Appeal No. 2000-1877
Application No. 08/881,457
is the same as or is rendered obvious by the detergent
composition disclosed in Houghton. See Answer, p. 4, lines 10-
12; p. 6.
To the extent that alkali metal citrates are dispersed in
the surfactant-containing liquid phase of the detergent
composition disclosed in Houghton, the examiner has failed to
establish that the alkali metal citrates are associated with the
alkylbenzene sulfonates as required by appellants’ claim 1. For
this reason, the rejection of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
unpatentable over Houghton is reversed. Since claims 2-17 are
dependent on claim 1, the rejection of claims 2-17 under 35
U.S.C. § 103 as unpatentable over Houghton is also reversed.
2) Rejection based on Kong-Chan
Kong-Chan discloses a non-aqueous liquid detergent
composition containing particles of peroxygen bleaching agents
suspended therein. The examiner maintains that Kong-Chan teaches
the claimed detergent composition. See Answer, pp. 4-5.
According to the examiner, Kong-Chan discloses a powder
"containing one or more alkali metal salts falling within the
C10-C16 linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid presented claimed."
The examiner relies on page 8, line 1 through page 9, line 4 of
Kong-Chan for support. See Answer, p. 4.
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