Appeal No. 1998-0842
Application No. 08/536,350
operation, but rather is a container 14 full of pellets 13, which
entrap particulates from the ambient air passing through them.
According to Wells, these containers can be attached around the
engine and anywhere else on the vehicle where they will be
exposed to flowing polluted ambient air; see, e.g., col. 3, line
61, to col. 4, line 2. It is not evident to us why Wells'
disclosure would have made it obvious to one of ordinary skill to
attach the Colosimo catalytic converter 150 to the exhaust
manifold as a source of heat; rather, we view any such suggestion
as being the result of improper hindsight, based on information
gleaned from appellant's own disclosure.
The rejection of claims 1 to 11 therefore will not be
sustained.
Rejection Pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.196(b)
Pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.196(b), claim 4 is rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as anticipated by Olivo.
Claim 4 reads:
In combination in a motor vehicle:
an internal combustion engine;
a catalytic converter;
a flared scoop located beneath said motor vehicle for
funneling ambient pollutants to said catalytic converter.
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007