Appeal No. 2004-1043
Application No. 09/960,907
Beck ("A NON-CONSUMABLE METAL ANODE FOR PRODUCTION OF
ALUMINUM WITH LOW-TEMPERATURE FLUORIDE MELTS,"
Light Metals 1995, pp. 355-360) in view of Weaver
(U.S. Pat. No. 2,062,340) and in view of Berclaz
(WO 98/53120), as applied above to claims 1-3,
6-12, 15-20, 23-29 and 32-34, and further in view
of Beck et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,701).
Beck, Weaver and Berclaz describe a method having the
limitations recited in claims 1-3, 6-12, 15-20, 23-29 and
32-34, of the instant invention, as described above in
section I.
The method described by Beck, Weaver and Berclaz
teaches the electrolytic formation of aluminum from
alumina, differs from the instant invention because they do
not teach the use of 0.2 to 30 wt.% undissolved alumina
particles, as recited in claims 4, 13, 21 and 30, and the
undissolved alumina particles have a particle size in the
range of 1 to 100 µm, as recited in claims 5, 14, 22, 31
and 39.
Regarding claims 4, 13, 21 and 30, Beck et al.
disclose the use of excess alumina at a concentration
within the claimed range of 0.2 to 30 wt.% undissolved
alumina particles (col. 6, lines 1-12).
Regarding claims 5, 14, 22, 31 and 39, Beck et al.
disclose the use of alumina particles having a diameter up
to 100 µm (col. 5, lines 1-8).
Beck et al. disclose the use of alumina particles in
the slurry having a concentration of alumina particles
within the range claimed in claim 38 of the instant
application (col. 6, lines 1-12). Beck et al. also
disclose the use of alumina particles having a size of 100
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