Appeal No. 1997-1685
Application 08/348,236
Turning next to claim 11, claim 11 recites a colored substrate composition
comprising a glass or glass ceramic substrate having at least one decorative ceramic
color layer applied thereto. The decorative ceramic color layer comprises at least three
ingredients: (1) at least one pigment, (2) at least one glass and (3) from 1-20 wt.% of a
chemically inert, elastic inorganic substance. The chemically inert, elastic inorganic
substance consists of mica flakes.
Yamazaki describes a glass or ceramic substrate having coated thereon a
composition comprising an inorganic pigment, glass powder and 10-25 wt.% of a pearl
luster pigment, that is, mica coated with titania or iron oxide. Yamazaki differs from claim
11 in his use of coated mica.
Diefenbach describes a glass or ceramic substrate having coated thereon a
composition comprising (1) glass flux and (2) at least 10 wt. % mica platelets coated with
titanium or iron oxide. The coated mica platelets are referred to as pigments; the color is
provided by the color of the naturally occurring mineral itself or from the metal oxide
coating. Diefenbach differs from claim 11 in the use of coated mica. He also does not
teach the use of pigment in combination with the coated mica.
It is the examiner’s position that the coated mica of Yamazaki and
Diefenbach satisfies the claimed mica flakes of claim 11 because mica is inorganic and
elastic. Applicants, on the other hand, urge that the language “a chemically inert, elastic
inorganic substance and said elastic inorganic substance consists of mica flakes...”
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