Appeal No. 1999-1669
Application No. 08/816,756
prior to planting. Claims 1 through 17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
unpatentable over Ott and Onoprienko.
Ott describes field tests wherein “a liquid solution consisting essentially of an ionic
solution of a zinc alkanoate in substantially anhydrous liquid ammonia [is] used as a liquid
fertilizer to provide nutrient amounts of nitrogen and zinc for [] growing plants.” Column 1,
lines 44-47. “The term ‘substantially anhydrous liquid ammonia’ means liquid ammonia
containing up to about 2 wt. % water.” Column 2, lines 4-6. According to Ott, “the nitrogen-
zinc solutions used in the fertilizing method . . . [are] obtained by simply dissolving [] zinc
carboxylate, in amounts sufficient to provide the desired amount of zinc, directly in the
liquid ammonia; or by first forming an aqueous ammoniacal solution of the zinc carboxylate
and adding this solution to the liquid ammonia.” Column 1, line 65 to column 2, line 3. The
anhydrous nitrogen-zinc solutions are applied to zinc-sufficient soils before planting, and
as a side dressing for corn plants in zinc-deficient soils. Example I. There is nothing in the
reference to indicate that an aqueous ammoniacal solution of zinc carboxylate could or
should be used without diluting it in anhydrous ammonia, nor is there any indication that the
anhydrous solution could or should be applied directly to seeds.
According to the examiner, the English abstract of Onoprienko “teaches a seed drill
[] consisting of a housing, suspension system and seed and fertilizer tubes, designed to
treat seeds with protective and growth-stimulating substances during the sowing operation
by incorporating a foam-generating mixer and a seed treating chamber in the form of two
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007