Appeal No. 2002-1488
Application No. 09/463,695
. . . the PCCP structure has a shape close to a cylindrical
shape macroscopically, but it is actually an arrangement of
. . . pair[s] of triangles with their bases adjoined with each
other to form a diamond shape (as shown in Fig. 5) or an
arrangement of each pair of trapezoids with their lower
sides adjoined with each other to form a hexagon . . . .
[Specification, page 4.]
An advantage of this form of construction is explained by appellants as follows:
The cylindrical shape formed of such a PCCP
structure has higher rigidity and higher bending strength in
the direction toward the central axis of the cylindrical shape
that a cylindrical shape formed of a smooth curved surface
having the same thickness. Therefore, the golf club head
having the hollow portion can be designed to have a
reduced thickness without loss in the strength toward the
central direction. [Specification, page 5.]
Claim 11, the only independent claim on appeal, is representative of the subject
matter at issue and reads as follows:
11. A golf club head having a hollow portion comprising a PCCP structure,
said PCCP structure defining a central axis oriented to intersect a plane defined
by a face portion of said golf club head.
The references of record relied upon by the examiner in the final rejection as
evidence of obviousness are:
Knapp 4,058,945 Nov. 22, 1977
Nagai et al. (Nagai) 5,190,289 Mar. 2, 1993
Allen 5,397,126 Mar. 14, 1995
Nelms 5,700,208 Dec. 23, 1997
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