Appeal No. 2001-0241
Application No. 08/997,373
obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the
hydrochloric acid electrolytic surface roughening of Lauke with
the nitric acid electrolytic surface roughening of Nippon for
applications wherein high print quality is the objective, i.e.,
as with printing calendars, catalogs, etc.
Appellants contend that the examiner has mischaracterized
the disclosure of Nippon as disclosing a printing plate with a
photosensitive layer. According to appellants, "Nippon discloses
a method for preparing a satin-finished aluminum plate for offset
printing, but neither discloses nor suggests a photosensitive
layer formed on the printing plate" (sentence bridging pages 4
and 5 of Reply Brief). We, however, find the examiner's
characterization of Nippon to be factually supported. We say
this because a reading of Nippon makes it clear that it is
directed to photosensitive printing plates having electrolytic
roughened supports. For instance, Nippon discloses that
"[u]sually, when an aluminum plate is used as the feed plate in
offset printing, in order to improve the adhesiveness of the
photosensitive film and to impart water retentivity for the non-
image-line portion, a surface roughening processing should be
performed" (page 2 of translation, third paragraph). Also, after
discussing the particulars of the invention, Nippon discloses
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