Appeal No. 1996-1784
Application 08/131,037
vinyl monomer having a specified formula, or a copolymer of
this monomer and other water soluble vinyl monomers (col. 3,
line 31 - col 4, line 2). Yada irradiates his monomers in
aqueous solution first at a wavelength of 300 to 450 nm and an
intensity of 10 to 15 W/m2 (1.5 mW/cm2) and then at the same
wavelength and an intensity of 20 to 30 W/m2 (2.0 to 3.0
mW/cm2) (col. 3, lines 1-10), then irradiates the resulting
polymer with radiation having a wavelength of 200 to 600 nm at
an intensity of 1,000 to 2,000 W/m2 (100 to 200 mW/cm2). Yada
teaches that in general, the greater the intensity of light,
the higher the rate of polymerization and the lower the
molecular weight, and that his two-stage irradiation process
produces polymers having a high molecular weight (col. 6, line
45 - col. 7, line 4).
The examiner states that Yada and Bartissol are relied
upon to show that the art regularly uses processes wherein
more intense light is used at the latter stages of
polymerization (final rejection, paper no. 18, mailed December
2, 1994).
The examiner has not explained, and it is not apparent,
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