Appeal No. 1998-1075
Application No. 08/701,600
defining voids intermediate the first and second surfaces,
comprising coating at least some of the fibers with a second
material, removing a portion of the second material, applying
a curable liquid resin to the substrate, and curing the
curable liquid resin (Brief, page 2). Appellants state that
the voids adjacent the coated fibers must provide fluid
communication from the first surface to the second surface of
the substrate, thereby allowing trapped air to migrate into
the voids rather than into the curable resin where the air
bubbles could compromise the integrity of the cured resin
structure (Brief, pages 2-3).
A copy of illustrative independent claim 1 is reproduced
below:
1. A method of applying a curable resin to a substrate,
the method comprising the steps of:
providing a curable liquid resin;
providing a substrate having a first surface and a second
surface, the substrate comprising fibers defining
voids intermediate the first and second surfaces, and
the substrate comprising a second material different
from the curable liquid resin, the second material
coating at least some of the fibers;
wherein the voids adjacent the coated fibers provide
fluid communication from the first surface of the
substrate to the second surface of the substrate;
2
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