Appeal No. 2006-0672
Application No. 10/112,176
of Denninger, Moss and Gay.
The examiner finds that Denninger discloses electrical conductors embedded in a
dielectric material to form an electrical connector which has the ability to withstand
severe environments (Answer, page 3). The examiner finds that Denninger teaches the
use of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) as a dielectric molding material but does not
mention the use of PEKK (Answer, page 4).1 Therefore the examiner applies Moss for
the disclosure of PEKK materials within the scope of the claims on appeal, with the
accompanying teaching that these materials have dielectric characteristics for use in
electronic applications, as well as improved strength and temperature resistance
(Answer, page 4). From these findings, the examiner concludes that it would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of appellants’ invention to use the
PEKK materials of Moss as the dielectric material in the electrical connector system of
Denninger “to form connectors having improved temperature resistance” (id.).
The examiner cites Gay for the teaching of using conventional fillers and polymer
blends with PEKK materials to improve temperature resistance, crack resistance, and
moldability (Answer, pages 4-5). From these findings, the examiner concludes that it
would have been obvious to use the fillers and polymer blends of Gay in the articles of
1Appellants admit that it was known in the art to form electrical connectors for use in
downhole tools by molding PEEK around the conductors to completely isolate the conductor
(specification, pages 2-3, ¶[0010]). Appellants also admit that polyetherketone (PEK) has been
used for the same purpose as the similar PEEK (specification, page 3, ¶[0011]).
3
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