Appeal No. 2000-1324
Application No. 08/649,487
Claim 17 is illustrative of the claimed invention, and it reads
as follows:
17. A lighting apparatus comprising:
a luminaire having a light-transmitting portion;
a light source housed in the luminaire, the light source
radiating ultraviolet rays having a wavelength below 410 nm;
a photo catalytic layer provided on an outer surface of the
light-transmitting portion, the photo catalytic layer
substantially including anatase form of titanium oxide and having
a thickness of 0.01 to 0.3 microns; and
wherein the light source is housed in the luminaire so that
the light source irradiates an inner surface of the light-
transmitting portion and the catalytic layer receives the
ultraviolet rays having at least 0.01 nW/cm2 intensity through
the light-transmitting portion.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Taoda et al. (Taoda) 5,650,126 Jul. 22, 1997
(filed Sep. 25, 1995)
Akira et al. (Akira)1 JP 7-111104 Apr. 25, 1995
(Japanese Kokai)
Claims 17 and 18 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
being unpatentable over Akira in view of Taoda.
Reference is made to the Examiner's Answer (Paper No. 19,
mailed November 15, 1999) for the examiner's complete reasoning
1 The examiner refers to this reference as Fujishima, Akira's first
name. We will use the last name of Akira. Further, our understanding of this
reference is based upon a translation provided by the Translations Branch of
the Patent and Trademark Office, a copy of which is attached to this decision.
2
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