Appeal No. 97-0455
Application No. 08/344,043
two-stroke cycle engines and a method of lubricating a particular type of these engines, crankcase-
scavenged two-stroke cycle engines. Such engines were known in the art as of applicant’s effective filing
date. Applicant describes these engines as follows:
Direct fuel-injected crankcase-scavenged two-stroke cycle engines have
been described in some detail on page 37 of the present application. These are
engines in which the lubricant is not pre-mixed with the fuel . . . . The fuel is
injected directly into the combustion chamber, rather than being drawn through the
crankcase. The lubricant and air, on the other hand are drawn into the crankcase
and are pumped or scavenged from there and ultimately pass into the combustion
chamber. There they are compressed, and thereafter the fuel is injected. In the
ordinary two-stroke cycle engine on the other hand, the fuel and lubricant are
premixed, supplied to the crankcase, swept promptly into the combustion
chamber, and consumed.
Response to Request for Additional Information (Paper 16), p. 13:
As set out in the claims, lubricant compositions require three components: (1) an oil of lubricating
viscosity; (2) a piston scuffing preventing or reducing amount of the mixture of a phenol and a dispersant;
and (3) an antioxidant. Bright stock may be included as an optional component in some embodiments. The
lubricant must also be free of ash forming and phosphorous containing components. Applicant’s
specification indicates that the ashless dispersants include Mannich, amine, nitrogen-containing carboxylic,
and ester dispersants. These dispersants may be post treated with boron compounds. Specification
(Paper 1), p. 22, lines 19-25.
Claim 1 limits the phenol to either (1) an aminophenol or (2) the reaction product of a nitrophenol
and an amino compound. The dispersant is limited to Mannich, amine, nitrogen-containing carboxylic, or
ester dispersants. The antioxidant is limited to sulfur-containing organic, nitrogen-containing, or hindered
phenol inhibitors. Bright stock, if present, is limited to no more than 3%. Claim 41 is essentially the same,
limiting phenol to an aminophenol and the antioxidant to an aromatic amine.
Claim 21 is directed to the method of using the lubricant essentially as specified in claim 1 to
lubricate a fuel-injected, crankcase-scavenged two-stroke cycle engine. There are two steps to the
method: (1) supplying the lubricant to the crankcase of the engine and (2) operating the engine. The steps
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