Appeal No. 2001-1142
Application No. 09/065,143
zone in the form of elongated slots or other suitably shaped
apertures for flowing the mixture. See Fiorentini, column 5,
lines 12-62. The appellants do not dispute the examiner’s
finding that the chamber (2) having a pressure drop zone in the
form of elongated slots or other suitably shaped apertures
corresponds to the claimed sieve. See also the specification,
page 20, lines 1-10, where “sieve” includes perforated plates.
The examiner recognizes that Fiorentini is silent as to a
cross-sectional dimension of at least one exit opening of the
outlet of the mixing device and a ratio of cross-sectional areas
of the slots or apertures to at least one exit opening. See the
Answer, page 3. However, as found by the examiner (Id.),
Fiorentini recognizes such variables to be no more than result
effective variables. Specifically, Fiorentini states (column 4,
lines 8-32, column 5, lines 49-62 and column 8, lines 36-47)
that:
According to present invention, because the mixture, when
reaction begins, is already viscous and supports a steep
rise angle, the foam’s rising angle is no longer a
limitation on the process conditions. The froth being
discharged from the frothing cavity is a homogeneous pre-
expanding mixture with a sufficiently high viscosity to
avoid rise angle problems associated with prior production
equipment and flexible slab stock lines. The viscosity is
enough to sustain the production of high blocks, that have
fully reacted, even at very slow speeds with steep fall
plate angles. This condition is accomplished by controlling
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