Appeal No. 2001-0370
Application No. 08/978,991
Claims 1 and 11 are representative of the subject matter on
appeal and a copy of these claims is appended to this decision.1
Reference
The reference relied upon by the examiner is:
Duty et al. (Duty) 3,708,958 Jan. 09, 1973
Grounds of Rejection2
1. Claims 1-8 and 10 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102
as anticipated by Duty; and
2. Claims 1-8, 10-13 and 18 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 as unpatentable over Duty.
We reverse as to both grounds of rejections.
Background
The invention relates to a gas-liquid contactor used for the
removal of particulate matter and acidic acid from various
combustion gases. Appeal Brief, Paper No. 14, received May 30,
2000, page 2. In gas-liquid contactors of the type contemplated
by the invention, a contact liquid is typically introduced as a
spray from multiple banks of nozzles such that the contact liquid
1 Claims 1 and 11 were amended in an amendment under 37 CFR § 1.116
(Paper No. 15, received May 30, 2000) which has been entered. See Examiner’s
Answer, Paper No. 16, mailed July 10, 2000, page 2, paragraph (4). The
amended version of these claims appears in the appendix.
2 The examiner has withdrawn the final rejection of claims 1-8, 10-13
and 18 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph and the rejection of claims
11-13 and 18 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second paragraph. Examiner’s Answer,
Paper No. 16, mailed July 10, 2000, page 2, paragraph (6).
2
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