Appeal No. 2005-1099
Application No. 09/334,974
1061 (Fed. Cir. 1992). In the instant case, the examiner has
established that Eichholzer (as well as Moysan) is within the
field of the inventor’s endeavor.
Appellants also argue that there is no suggestion in Moysan
or Eichholzer to modify Moysan as proposed by the examiner in
the rejection. We disagree. As stated by the examiner,
beginning on page 19 of the answer, Eichholzer provides
sufficient motivation for utilizing the pulse drying process of
Eichholzer in the process of Moysan. The examiner clearly
explains the benefits described in Eichholzer in so doing.
On page 6 of the brief, appellants refer to column 6, lines
52-59 of Moysan (brief, page 6), and state that Moysan teaches a
sputter cleaning method by applying power to the cathodes to
achieve a current flow, and that the electroplated surface can
also be cleaned by a low pressure etch process by applying a
negative D.C. current to the cathodes to achieve a current flow.
As such, appellants argue that Moysan need not employ any other
method of cleaning in light of these teachings.
Upon our review of Moysan in this regard, we find that the
cleaning method discussed in column 6 at lines 52-59 is in
regard to the process step when the plated escutcheons are in a
sputter ion plating vessel. However, Moysan teaches that the
escutcheons are placed, for six minutes, in a conventional
ultrasonic alkaline cleaner bath. See column 5, lines 46-48.
After this cleaning step, the escutcheons are then rinsed and
placed in a conventional alkaline electro cleaner bath for about
two minutes. Beginning at line 62 in column 5 of Moysan, Moysan
teaches that the escutcheons are placed in a semi-bright nickel
plating bath for about 10 minutes to deposit a nickel layer on
the surface of the escutcheon. After this step, the escutcheon
is rinsed twice and then placed in a bright nickel plating bath
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