Appeal No. 96-3395 Page 13
Application No. 08/347,900
includes multi-port valves 10, 11, and 12, each of which
contains multiple passages. Col. 2, ll. 15-18. The valves
are first positioned to collect a sample and deliver it to a
receiving column. Col. 2, ll. 33-39; col. 3, ll. 15-19. They
are then positioned to connect flows of a wash fluid and a
drying gas through valves 11 and 12 and many flow lines (e.g.,
conduits 20, 22, 32, 33, 27, 41, and 44) to valve 10 in order
to purge it of any remaining sample. Col. 3, l. 74 - col. 4,
l. 3.
Seiden discloses a method for measuring an amount of a
gas in a sealed container of fluid. Col. 4, ll. 12-13. The
reference teaches connecting flow from a remote source of
purge gas 17, through a valve 16 and a flow line, to a system
with valves in order to purge the system. Col. 2, ll. 63-65.
The appellant admits that the valve “appears to be an off/on
valve.” (Appeal Br. at 7.) When the teachings of the
references are combined, the result in a three-way valve with
a position that connects flow from a remote source, through a
second valve and a flow line, through the three-way valve to
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Last modified: November 3, 2007