Appeal No. 2002-1752
Application 09/180,464
Claim 27, the sole independent claim, is representative
of the subject matter on appeal and is reproduced below:
27. A method for producing an alloy from an aluminum
eutectic alloy system, in order to form a workpiece, which
comprises, prior to any rolling, extrusion or other working of
the alloy, casting and cooling an aluminum alloy melt to form a
workpiece, homogenizing and cooling the alloy in the workpiece,
heating the workpiece to a temperature in the alloy above the
solubility temperature of the precipitated phases in the alloy
matrix, keeping the workpiece at the temperature above the
solubility temperature of the precipitated phases in the matrix
until the phases have dissolved, cooling the workpiece to the
desired processing temperature at a cooling rate greater than
400°C/h and less than 55,000°C/h which is rapid enough to avoid
most of the precipitation of the said phases and slow enough to
avoid most of the precipitation of dispersoid particles.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Reiso 4,909,858 Mar. 20, 1990
ASM Handbook Volume 4 Heat Treating (ASM Handbook), ASM
International, 1991, 851-853
GROUND OF REJECTION
Claims 11, 12, 14-16, 27 and 28 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over Reiso in view of the ASM
Handbook.
We reverse.
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