Appeal 2007-2133
Application 10/790,502
carboxylic acid terminated poly(butadiene-acrylonitrile); a dihydric
compound; and “an amine having selectivity for a carboxyl-epoxide
reaction” to cure or harden the same (Siebert, e.g., col. 2, l. 23, to col. 6,
l. 22). Siebert discloses the composition can be cured at a temperature of
from about 80 to about 180°C to prepare an elastomeric solid (id., e.g., col.
6, ll. 23-41, and col. 7, ll. 32-50). The liquid polymer composition can
include other ingredients, such as fillers, colorants, and plasticizers (id. col.
6, l. 66, to col. 7, l. 31). The liquid polymer composition can be used for,
among other things, castable gaskets seals and o-rings, flowable coatings for
materials, flowable adhesives, encapsulation of electrical components and
general molded products (id. col. 7, ll. 51-57).
We determine the combined teachings of Pellegri and Siebert alone, as
further combined with McGinniss, and as still further combined with
Canfield, the scope of which the Examiner finds and we further determined
above, provide convincing evidence supporting the Examiner’s case that the
claimed process for sealing and insulating a fuel cell plate and the insulated
fuel cell plate encompassed by claims 25, 27, 29, 32, 33, 36, and 37, as we
interpreted these claims above, would have been prima facie obviousness of
to one of ordinary skill in the coating arts familiar with coating epoxy nitrile
resins on materials including fuel cell plates.
We agree with the Examiner that this person would have used
Siebert’s liquid, thermal curable, reactive precursor coating composition as
the liquid, thermal curable, reactive precursor coating composition in
Pellegri’s process in the reasonable expectation of coating the fuel cell plates
with a solid elastomeric coating in view of Seibert’s teachings that the
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