Appeal No. 2006-2810 Page 2
Application No. 10/618,111
mechanical and thermal properties in comparison to non-LCT resins. Id., ¶ 5, 6. The
improved thermal conductivity is advantageous because it increases the efficiency and
durability of electrical components, particularly air-cooled components. Id., ¶ 4, 39.
The application describes LCT epoxy resins that incorporate carboxylate-
alumoxane materials (“boehmite”1). Id., ¶ 9-11; Brief, page 1, section V. The resulting
LCT resins have improved thermal conductivity values without appreciably reducing
their electrical insulating properties. Id., ¶ 24, 39, 40. They are prepared by reacting
the LCT-epoxy resin with carboxylate-alumoxane, and then adding a curing agent to
harden the polymer. Id., ¶ 33.
Discussion
Claim construction
Claims 1-19 are on appeal. There are three independent claims. Independent
claims 1 and 12 are method claims; independent claim 15 is a composition claim.
Because Appellant did not provide separate arguments for patentability, the claims
stand or fall together. We will focus on claim 1, which reads as follows:
A method of making homogeneous alumoxane-LCT-epoxy polymers with a
dielectric strength of at least 1.2 kV/mil and a thermal conductivity in the
transverse direction of at least 0.50 W/mK and in the thickness direction of at
least 0.99 W/mK in an environment of 25°C comprising:
mixing at least one LCT-epoxy resin with at least one boehmite material, under
sufficient conditions to form a uniform dispersion and an essentially complete co-
reactivity of said at least one boehmite material with said at least one LCT-epoxy
resin, wherein a mixture is formed; and
curing said mixture to produce said homogeneous alumoxane-LCT-epoxy
polymers;
1 “Boehmite refers to a nano-sized alumina material capable of being reacted with the LCT-epoxy resins.”
Specification, ¶ 44.
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