Appeal 2007-3844
Application 10/832,881
Appellants’ invention is directed to a static mixer including a low
viscosity fluid mixing device (Specification 1). The static mixer includes
flow obstacles that form fluid flow path constrictions. According to
Appellants, the primary flow obstacles are geometrically modified on
surfaces or edges thereof to improve the mixing and compensate for axial
and radial inhomogeneities in the fluid (Specification 2). Claim 1 is
illustrative and reproduced below:
1. A mixing device for a static mixer comprising
a plurality of primary flow obstacles disposed to define constrictions
there-between for a flow of viscous fluid therethrough and to impart a flow
of a first order in the flow of viscous fluid passing through said constrictions
including vortex spheres which periodically separate off at said obstacles to
produce radial and axial inhomogeneities in the form of axial concentration
differences in the flow of viscous fluid;
each said primary flow obstacle having a geometrically modified area
at at least one of a surface thereof and an edge thereof to induce local flows
of a second order in the flow of viscous fluid passing thereover whereby said
local flows of said second order are superimposed on said flows of said first
order to compensate said radial and axial inhomogeneities in the viscous
fluid produced by the flow of said first order.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art references as evidence
in rejecting the appealed claims:
Lloyd US 2,426,833 Sep. 2, 1947
Seah US 4,710,326 Dec. 1, 1987
Fleischli US 6,811,302 B2 Nov. 2, 2004
Claims 1, 2, and 9-24 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being
unpatentable over Fleischli in view of Lloyd. Claims 1, 2, and 9-24 stand
2
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