Appeal No. 95-4089
Application 08/090,073
16. According to Heit, maleic acid "may be used
alone or with inhibitors or in combination with other cleaning
agents" (col. 1, lines 60-62).
17. An object of Heit's invention is to provide a
composition useful for cleaning glass-coated metal objects
(col. 1, lines 44-46). Cleaning the glass would include
removing mineral and other deposits.
18. Further according to Heit, "maleic acid is
preferred *** by reason of its low cost, abundant supply and
low equivalent weight" (col. 2, lines 59-62).
The examiner's rationale
19. According to the examiner, maleic acid falls
within the scope of the carboxylic acids described by Thomas.
20. The examiner notes that Thomas differs from the
claimed invention in that it does not describe the use of
maleic acid.
21. Heit, however, says that maleic acid is useful
for removing scale from the glass side of a glass-lined metal
equipment.
22. The examiner therefore reasons that a person
having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious
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