is a heat resistant metal
which is useful in insulating blankets and because
steel is known in the art to be useful as a heat
resistant material. Since Lim teaches that the wire
mesh functions as a protective encasement for the
nonwoven fibrous material it would have been obvious
to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the
invention was made to have selected the diameter of
the wire and the mesh size of the woven wire which
produced the optimal strength, while still
maintaining the porosity of the mesh. Similarly, it
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
the art at the time the invention was made to have
selected the particular thickness of the metal sheet
and the bulk density of the nonwoven fabric in order
to optimize the desirable properties of the heat
shield such as strength and heat insulation, both of
which are taught by the references to be related to
the thickness of the metal sheet and the bulk
density of the nonwoven fabric. It is prima facie
obvious to optimize a known result effective
variable through the process of routine
experimentation. In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 105
USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955).
We refer to the brief and reply brief and to the answer
for a complete exposition of the opposing viewpoints expressed
by the appellants and by the examiner concerning the above
noted rejection.
OPINION
Having carefully studied the record before us, we
determine that the reference evidence adduced by the examiner
fails to establish a prima facie case of obviousness within
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