Appeal No. 1997-1594
Application No. 08/247,090
1054, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997). In re Zletz, 893
F.2d 319, 321, 13 USPQ2d 1320, 1322 (Fed. Cir. 1989); In re
Sneed, 710 F.2d 1544, 1548, 218 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir.
1983); In re Okuzawa, 537 F.2d 545, 548, 190 USPQ 464, 466
(CCPA 1976).
Our construction of the subject matter defined by
appellants’ claim 1 is that the claimed subject matter
requires a process of coating a region of diamond particles by
a carbide forming material followed by coating a region of
diamond particles by a brazeable material. We find no
requirement in the claimed subject matter that the coating be
uniform or complete. We find no requirement that the materials
be different, provided only that they possess both the
chemical and physical functions encompassed by the claimed
subject matter. Finally, we find no requirement in the
claimed subject matter that the compacting and infiltrating
steps may not occur simultaneously.
Based upon the above considerations, Chen discloses
diamond particles coated with a metallic coating and a
suitable infiltrating alloy. See column 4, lines 33-34. The
metallic coating may be either a single layer or a double
8
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