Appeal No. 98-1563 Page 19
Application No. 08/469,198
After the scope and content of the prior art are
determined, the differences between the prior art and the
claims at issue are to be ascertained. Graham v. John Deere
Co., 383 U.S. 1, 17-18, 148 USPQ 459, 467 (1966).
Based on our analysis and review of the conventional
cement clinker manufacturing apparatus disclosed by Figure 33
of Yokota and claim 39, it is our opinion that the only
difference is the following limitation:
at least one heating furnace comprising a jet fluidized
bed furnace for granulating the raw material in which
granulated material is charged into said rotary kiln by
way of a discharge chute, said jet fluidized bed furnace
being arranged intermediate said pre-calcining unit and
said rotary kiln, said at least one heating furnace
heating the raw material from a pre-heating temperature
to a sintering reaction temperature of 1300°C to 1400°C
at a heating rate of at least 100°C/minute and
maintaining that temperature.
With regard to this difference, the examiner determined
(answer, p. 7-8) that it would have been obvious to provide an
additional furnace adjacent the pre-calcining unit 2 of
Yokota's Figure 33 in order to obtain additional heating as
suggested/taught by either Sukuki or Figures 34-38 of Yokota.
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