Appeal No. 2003-0867 Page 2
Application No. 09/688,104
BACKGROUND
The appellants' invention relates generally to radiator supports for motor
vehicles and, more specifically, to a magnesium radiator support assembly for a
motor vehicle (specification, p. 1). In the Description of the Related Art section of the
application (specification, pp. 1-2), the appellants provide:
It is known to provide a radiator support for a motor vehicle. Typically, the
radiator support is made of stamped steel. The radiator support has separate
components attached thereto. These components include a brace for a hood
latch, a grille opening reinforcement (GOR), brackets for the GOR, and a cover
for a radiator opening attached to the radiator support.
Although the above radiator support has worked well, it is desirable to
provide a single first front structure for a motor vehicle that is die-cast, injection
molded, or cast. It is also desirable to reduce weight, variable cost, and labor,
while improving quality and vehicle durability, of a radiator support for a vehicle.
It is further desirable to provide a radiator support that requires less package
space in a vehicle. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a new radiator
support assembly for a motor vehicle.
Next, in the SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION section of the application (specification,
pp. 2-3), the appellants provide:
Accordingly, the present invention is a multi-functional radiator support
assembly for a motor vehicle. The multi-functional radiator support assembly
includes a radiator support for operative attachment to forward end of the motor
vehicle. The radiator support is made of magnesium or a magnesium alloy
material.
One advantage of the present invention is that a multi-functional radiator
support assembly is provided for a motor vehicle. Another advantage of the
present invention is that the multi-functional radiator support assembly is a first
front structure for the vehicle that is die-cast, injection molded, or cast. Yet
another advantage of the present invention is that the multi-functional radiator
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