Appeal No. 2002-0932
Application No. 09/510,533
includes a method of electrolessly plating a nodule-free,
amorphous nickel-phosphorus (NiP) layer on a substrate surface
(Brief, page 3).1 Illustrative independent claim 1 is reproduced
below:
1. A method of depositing a nodule-free, amorphous
nickel-phosphorus (NiP) coating layer on a substrate
surface by means of an electroless plating process,
wherein an electroless plating bath utilized for
depositing said coating layer is contained at an
elevated temperature within a plating apparatus
including at least one polymeric material, comprising
performing said electroless plating in a plating
apparatus wherein the at least one polymeric material
is substantially resistant to degradation by contact
with the elevated temperature electroless plating bath.
The examiner has relied upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Katz 3,348,969 Oct. 24, 1967
Malik et al. (Malik) 4,659,605 Apr. 21, 1987
Chen et al. (Chen) 5,733,370 Mar. 31, 1998
Chiu 6,153,802 Nov. 28, 2000
(filed May 08, 1998)
Claims 1, 3-4, 7-8, 11-13 and 19 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Chen in view of Katz
(Answer, page 3). Claims 2, 14-16 and 18 stand rejected under
1All citations from the Brief refer to the Substitute Brief
dated May 24, 2001, Paper No. 11.
2
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