Appeal No. 2000-01345
Application 09/097,176
inlet temperatures [column 3, lines 34 through 44].
It is not disputed that the method and apparatus
disclosed by Pfefferle meet all of the limitations in
independent claims 1 and 4 except for those requiring the
centerbody to be “non-catalytic.” As indicated above,
Pfefferle’s centerbody (element 11) is catalytic. The
examiner relies on Retallick to overcome this deficiency.
Retallick discloses a multi-stage combustion apparatus
for use in high temperature environments such as gas turbines.
The apparatus includes a catalytic ignition stage and
subsequent stages, which may be catalytic or non-catalytic, to
complete the combustion process (see the Abstract; column 1,
lines 64 through 68; column 3, lines 27 through 31; and column
6, lines 45 through 63).
In combining Pfefferle and Retallick to reject claims 1
and 4, the examiner concludes that
it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary
skill in the art at the time the invention was made
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