Ex parte GRAY et al. - Page 8




                     Appeal No. 1997-2330                                                                                                               Page 8                         
                     Application No. 08/398,315                                                                                                                                        

                                The formation of the Example 5 emulsion begins with the production of a intermediate                                                                   

                     polyurethane resin dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent.  Example 1 discloses xylol as an ingredient.                                                               

                     Claims 9 and 10 of Eckhoff indicate that the polyurethane is dissolved in a hydrocarbon solvent                                                                   

                     consisting of xylene and mineral spirits.  Xylol is a mixture of xylenes.  Eckhoff discloses using xylol in                                                       

                     Example 1 to “reduce the non-volatile content [of the polyurethane intermediate] to 84%.”  It is being                                                            

                     used as a solvent.  The polyurethane intermediate dissolved in solvent made by the process of Example                                                             

                     1 is converted into an alkyd-modified polyurethane as illustrated in Example 3.  Further xylol solvent is                                                         

                     added according to the Example 3.   As the xylol is being used as a solvent and not as a reactant, we                                                             

                     cannot conclude that it is converted during processing.  The formulation of Example 5 contains xylol                                                              

                     and Appellants indicate that xylol is an excluded water-insoluble coalescent.                                                                                     

                                Example 7 is the only other example directed to a composition containing polyurethane                                                                  

                     dispersion and latex.  As pointed out by Appellants at page 17 of the Brief, Eckhoff’s Example 7                                                                  
                     composition contains 2,2,4-trimethylpentane-1,3-diol monoisobutyrate, a water-insoluble coalescent .                                            2                 

                     There is no suggestion in either Eckhoff or Adamson for excluding the water-insoluble coalescent.                                                                 

                     Therefore, we cannot conclude that the exclusion of water-insoluble coalescent would have been                                                                    

                     obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.                                                                                             




                                2Note that Appellants specifically state in the Specification at page 6 that water-insoluble                                                           
                     coalescents include, for example, 2,2,4-trimethylpentane-1,3-diol monoisobutyrate.                                                                                







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