Appeal 2007-1488
Application 10/809,072
1
2 12. Burd’s Figure 2 is said to depict a mold assembly, wherein
3 relevant reference numerals 12, 18, and 20 represent a cavity, a
4 helix crystal selector, and a starter chamber, respectively.
5 (Burd, 2:3-48.)
6 13. The Examiner found that Burd describes every element of the
7 claimed invention except it does not explicitly disclose “a seed
8 crystal for initiating epitaxial crystal growth in molten metallic
9 material...” as recited in appealed claim 1. (Answer 4.)
10 14. Applicants do not dispute the Examiner’s finding in this regard.
11 15. Monte ‘468 teaches that a single crystal seed may be used in
12 association with the crystal (grain) selector to provide an “even
13 closer correspondence between the secondary orientation of the
14 cast articles and the selected secondary orientation.” (Monte
15 ‘468, 22:18-23.)
16 16. Likewise, Monte ‘469 teaches that seed crystal may be used in
17 combination with the crystal (grain) selector “[t]o enable only
18 the main crystal having the desired crystallographic orientation
8
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Last modified: September 9, 2013