Appeal No. 2006-0132
Application No. 09/946,627
Bersuch (page 9) and/or Sheahen (pages 6-7) and /or
Owens (page 404, figure 7) disclose applying composite
over-wrap plies on an exterior surface of a woven pre-
form. Whether the over-wrap plies are adhered prior to
or after the insertion of the pins is well within the
purview of one of ordinary skill in the art …
Optionally, Alston shows it is known in the art to
provide structural pins either through all the layers
of a structural composite (column 4, lines 56-67;
figure 2) or to place some layers of composite, insert
the pins, and then cover with additional layers of
composite (column 5, lines 48-60; figure 6).
The appellants also do not dispute the examiner’s determination
that:
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
the art at the time of the invention to provide the
method of bonding as shown by Breuer, Abildskov,
Campbell, Hertzberg, Barnes or Sloman by adhering over-
wrap plies to the perform as is well known in order to
provide a more secure bond and as further exemplified
by Bersuch and/or Sheahen and/or Owens8 and to provide
the over-wrap plies either before or after insertion of
the pins as would have been well within the purview of
one of ordinary skill in the art or optionally as
exemplified by Alston.
The appellants only argue (the Brief, page 23) that:
The generally triangular shape is an important
feature of claim 22. Claims 23 and 24 deal with over-
8 We find that Owens, for example, teaches bonding a pi-shape 3D woven textile
perform to a skin layer and applying over-wrap plies to further strengthen the
bonding and shear strength of the structure in aircraft construction (military
airframe structures). See pages 398-424, especially Figure 2. Similarly, we
find that Sheahen teaches joint subcomponents, including three-dimensional
woven pi-shape pre-forms and skin components, useful in aircraft construction.
See page 6. We find that Sheahen teaches that the woven pi-shape pre-forms
can be bonded or bolted to skins and can be co-cured with the skins before
applying over-wrap plies. See pages 6-7. We find that Sheahen teaches using
Z-pins prior to co-curing the skins and pre-forms. See page 7.
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