Appeal 2006-2185
Application 10/248,892
Appellants’ invention is directed to method of making a triazone-
containing plant nutrient solution. A reaction mixture, including water, urea,
formalin and an alkaline material, is maintained at a specified temperature
until urea dissolves. An ammonia reactant is added to the reaction mixture
and the reactant mixture is maintained under conditions to form an aqueous
product solution containing at least one triazone compound. A further
understanding of Appellants’ process can be obtained from a review of
Appellants’ claim 1, which is reproduced below:
1. A one-stage process of preparing a triazone-containing plant
nutrition solution for slowly releasing nitrogen, the process
comprising:
(i) forming a reaction mixture by combining water, urea, formalin,
and a sufficient amount of an alkaline material to maintain a pH
greater than 7, wherein a temperature from about 40ºC to about 55ºC
is maintained until the urea dissolves;
(ii) adding to said reaction mixture an ammonia reactant while
heating the reaction mixture if needed, to maintain a temperature of at
least about 90ºC;
(iii) sequentially adding to said reaction mixture additional
portions of alkaline material under conditions sufficient to form an
aqueous product solution containing at least one triazone compound;
and
(iv) recovering the product.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art references as evidence
in rejecting the appealed claims:
Hawkins ‘005 US 4,554,005 Nov. 19, 1985
Hawkins ‘510 US 4,778,510 Oct. 18, 1988
Graves US 5,674,971 Oct. 7, 1997
Taylor US 6,586,557 Jul. 1, 2003
2
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