Appeal No. 2003-1941
Application No. 09/981,100 Page 5
[t]hus, pure aluminum is a beneficial bonding
agent for bonding dissimilar metals wherein one or both
of the metal sheets or plates to be joined contain a
ductile oxide surface. Certain metals, such as, for
example, stainless steel and pure or EC (electrical
grade) aluminum contain brittle oxide surfaces and do
not require an aluminum coating layer to be applied
prior to pressure bonding.
Based on that disclosure of Groll, the examiner (answer,
page 4) asserts that:
[i]t would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in
the art at the time the invention was made to have modified the
method of AAPA so as to include the step of bonding metal parts
having oxide layer on the respective surfaces, in a similar
manner as taught in Groll, in order to provide a more efficient
bond therebetween [sic] the two bonding parts thus reduc[ing] the
overall manufacturing cost and to lessen environment[al] impact
by not using an acid back strip.
As explained by appellant (brief, pages 5-7 and reply brief,
pages 2 and 3), Groll is directed to the bonding of dissimilar
metals using a pure aluminum surface layer on at least one of the
mating surfaces, the pure aluminum functioning as a bonding
agent. Also, the APA, unlike Groll, is particularly directed to
a conventional method for forming a hollow fan blade wherein the
oxide coating of the mating surfaces of the components to be
bonded is removed so that a bond quality that is acceptable for
that purpose can be obtained.
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007