Appeal No. 1997-3889
Application No. 08/553,733
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Johnson et al. (Johnson) 4,344,841 Aug. 17,
1982
Bothe Almquist et al. 5,445,742 Aug. 29, 1995
(Bothe Almquist)
Appealed claims 1-17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103
as
being unpatentable over Bothe Almquist in view of Johnson.
Upon careful consideration of the opposing arguments
presented on appeal, we will not sustain the examiner's
rejection.
Bothe Almquist, like appellants, discloses a process of
reducing the hydrocarbon content of a mixture comprising a
halosilane and a hydrocarbon. However, rather than utilizing
the presently claimed silica gel as the adsorbent for
hydrocarbons, Bothe Almquist employs activated carbons, high
silica zeolites and synthetic carbonaceous materials.
Recognizing this deficiency in Bothe Almquist, the examiner
relies upon Johnson for showing "that silica gel can be used
to adsorb hydrocarbon contaminates from a feed mixture" (page
2
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