Appeal No. 2000-0486
Application No. 08/853,651
portions and with the wall thickness at a maximum at the tip
portion (see col. 1, l. 62 through col. 2, l. 18). Hogan
obtains the desired shaft flexibility in the central zone by
appropriate selection of the number of fiber layers and the
winding direction of the fibers on the molding mandrel (see
col. 3, l. 65 through col. 4, l. 9). Hogan describes a
preferred embodiment of the golf club as having an overall
length of 51 inches, a weight of 115 to 132 grams, a tip
portion wall thickness of 2.94 mm (0.116 inches) and an inner
diameter of 0.139 inches. See col. 4, ll. 32-57. Hogan does4
not teach a tip portion inner diameter greater than or equal
to 0.15 inches. However, the examiner asserts that “an
artisan skilled in the art in designing a club with a specific
flexional rigidity would have selected a suitable wall
thickness in which a wall thickness [sic: inner diameter]
being greater than or equal to 0.15 inches is included”
(answer, p. 8) and “that motivation to do so is found in the
4Specifically, at column 4, lines 32-41, Hogan teaches a golf club
shaft having an outer diameter and a wall thickness at the tip end of 9.4 mm
and 2.94 mm, respectively. Given those dimensions, the tip portion inner
diameter can be calculated to be 3.52 mm (approximately 0.139 inches).
6
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