Appeal No. 2001-0379
Application No. 09/141,891 Page 7
pump is in fluid communication with the inlet of said chamber
enabling a gas mixture to flow therethrough at a speed of not
less than 5 meter/second,” as recited in claim 1. In addition,
although we find that Cox teaches the use of a temperature sensor
in an apparatus for monitoring and controlling the composition
of potentially flammable gas mixtures (col. 1, lines 10-12, and
col. 4, lines 5-11) we find that Cox does not teach sensing a
temperature rise of at least 10/C because switch 90 of Cox is
calibrated to close on a sensed temperature rise of 300/F (col.
4, lines 36-38)1. Thus, we find that neither Kern nor Cox
discloses (a) an air pump having an inlet connected to the outlet
of the chamber; (b) the air pump enabling a gas mixture to flow
therethrough at a speed of not less than 5 meter/second, and (c)
a temperature sensor that senses a temperature rise of at least
10/C, all as recited in claim 1.
Beginning with (a), we find no suggestion in Kern or Cox for
providing an air pump at the outlet of the chamber. Although Cox
discloses pump assembly 18 for propelling a gas sample stream
through the flammable gas tester (col. 2, lines 66-68), we find
no suggestion of providing an air pump to be connected to the
outlet of the chamber. We find the examiner's rationale (answer,
1 We interpret "at least 10/C" to mean a range of 10/C and greater.
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