Appeal No. 2002-0218
Application No. 09/332,415
patentability of a claimed invention); accord In re Davis, 305
F.2d 501, 503, 134 USPQ 256, 258 (CCPA 1962).
CLAIM 23
With the above precedents in mind, we turn first to the
rejection of Claim 23 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable
over the combined disclosures of Clawson, Narumiya, and Setzer.
We observe that the appellant does not dispute the examiner’s
finding that Clawson discloses an autothermal reformer assembly
useful for converting alcohol (methanol and ethanol) fuels
corresponding to the claimed autothermal reformer assembly except
that its reforming catalyst is not supported by an open cell foam
carrier (support). Compare the Answer, pages 5-6, with the
Brief, pages 18-20
The dispositive question is, therefore, whether it would
have been obvious to employ an open cell foam carrier to support
the reforming catalyst of the autothermal reformer assembly
described in Clawson. On this record, we answer this question in
the affirmative.
We find that Clawson teaches that its reforming catalytic
materials, such as noble metals, can be supported on any carrier
and that the resulting reforming catalytic bed needs to be
sufficiently porous to allow the passage of gases. See page 16,
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