Appeal No. 96-4152
Application 08/177,391
with the filtering elements. For example, Bloom states:
To provide uniform heating, the expanded metal
sheet is preferably in intimate contact with the
filter element.
Because substantially the entire area of each
face of each expanded metal sheet is in contact with
the filter element, very little electrically
generated heat is wasted. Further, the heat-
insulating nature of the filter element tends to
confine the heat, minimizing the energy required to
burn off the entrapped soot particles. [Column 2,
lines 6 to 14; emphasis added.]
Bloom goes on to state that, in accordance with the invention,
"the electrically resistive expanded metal sheet [is] embedded
within the filter element" (emphasis added) and that this
construction offers several advantages over conventional
regenerative filters having interior or exterior heating
element. The advantages over these conventional constructions
are set forth in the discussion found at column 2, lines 27 to
45.
Looking at the secondary references, Fig. 3 of Stobbe,
which is a schematic representation of Stobbe’s gas filter
system, shows the resistive heater elements 28 and 30 as being
9
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007