Ex Parte Binot - Page 8


                 Appeal No.  2007-0175                                                          Page 8                   
                 Application No.  10/467,134                                                                             
                 accelerate the rate of rise of the grease particles, it is possible to inject fine air                  
                 bubbles. . . .”), and column 4, lines 51-54 (“[g]iven that grease particles may                         
                 appear on top of the reactors [(e.g., flotation degreasing)]  . . . a system for taking                 
                 up or for transferring the floating particles . . . is provided.”)                                      
                        Based on the foregoing analysis, we find ourselves in agreement with                             
                 appellant, that while the flocculation process “might remove some grease                                
                 particles while removing suspended solids, . . . [t]his does not mean that Vion                         
                 teaches the elimination of his degreasing process which is a flotation degreasing                       
                 process.”  Reply Brief, bridging paragraph, pages 2-3.  Therefore, we disagree                          
                 with the examiner’s assertion (Answer, page 3) that “Vion discloses[, at step 2 of                      
                 this process,] (see col. 4 lines 15-42) the use of mechanical stirring instead of air                   
                 flotation to remove grease particles.”  To the contrary, Vion clearly discloses in                      
                 step 4 of this process that “[g]iven that grease particles may appear on top of the                     
                 reactors . . . a system for taking up or for transferring the floating particles . . . is               
                 provided.”  Contrary, to the examiner’s interpretation of Vion, we do not read Vion                     
                 as teaching the use of mechanical stirring as an alternative to flotation                               
                 degreasing.  Instead, at best, we understand Vion to teach the combination of                           
                 mechanical stirring together with flotation degreasing.                                                 
                        According to the examiner (Answer, page 4, emphasis added), since                                
                 coagulants and flocculants are added in the Vion and Binot methods prior to                             
                 removing grease particles from the wastewater, “at least some grease particles                          
                 that are not removed by the [floatation] degreasing means” would be removed                             
                 with the coagulants and flocculants.  While this may be true, it serves only to                         






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