Appeal 2007-0512
Application 10/310,744
of the pressing roller mechanism in Hubbard et al. was clearly able to form a
continuous width seam along the roof membrane as the soft component to
the roller allowed one to more easily apply pressure in those regions where
the fasteners protruded from the surface by virtue of the soft elastic material
in the central region of the roller." (Answer at 9.)
We find that weld wheel 63, as depicted, has a level surface — i.e.,
the hard outer portions are level with the softer inner (stippled) portion.
Moreover, we observe that Hubbard teaches that the hard outer material has
a Shore A hardness of about 50 or more, while the soft middle material has a
hardness of about 40 or less. (Hubbard at col. 7, ll. 30-36.)
Appellants describe the way their roller works in the following words
(bold labels added for reference to Figure 1, shown here):
Portions of the rubber cushion [15] directly over the fastening
means [26] are compressed, while portions of the rubber
cushion [24] adjacent to the fastening means conform to the
underlying second thermoplastic sheet [22] and in sufficiently
tight contact therewith to expel air from between the
overlapping portions of the thermoplastic sheets so as not to
allow formation of air pockets or bubbles.
(Specification at 10.) Appellants disclose a number of suitable elastomeric
materials, and teach, "[t]he durometer of the various elastomeric materials
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