Appeal No. 1997-1733
Application 08/248,062
partial pressure gradient of the material being absorbed
corresponds to appellants’ means for controlling the
difference between the pressures of the gas and liquid
absorbent (answer, page 5). As pointed out by appellants
(brief, page 10), their claims require means for maintaining a
pressure difference between the bulk gas and liquid phases.
This limitation is not met by an apparatus wherein there is
only a partial pressure gradient of a component through the
gas phase and a concentration gradient of the component in the
liquid. The closest Birbara appears to come to appellants’
claimed invention is at column 4, line 61 to column 5, line 1,
where he discloses that the pore size must be such that any
pressure gradient across the membrane does not expel the amine
from the pores. This, however, is not a disclosure of a
control means for maintaining a pressure gradient between the
gas and liquid absorbent but, rather, is merely a teaching
that there can be a pressure gradient provided it is not so
large that it expels the amine from the pores.
The examiner argues that Birbara has the structure to
meet appellants’ claims 1, 3, 4, 6-8, 10-15, 17, 18 and 21-23
5
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