Appeal No. 2004-1150
Application No. 09/924,490
matter, but currently stand objected to until such time that they
are rewritten in independent form.
Appellants’ invention pertains to the friction stir welding of
structural airframe components. Claims 1, 13 and 37 are
representative of the subject matter in issue and read as follows:
1. A method of forming a structural airframe component for an
aircraft including placing at least two components in abutting
relationship with each other and joining them together by friction
stir butt welding.
13. A structural airframe component for an aircraft including
at least one friction stir butt welded joint.
37. A structural airframe component for an aircraft
manufactured by placing at least two components in abutting
relationship with each other and joining them together by friction
stir butt welding.
The following prior art references have been applied by the
examiner against the claims:
Ellzey 3,023,860 Mar. 6, 1962
Thomas et al. 5,460,317 Oct. 24, 1995
Dawes, C. J., and Thomas, W. M. (Dawes et al.) “Friction Stir
Process Welds Aluminum Alloys.” Welding Journal, vol. 75, no. 3
(1 March 1996), pp. 41-45.
Claims 1, 13, 18, 38 and 52 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 102(b) as being anticipated by the article “Friction Stir Process
Welds Aluminum Alloys” by Dawes et al. (hereinafter, Dawes).
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