Appeal No. 1998-0558
Application No. 08/564,942
appellant's claims presently on appeal do not preclude such
processes, i.e., the claims are sufficiently broad to
encompass
them. Appellant also contends that Yamasaki "teaches away
from the use of platinum with the zeolite base in order to
prevent severe operating conditions which would require
increased regeneration of the catalyst" (page 11 of the
principal brief, first sentence.) However, as noted by the
examiner, this argument is not germane to the claimed subject
matter inasmuch as independent claims 23 and 32 broadly define
"a catalyst", and claim 2 recites Group VIII metal components
which includes both palladium and platinum.
Appellant also maintains that Yamasaki "expressly teaches
away from the isomerization of ethylbenzene and, in contrast
to the invention, promotes the de-ethylation of the
ethylbenzene component of the hydrocarbon feedstock." (page 12
of principal brief, lines 4-6). Again, this argument is not
germane to the subject matter on appeal since, as noted above,
not one of the appealed claims requires the isomerization of
ethylbenzene. The appealed claims broadly define a process
10
Page: Previous 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007