Appeal No. 2004-2025
Application 10/120,498
1. A method of blending unleaded gasolines which are substantially free of ethers, which
have an octane number of at least 90(R+M)/2, and which have a Reid vapor pressure of 7.00 or
less, which method comprises
(a) blending some or all gasoline component streams from an oil refinery and keeping
the blend substantially free of ether compounds, and with a sulfur content of less than 10 ppmw,
and
(b) controlling the blending of the streams such that the blended unleaded gasoline is in
compliance with a California Predictive Model.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein testing of the blended unleaded gasoline is conducted
for compliance with the California Phase 2 or Phase 3 Predictive Model, and necessary
adjustments in the blends based on results of the testing are made to maintain compliance with
the California Phase 2 or Phase 3 Predictive Model.
26. A blended gasoline composition prepared by the method of Claim 1.
44. A gasoline composite which is substantially free of oxygenates, is in compliance
with the California Predictive Model, and has an octane number of at least 90(R+M)/2, and a
sulfur content of less than 10 ppmw sulfur.
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Jessup et al. (Jessup) 5,288,393 Feb. 22, 1994
Kaneko et al. (Kaneko) 5,401,280 Mar. 28, 1995
13 California Code of Regulations § 2262 et seq. (Phase 3 reformulated gasoline standards).3
The examiner has advanced the following grounds of rejection on appeal:
claims 1 through 14, 18 through 32, and 36 through 47 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
as being unpatentable over Jessup in view of Kaneko and the Phase 3 reformulated gasoline
standards (answer, pages 3-5); and
claims 1 through 14, 18 through 32, and 36 through 47 stand rejected as specified in the answer
(pages 8) as unpatentable over certain claims in certain United States Patents, and provisional
rejected as specified in the answer (pages 5-9) as unpatentable over certain claims in certain
3 We do not find in the official file of this application a copy of 13 CCR §2262. The California
Reformulated Gasoline Phase 2 and Phase 3 Standards, in effect as of the filing date of this
application. We note that specification Table 1 tabulates the “Properties and Specifications for
Phase 2 Reformulated gasoline” and that specification Table 2 tabulates the “Properties and
Specifications for Phase 3 Reformulated gasoline,” and the specification further explains the
regulations (page 6, l. 3, to page 12, l. 23). There being no dispute in this respect, we consider
the information in specification Table 1 as the Phase 2 reformulated gasoline standards, and the
information in specification Table 2 as the Phase 3 reformulated gasoline standards.
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