Appeal No. 2001-0106
Application 08/855,811
Thomson (U.S. 3,715,371) discloses that it is known to bond an inorganic (e.g.
metal) substrate to any polymeric material via the interposition therebetween of
an (e.g. amino containing) organosilane compound/coupling agent. (abstract,
column 1, line 7 through column 2, line 59, column 4, line 14 through column 5,
line 65). (Examiner’s Answer, page 4, lines 9-12)
[Hahn clearly discloses] (N.B. column 1, lines 32-46) that organosilane
compounds (i.e. coupling agents) are appreciated by this art to/by definition form
a bond between an inorganic substrate and a polymer layer by
interacting/reacting/coupling with both substrate and polymer. (Examiner’s
Answer, page 7, lines 4-8).
The Appellant notes that:
[T]he Thomson and Hahn et al patents do not teach the use of a coupling agent
for any purpose with respect to conductive adhesive and teach a coupling agent
for use in conjunction with a nonconducting adhesive only to increase adhesion.
There is nothing in either Thomson or Hahn et al that suggests that there would
be any improvement in the degradation of electrical properties over a period of
time when a coupling agent is used in conjunction with a conductive adhesive.”
(Appeal Brief, page 9, lines 9-13).
As noted above, we agree with the Examiner that Thomson teaches the
identically claimed coupling agent for use in metal-polymer applications to greatly
improve adhesion (column 1, line 25 and column 2, lines 24 and 31-33) by coating
(column 2, line 46) in various amounts (column 2, line 67) by spraying, brushing, or
pouring (column 3, line 5).
Hahn, on the other hand, also discloses an organosilane coupling agent (column
1, lines 32-48) for bonding inorganic surfaces including metal (column 6, line 41-46) with
polymers (column 2, lines 32-34).
However, neither reference discusses electrically conductive polymers. The
Examiner has failed to explain why one of skill in the art would modify the combination
of Thomson and Hahn to include conductive polymers.
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