conditions:
agitating media bed consisting of a member selected from the group consisting
of stainless steel, chrome steel, carbon steel, ceramic, aluminum oxide, tungsten
carbide, zirconium carbide, zirconium oxide, and zirconium silicate whereby the metallic
oxide agglomerates and aggregates are free to move, collide and impinge on each
other, wherein the media is kept in constant agitation by a rotating shaft with
protruding extensions of a length or by a rolling drum, the media diameter being 0.04
to one inch in diameter and being of circular, spherical or cylindrical shape, the
shaft speed being between 100 and 1500 rpm or the roller drum speed being
between 30 to 120 rpm, wherein the media fills the volume of the agitating zone to
the extent of 1/4 to 3/4 of its total volume and wherein the dwell time in the zone is
controlled by the amount of time the metallic oxide remains in the media bed or by the
number of passes through the media bed, evaluating the resulting product until a
steady state condition is reached and wherein the lowering of the structure of the
pyrogenic metallic oxide is a function of the time of compression, the amount of
compressive force exerted on the aggregate/agglomerate particles and the conditions
of compression.
THE REFERENCES OF RECORD
As evidence of obviousness, the examiner relies upon the following references.
Abolins et al. (Abolins) 4,233,199 Nov. 11, 1980
Ettlinger et al. (Ettlinger)4,307,023 Dec. 22, 1981
Kostansek 4,427,450 Jan. 24, 1984
Bilimoria et al. (Bilimoria) 4,693,427 Sep. 15, 1987
Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook (Perry’s), 6th ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc., pp. 8-32,
8-33 & 8-34 (1984).
THE REJECTION
Claims 1 through 16 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
unpatentable over Ettlinger in view of Kostansek, Bilimoria, Abolins and Perry’s.
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