Appeal Number: 2006-0866
Application Number: 10/086,148
(col. 4, lines 62 to 63). Nagaraj teaches that the texturizing may be achieved by
grit blasting, micromachining, photolithography, laser etching or water jet
techniques (col. 4, lines 63 to 66). If a laser is used, a groove pattern is selectively
developed on the surface of the bond layer using laser techniques (col. 5, lines 14
to 20). The texturizing must result in an average roughness Ra of at least about 300
micrometers (col. 5, lines 10 to 13).
Skelly describes a method of fabricating a component for a turbine engine,
coated with a thermal barrier coating, which includes the step of texturizing a bond
layer ( col. 5, lines 28 to 34). Skelly teaches that the texturizing of the bond coat is
done so as to produce a preselected controllable pattern which achieves an
optimum crack impeding geometry thereby reducing spallation of the bond layer
(col. 3, lines 32 to 34). The texturizing is done by utilizing a laser (col 3, lines 36-
40).
PRINCIPLES OF LAW
To support a rejection of a claim under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b), it must be shown
that each element of the claim is found, either expressly described or under
principles of inherency, in a single prior art reference. See Kalman v.
Kimberly-Clark Corp., 713 F.2d 760, 772, 218 USPQ 781, 789 (Fed. Cir. 1983),
cert. denied, 465 U.S. 1026 (1984).
The examiner bears the initial burden of presenting a prima facie case of
obviousness See In re Rijckaert, 9 F.3d 1531, 1532, 28 USPQ2d 1955, 1956 (Fed.
Cir. 1993), which is established when the teachings of the prior art itself would
appear to have suggested the claimed subject matter to one of ordinary skill in the
art. See In re Bell, 991 F.2d 781, 783, 26 USPQ2d 1529, 1531 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
This is not to say, however, that the claimed invention must expressly be suggested
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