Appeal 2007-3581
Application 11/203,777
device, at least one rolling stand, and a strip-diverting device along the path
of the metal strip between the strip-casting device and the rolling stand,
spaced at a distance of 1.0 to 10.0 times the width of the strip upstream of
the rolling stand (Br. 2). Independent claim 22 is illustrative of the invention
and a copy of this claim is reproduced below:
22. Apparatus for continuous production of a rolled metal strip
comprising:
a strip-casting device for producing a cast metal strip having an initial
strip thickness when produced of less than 20 mm, and the strip passing
from the strip casting device along a path;
at least one rolling stand downstream of the strip-casting device along
the path and the rolling stand is adapted for in-line roll deforming of the cast,
undivided metal strip;
a strip-diverting device along the path of the metal strip between the
strip-casting device and the rolling stand, wherein the strip-diverting device
is spaced at a distance of 1.0 times to 10.0 times the width of the strip
upstream of the rolling stand.
The Examiner has relied on the following prior art references as
evidence of obviousness:
Takahara (JP ‘743), as translated JP 63-157743 Jun. 30, 1988
Hasegawa (JP ‘359), as translated JP 02-070359 Mar. 09, 1990
Ziegelaar (WO ‘612) WO 01/58612 A1 Aug. 16, 2001
ISSUES ON APPEAL
Claims 22-43 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable
over WO ‘612 in view of either JP ‘359 or JP ‘743 (Answer 3).
Appellants contend that there is no disclosure in any applied reference
as to the distance between the strip-diverting device and the rolling stand
(Br. 3).
2
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