Appeal No. 2006-2810 Page 4
Application No. 10/618,111
of epoxy resins.” Id., column 1, lines 19-20. Smith discloses LCTs which are described
as having “superior electrical and mechanical properties.” Id., column 2, lines 20-25.
They also have better thermal properties. Id., column 7, lines 10-25. An LCT with a
chemical formula I is described which contains a mesogen between terminal epoxy
functional groups. Id., column 2, lines 30-34. The mesogen is selected from a list of 16
different R-groups ((a)-(p)). Id., column 2, lines 45. In preferred embodiments, the
epoxy groups are crosslinked (“cured” or “hardened”) with an anhydride curing agent to
form a hardened, densely packed material. Id., column 5, lines 20-31. The LCTs can
be combined with other materials to improve the flexibility, electrical properties, and
other characteristics of the resin. Id., column 6, lines 37-50.
Hybrid polymers containing chemically modified carboxylate-alumoxane as filler
are described in the Cook patent. Cook, column 1, lines 14-17. The carboxylate-
alumoxane is chemically bonded to the polymer backbone by the reaction of functional
groups in the polymeric units with the carboxylate-alumoxane. Id., column 1,
lines 17-21. The chemical modification is described as improving the properties of the
polymers, including strength and flexibility. Id., column 1, lines 51-57; column 13,
line 55; column 14, line 31; column 17, lines 38-54. Cook discloses hybrid polymers
containing a thermoset epoxy resin chemically combined with carboxylate-alumoxane.
Id., column 11-12. According Cook, any commercially available epoxy resin can be
utilized. Id., column 12, lines 11-17.
The examiner rejected claims 1-9 and 11-19 as being obvious over the
combination of Smith and Cook. According to the examiner, it would have been obvious
to the skilled worker at the time the invention was made to have applied Cook’s method
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