Appeal No. 1998-1154
Application No. 08/304,960
The examiner finds that Yonezawa teaches treating
aluminum alloy surfaces to prevent chemical corrosion due to
water with the formation of an alumina surface that contains
one additional metal, such as titanium, incorporated by ion
implantation (Answer, paragraph bridging pages 3-4). The
examiner recognizes that the teachings of Yonezawa differ from
the claimed method in “not discussing the conditions present
during the possible ion bombardment step” (Answer, page 4).
Similarly, the examiner finds that Natishan teaches ion
implantation of certain specified metal ions in the surface of
an aluminum substrate to prevent corrosion caused by chloride
solutions but doesn’t “mention use of molecular oxygen during
implantation” (Answer, page 5). Contrary to the claimed
method, the examiner finds that Natishan teaches ion
implantation at pressures of 0.8 to 2 x 10-6 torr (id.), which
is described as a “vacuum” (Natishan, page 321, right column,
last paragraph).
The examiner attempts to remedy the deficiencies of the
primary references to Yonezawa and Natishan by applying Armini
for the teaching of implanting zirconium ions in an alloy of
titanium while immersed in an oxygen-containing gas with a
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