Appeal 2006-1207
Application 10/354,491
coating for the purpose of improving the adhesion of the curable resin to the
coating (Translation 10).
According to the Examiner, Wilhelm anticipates claim 14 because:
Wilhelm is directed to a method of providing
corrosion protection for steel pipes comprising
welding adjacent, plastic-coated steel pipes and
wrapping multiple composite joint tapes (laminates
of fiber and resin) in a region where said steel
pipes are uncoated (cutback portion), wherein said
composite reinforcement is cured . . . . Wilhelm
further teaches that the "plastic" coating 3 around
the steel pipes is embedded with fibers 4 and thus
constitutes a "composite reinforcement
circumferentially surrounding the core" . . . . It is
further noted that the benefit of improved hoop
reinforcement would be expected to necessarily
result in the assembly of Wilhelm. The placement
of such a fibrous reinforcement structure in the
hoop direction necessarily results in some degree
of hoop reinforcement. It is agreed that an
optimum reinforcement might occur if the fibrous
structure is entirely oriented in the circumferential
or hoop direction; however, the claim simply
requires a tape "to provide hoop reinforcement". It
is emphasized that the tape of Wilhelm is a
fiber/resin composite that is wrapped over the weld
region (equates to circumferential or hoop
direction)- even if all the fibers are perpendicular
to the hoop direction, some degree of hoop
reinforcement would still be provided due to the
thickness of the respective fibers [Answer para.
bridging 4 and 5].
4
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