Appeal 2007-2132
Application 09/761,041
beer is continuously removed from the fluidized bed via line 6 and
conducted to a wash station 7 which includes a solid-liquid separating device
such as a filter or centrifuge (figure 1; col. 1, ll. 47-50; col. 2, ll. 48-57).
From wash station 7, the separated liquid (i.e., beer) is passed by line 9 to
line 5 where it is mixed with the stabilized beer exiting the fluidized bed
vessel 1 (para. bridging col. 2-3). The separated PVPP solids from wash
station 7 are sent to regeneration station 11 whereupon the regenerated
PVPP is recycled via line 18 to the fluidized bed vessel 1 (col. 3, ll. 3-25).
The above-described Westermann process satisfies the claim 10
requirement of “treating the main flow of said beer with polyvinyl
polypyrrolidone (PVPP)” because Patentee’s main flow of unstabilized beer
in line 4 is treated with PVPP in fluidized bed vessel 1. However, contrary
to the Examiner’s belief, the process of Westermann does not satisfy the
claim 10 requirement of “continuously centrifuging the main flow of said
thus-treated beer.” In Westermann, the main flow of treated (i.e., stabilized)
beer exits the fluidized bed vessel 1 via line 5. While Westermann envisions
centrifuging the beer/PVPP mixture from line 6, this mixture cannot be
properly regarded as corresponding to “the main flow of said thus-treated
beer” (claim 10) as urged by the Examiner. Analogously, Westermann’s
separated beer exiting from wash station 7 via line 9 cannot be regarded as
corresponding to the claim 10 “separate flow stream consisting of the main
flow of stabilized beer.”
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