Appeal No. 97-1298
Application No. 08/227,158
polymerized latex, and thus the destabilized latex is regarded as low grade product or
waste.3
The claimed invention pertains to polymer latex recovered from the whitewater
emulsion. According to appellants, laminar flow during the ultrafiltration process reduces
the formation of coagulum, which leads to less membrane fouling and a better recovered
latex.4 Instead of being treated as a low-grade waste or by-product, the recovered polymer
latex is of such quality or grade that it may be blended into the latex polymerization
operation at a level of at least 5 weight percent.5
The claims at issue
A. Claim 22, representative of the claims on appeal, is directed to polymer latex
recovered from whitewater emulsion.
1. The polymer latex is recovered by contacting a whitewater emulsion
with an ultrafiltration membrane under laminar flow conditions.
2. The whitewater emulsion is generated by diluting a polymer latex
product.
3. The recovered polymer latex may be blended into a polymer latex
product at a level of at least 5% by weight with no deleterious effect upon the performance
properties of the product.
3 Specification, p. 4, lines 13-26.
4 Specification, p. 8, lines 1-11.
5 Specification, paragraph bridging pp. 11 and 12.
3
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