Appeal 2007-0118
Application 10/175,612
FINDINGS OF FACT
We find that the following enumerated findings are supported by at least a
preponderance of the evidence. Ethicon, Inc. v. Quigg, 849 F.2d 1422, 1427, 7
USPQ2d 1152, 1156 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (explaining the general evidentiary standard
for proceedings before the Office).
1. Henne discloses an airfoil trailing-edge design to improve airfoil
effectiveness in terms of increased thickness, increased lift capability,
and decreased drag (Henne, col. 1, ll. 13-15).
2. Henne recognizes that prior efforts have been made to increase
camber in airfoil design, including the use of flaps and wedges used to
change airfoil section lift. Henne notes, “However, all of these
devices produce surface discontinuities which produce earlier
boundary layer separation, drag penalties and the loss in camber
effectiveness resulting from these discontinuities.” (Henne, col. 1,
ll. 55-65.)
3. Henne discloses that an object of the Henne airfoil design is “to
produce increased camber effectiveness in airfoil design while
avoiding the surface discontinuities associated with the prior designs”
(Henne, col. 1, ll. 66-68).
4. Henne avoids the surface discontinuities associated with the prior art
devices by providing an airfoil trailing edge design which features a
blunt base, a region of high local concave curvature, typically on the
lower or higher pressure surface at or near the trailing edge, and upper
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