Appeal No. 2000-1042
Application No. 08/986,449
implanting an antifoulant into the metal object surface via an
apparatus such as a cathodic arc plasma gun wherein the apparatus
(or the plasma generated thereby) is relatively translated
progressively lengthwise of the surface to uniformly ion implant
the surface lengthwise thereof. This appealed subject matter is
adequately illustrated by independent claim 1 which reads as
follows:
1. The method for reducing carburization, oxidation, and the
formation of coke on a metal object having an elongated surface
exposed to hydrocarbon at high temperature in a process, that
includes:
a) providing ion implanting apparatus,
b) operating said apparatus to ion implant selected
antifoulant or antifoulants into the metal object surface,
progressively along said surface,
c) said metal object configured to have said ion implanted
surface exposed to said hydrocarbon at high temperature in said
process,
d) said apparatus including a cathodic arc plasma gun which
is relatively translated progressively lengthwise of said surface
while producing a plasma acting to uniformly ion implant said
surface lengthwise thereof.
The references set forth below are relied upon by the
examiner as evidence of obviousness:
Cabrera et al. (Cabrera) 4,714,632 Dec. 22, 1987
Conrad 4,764,394 Aug. 16, 1988
Gandman et al. (Gandman) 5,358,626 Oct. 25, 1994
Chan (Chan ‘920) 5,449,920 Sep. 12, 1995
Leung 5,558,718 Sep. 24, 1996
Heyse et al. (Heyse) 5,575,902 Nov. 19, 1996
2
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