Appeal No. 2004-0699
Application 09/873,564
lines 47-48; col. 1, line 65 - col. 2, line 2). The inner
surface of the outer bulb is coated with a phosphor which is
responsive to the ultraviolet radiations generated by the
operating arc and provides visible emissions (col. 2, lines 3-9).
A light-scattering material such as silica can be coated onto the
inner surface of the outer bulb prior to applying the phosphor
coating so that ultraviolet radiations which have escaped
absorption by the phosphor layer are scattered back to the
phosphor by the light-scattering layer, thereby energizing the
phosphor (col. 4, lines 18-25).
The examiner argues that “it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made
to have provided a light-scattering layer on the outer bulb as
taught by Thornton in the discharge lamp assembly of Verschueren
for the purpose of improving color rendition of the discharge
lamp (cited by Thornton column 4, lines 26-62)” (answer, pages
3-4).
As pointed out above, Thornton’s light-scattering layer
improves color rendition by scattering light back to a phosphor
layer. Verschueren’s outer bulb, however, does not have a
phosphor layer. The examiner has not explained how 1) Thornton
3
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