Appeal 2007-1901
Application 10/095,922
In fact, Appellant’s example in the Specification discloses that the recovered
polymer was separated from the latex by filtering (Specification 11).
The Examiner found that Uschold ‘480 discloses the emulsion
polymerization of vinyl fluoride was known to have been carried out in
water with an initiator such as 2,2'-azobis(isobutyroamidine)
dihydrochloride, such as is used in the instant application, to yield finely
divided polymer particles. Uschold ‘480 did not disclose the preparation of
copolymers. Effenberger and Froggatt described the formation of vinyl
fluoride copolymers with tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoroalkylvinyl ethers and
perfluorodioxoles interpolymers. The Examiner determined that it would
have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to prepare known
copolymers such as disclosed by Effenberger or Froggatt, using the process
taught by Uschold with the expectation of achieving similar advantages
disclosed therein for the preparation of the vinyl fluoride homopolymer.
Appellant contends that Effenberger and Froggatt do not describe
vinyl fluoride copolymers (Reply Br. 2). We do not agree. A person of
ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that Effenberger and Froggatt
describe copolymers. See Effenberger claim 2 and Froggatt claim 1.
The Examiner recognized that James, Cook, and Uschold ‘480 taken
with Effenberger or Froggatt, were deficient in not teaching the use of a
horizontal autoclave as the reactor. However, the Examiner properly
determined that such reactors are well known in the art and used for
emulsion polymerization under pressure as disclosed by Barber (Examples
A, 15), Feiring (Examples 28, 31), and Farnham (Examples 12-13, 16-21).
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