Appeal No. 2007-1487
Application 09/562,632
references. Accordingly, we consider the record anew. Cf. In re Rinehart,
531 F.2d 1048, 1051, 189 USPQ 143, 147 (CCPA 1976).
The plain language of independent claim 1 specifies a coating
composition comprising at least the specified amounts of an aqueous,
hydroxy-functional, acid-group containing resin dispersion with the
specified properties, a polyisocyanate component with the specified
properties, and an epoxy functional silane component which is inert to
isocyanate groups and reactive with acid groups in said dispersion via epoxy
groups. The claimed composition is described as a two-component
polyurethane coating composition which contains a epoxy functional silane
component that can be, inter alia, β-(3,4-epoxycyclohexyl)ethyl-
trimethoxysilane or (3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxysilane, the latter specified
in claim 3 (Specification, e.g., 1:8-9, 4:7, and 5:19-21). The claimed coating
composition is disclosed to exhibit adhesion and corrosion resistance on
metal substrates, including aluminum and galvanized steel (id., e.g., 1:9-10).
The plain language of claim 8 specifies a coating composition
produced by adding the epoxy functional silane component to the
polyisocyanate component, and dispersing the mixture with the aqueous,
hydroxy-functional, acid-group containing resin dispersion component,
wherein the components are defined in the same manner and present in the
same amounts as in claim 1. Thus, the claim is couched in product-by-
process format. See, e.g., In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 697, 227 USPQ 964,
966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). The method set forth in this claim is described as
avoiding a premature reaction of the epoxy functional silane component in
6
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013