Appeal No. 2003-0659
Application 09/463,540
Claim 1, directed toward the method, is illustrative:
1. A method of purging a lean NOx trap that has a matrix
(16) of narrow flow passages and is arranged in the exhaust
system of a lean burn engine, the method comprising the steps of
providing a flow straightening matrix (12) of narrow flow
passages preceding the NOx trap matrix (16) and separated from
the NOx trap matrix by a narrow chamber (14), and periodically
injecting reducing gases in bursts into the narrow chamber (14),
each burst having sufficient mass and flow rate to fill the
narrow chamber (14) with the reducing gases and to displace the
exhaust gases previously present in the narrow chamber (14) into
the narrow flow passages of the flow straightening matrix (12)
and of the trap (16) without significantly mixing with the
exhaust gases previously present in the narrow chamber.
THE REFERENCES
Alcorn 4,912,776 Mar. 27, 1990
Martin et al. (Martin) 6,003,305 Dec. 21, 1999
(filed Sep. 2, 1997)
Hartweg et al. (Hartweg) 6,004,520 Dec. 21, 1999
(filed Dec. 12, 1996)
THE REJECTIONS
The claims stand rejected as follows: claims 1, 2 and 10
under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as anticipated by Alcorn or Hartweg, and
claims 1-16 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over Hartweg in view
of Martin, or over Martin in view of Alcorn.
OPINION
We reverse the aforementioned rejections.
Rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) over Alcorn
“Anticipation requires that every limitation of the claim in
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