Appeal No. 2006-1586
Application No. 09/933,360
The examiner relies upon the following references in the
rejection of the appealed claims:
Woldenberg et al. (Woldenberg) 5,308,558 May 3, 1994
Regel et al. (Regel) US 6,265,533 B1 Jul. 24, 2001
Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a process for
making a molded product from thermoplastic polycarbonate. The
method entails producing the polycarbonate melt by conventional
phase interface or melt transesterification processes and
introducing the melt into an injection molding apparatus or an
extruder without first subjecting the polycarbonate to a
granulation process. According to appellants, “[i]n the
production plant [of conventional prior art processes], the
resin is worked-up to reduce the contents of impurities and
undesirable by-products and is shipped in vacuum tight
containers to the molder in the form of pellets (granules)”
(page 3 of brief, first paragraph). Appellants explain that the
elimination of a melting step, which enables granulation,
reduces the deteriorating aspect of thermal exposure on the
polycarbonate.
Appealed claims 1, 4 and 5 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 102(b) as being anticipated by Woldenberg. Claim 2 stands
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being over Woldenberg in
view of Regel.
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