Appeal No. 1998-0023
Application 08/470,374
“disposed along a longitudinal axis” of the mixer.
Looking at Figure 7 of Miyata, we observe that the cross-
sectional flow area of the first mixer (1a) is generally equal
to the cross-sectional area of the interior flow channel of
that mixer minus the cross-sectional area of the shaft body
(10). By comparison, the cross-sectional flow area of the
second mixer (1b), at least at the inlet opening (6) and
outlet (7), appears to be equal to the cross-sectional area of
the interior flow channel of the mixer (1a). Thus, at the
inlet opening (6) and outlet (7) of the second mixer, the
cross-sectional flow area of the second mixer (1b) of Miyata
is “greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the first
mixer,” as broadly set forth in claim 17 on appeal. We note
in this regard, that claim 17 does not specify any particular
location where the cross-sectional flow area of the second
mixer is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of the
first mixer, or that the cross-sectional flow area of the
second mixer is greater than the cross-sectional flow area of
the first mixer along its entire length.
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