Appeal No. 1998-2484 Page 12
Application No. 08/212,819
In applying the teachings of Sweeny to JP’313, we note
that claim 2 recites that an insulating spacer is inserted
between the flanges. The appellant asserts (reply brief, page
2) that in JP’313 the metal flanges are fastened “via an
intervening insulating spacer. The brazed seal of Sweeny,
however, cannot be used between a metal flange and an
insulating spacer. The brazed seal is a metal seal (typically
solder), which does not suitably seal a gap between a metal
flange and an insulating material. Thus, the person of
ordinary skill in the art would not combine the Sweeny brazed
seal with the flange-and-insulating spacer taught by JP’313.”
We agree. We note that the term “brazing” is defined as “a2
group of welding processes for joining metals which have lower
melting points than the metals joined.” Typical chemical
fluxes used in brazing have useful temperatures 700°F -
1600°F. In comparison, the IEEE insulating-material3
classification for insulators is generally from 90°C over
2McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology 1971, vol. 2, pps
353-355, a copy of which is attached to this decision.
3IEEE Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms, Sixth Edition,
1996 page 531, a copy of which is attached to this decision.
Page: Previous 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007