Appeal 2006-2137
Application 10/375,748
automobiles, aircraft, railroad vehicles, industrial machines, etc….” See the
Specification at 1. The method involves, inter alia, introducing a slurry
composition having particular organic and inorganic ingredients into a die
cavity and extracting the water from the slurry composition by pressing the
slurry composition in the die cavity with a particular die punch. See the
Specification at 3. According to the Appellant (Specification at 3-4):
By mixing the ingredients as a water slurry, the limitations of
particle size and fiber length are effectively eliminated, as is the
need for a high content of organic processing aids and liquid
resins. The wet slurry mixing process has the ability to disperse
long fibers and flakes and to suspend large particles without
segregation.
Details of the appealed subject matter are recited in claims 24 and 38
which are reproduced below:
24. A method of forming a molded friction material,
comprising:
placing a slurry composition in a die cavity, the slurry
composition comprising water and 10-50% by weight solids,
the solids comprising 2-15 vol.% organic fibers of 2-15 mm
length, 2-20 vol.% organic pulp of up to 8 mm length, 2-10
vol.% inorganic fibers of 2-15 mm length, 2-15 vol.% metallic
fibers of 2-15 mm length, 2-10 vol.% inorganic flake materials
of ½-10 mm in the largest dimension, 5-20 vol.% carbonaceous
particles of ½-10 mm in the largest dimension, and resin binder;
extracting the water from the slurry by pressing on the
slurry in the die cavity with a die punch sized to form a gap
between the punch and a sidewall of the die cavity whereby
the water is extracted through the gap, followed by drying,
resulting in the formation of a friction material preform; and
molding the friction material preform by applying heat
and pressure thereto.
2
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