Appeal No. 95-2746
Application 07/887,394
1 ppm disclosure of Matsuo with appellants' teachings of an
ozone concentration of about 700 to about 1000 ppm,
specification, page 7, lines 21 - 22, and Oikawa's teaching of
2800 ppm ozone, column 3, Table 2. The process in Matsuo is
adsorption, not oxidation, Table 5.
The examiner recognizes that Matsuo does not teach the
method of making the fiber. See Examiner's Answer page 4,
line 4. The examiner relies upon the teachings of Oikawa and
van Montfoort to show the method of making the fiber. Oikawa
teaches the oxidation of active carbon with ozone or hydrogen
peroxide to form surface functional units, column 2, lines 55-
58. These surface functional units necessarily contain
oxygen, column 3, lines 1-59. Moreover, the active carbon has
a surface area within the requirements of the claimed
invention, column 2, lines 59-60, and Table 2. Oikawa,
however, never teaches the specific oxygen content of his
active carbon. Nor are we able to determine the oxygen
content of Oikawa.
Claim 15 requires an oxygen content of "about 3 to about
18% by weight." Oikawa's process is, however, not comparable
to appellants. Oikawa's process does not terminate with the
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