Appeal No. 1998-0558
Application No. 08/564,942
which may include
Yamasaki's isomerization of xylenes and de-ethylation of
ethylbenzene.
As for separately argued claims 32-34, we fully concur
with the examiner that the processes defined by the appealed
claims would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the
art in view of the state of the prior art. Although appellant
maintains at page 13 of the principal brief that claims 32-34
"are directed to maintaining the positive activity of the
catalyst during the isomerization process", the claims fail to
recite any such maintenance of catalyst activity. As
explained by the examiner, Riehm expressly teaches that the
hydrogen-rich fraction from the effluent can be recycled to
the isomerization zone, and that the remainder of the effluent
is processed by a gas separation zone for obtaining other
hydrocarbon products (column 2, lines 34 et seq.). We agree
with the examiner that it would have been obvious for one of
ordinary skill in the art, namely, a process engineer, to
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