Appeal No. 1997-2947
Application No. 08/352,079
from an oxygen sensor in the engine exhaust system. (Col. 1, lines 24-30). Unfortunately, three-
way catalysts are not able to convert substantial amounts of the pollutants at low operating
temperatures. (Col. 1, lines 30-34). In an effort to solve this problem, Dunne directs an engine
exhaust gas stream during the cold start operation over a catalyst and then takes the gas stream
discharged from the catalyst and flows it over the turbine side of a turbocharger. (Col. 2, lines
23-29). After flowing through the turbine, the exhaust stream is flowed over an adsorbent bed
and then discharged to the atmosphere. (Col. 2, lines 29-31).
The adsorbent bed of Dunne can be in the form of an adsorbent which is deposited onto a
carrier, preferably a honeycomb carrier. (Col. 7, lines 17-49). The adsorbent bed may optionally
contain one or more catalytic metals, such as platinum and palladium, dispersed thereof. (Col. 8,
lines 17-23). The catalytic metals are capable of oxidizing the hydrocarbon and carbon
monoxide and reducing the nitric oxide to innocuous products. (Col. 8, lines 47-49). Thus, the
adsorbent bed can act as both as an adsorbent and as a catalyst. (Col. 8, lines 49-51). It is
preferable that the catalytic metal be present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 to about 4
weight percent of the adsorbent support. (Col. 8, lines 40-42).
The Abe Reference
Abe describes a catalytic converter for the purification of automobile exhaust in which a
heater is provided to raise the temperature of the catalytic converter during the start-up of the
automobile. (Page 3, lines 5-19). More particularly, Abe discloses a catalytic converter
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