Appeal No. 1998-1425
Application No. 08/437,808
taught by AAPA by applying the flux in the manner claimed
since this manner of application is old and well known in
the heat exchanger art for the purpose of uniform
application.
The examiner further states on pages 4 and 5 of the answer:
The only step which is missing from AAPA is the
step of applying the coating by spraying. AAPA
teaches applying the coating by brushing of
rolling. Kawase is used to teach only this,
applying the coating to a tube by spraying. The
particular direction the spray is facing and the
tube parts are facing would clearly be a matter of
mechanics, i.e., what direction is easiest for the
application. This would be true whether the method
were by brush, roll, or spraying.
After fully considering the record in light of the
arguments
presented in appellants' brief and reply brief, and in the
examiner's answer, we conclude that claims 1 and 2 are
patentable over the applied prior art.
As a general proposition, we consider that it would have
been obvious, in view of the AAPA's disclosure of applying
flux by brushing or rolling, to apply flux to the plate
material from which the tubes are to be formed by spraying,
spraying being a notoriously well known method of applying a
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