Appeal No. 2000-0034
Application 08/473,634
Rejection of claim 33 under
35 U.S.C. § 102(b) over Mundt
Mundt discloses a method for decomposing a chemical
compound in a reaction chamber (18) which contains 1) a
tubular reactive fibrous mesh (74) which interacts, preferably
by chemical reaction, with the chemical compound, 2) a tubular
effluent condensation element (76), and 3) a hollow
cylindrical tube (80) which preferably is made of quartz or
aluminum and serves as a waveguide for electromagnetic
radiation used to decompose the
chemical compound (col. 3, lines 19-33; col. 7, lines 1-2 and
22-53; col. 8, lines 12-31).
The examiner argues that Mundt’s gas flow is restricted
since it is delivered via a pipe of finite or limited diameter
(answer, page 6). The appellants’ claim 33, however, does not
merely require that the gas flow is restricted but, rather,
requires that it is restricted into a portion of the reaction
chamber. Mundt indicates that the gas flow is to be
unrestricted (col. 7, line 54), and Mundt’s does not
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