Appeal No. 95-5080
Application 07/952,122
are open to blending and/or reaction of the components in any
sequence, such as the pre-reaction of components a and d.
The applicant urges that the prereacted epoxy resin cannot
satisfy a mixture of a) and d) of the instant claims because a
chemical reaction generally alters the character and properties
of the involved species and the wording of the instant claims
requires the presence of four individual components and does not
encompass reaction products which may be obtained by a specific
reaction of two or more compounds.
After careful consideration of the arguments of the
examiner and appellants as well as the evidence relied upon by
both, we find ourselves in agreement with the appellants that the
instant claims recite a blend of four ingredients and that the
prereacted epoxy resin cannot satisfy both a) and d) as the
examiner has alleged.
We cannot agree with the examiner's reasoning with
respect to the rejection of record and we reverse this rejection.
However, we are of the view that the teachings of Henton and Lee
would have rendered the instant claims prima facie obvious. Our
reasons follow.
There is no dispute that Henton teaches a liquid epoxy
resin (column 2, line 60 - column 3, line 52) in combination with
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