Appeal No. 95-1827
Application 07/816,157
According to appellant, the invention is directed to a
sterilizer which employs an electrically conductive liquid
medium, including a biocide present in a concentration less
than that required to eradicate biofilms and a neutralizer 2
capable of neutralizing any in situ electrically generated
biocides, and a means to apply an electric field (brief, page
4). Claim 23 is illustrative of the subject matter on appeal
and is reproduced below:
23. A sterilizer comprising:
a) an inner cavity containing an electrically
conductive liquid medium comprising an effective amount of a
biocide, which amount is less than the biofilm biocidal
concentration, and an effective amount of neutralizer capable
of neutralizing any in situ electrically generated biocide;
and
b) means for applying an electric field through said
medium, the strength of said electric field being equivalent
to that generated by an electric current of between 1 and 200
milliamps.
The examiner has relied upon the following reference to
support the rejection under §§ 102/103:
Stillman 4,790,923 Dec. 13,
1988
2 This concentration is less than the biofilm biocidal
concentration (BBC), defined on page 7, lines 28-34, of the
specification.
2
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