Appeal No. 2003-0413
Application 09/148,262
THE INVENTION
The appellant claims a plastic article which has been formed
in a specified molding apparatus. Claim 1 is illustrative:
1. An article of manufacture comprising a finished
configuration having an enhanced surface and made of plastic
formulated to eliminate or reduce the need to include a release
agent and formed by molding the plastic in a mold having at least
one metal base, a mold cavity at least partially defining the
plastic configuration, and at least one self-lubricating surface
layer having a substantially uniform thickness for further
defining the plastic configuration within the mold cavity, the at
least one self-lubricating surface layer including a porous
metallic skin including a plurality of substantially uniformly-
shaped projections integrally connected to and extending from an
interior surface of the at least one metal base and lubricating
particles disposed on the skin and in pores of the skin, wherein
the lubricating particles are bonded together to form a sealed
surface of the at least one self-lubricating surface layer
whereby the finish of the molded plastic configuration is further
defined to provide the enhanced surface.
THE REFERENCES
Niederst et al. (Niederst) 5,300,334 Apr. 5, 1994
Baumgartner et al. (Baumgartner) 5,535,980 Jul. 16, 1996
THE REJECTIONS
The claims stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as
follows: claims 1-15, 19 and 21-27 over Niederst, and claims 1-14
and 19-27 over Baumgartner.
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