Appeal No. 2006-2234
Application No. 10/176,090
The examiner relies upon the following reference as
evidence of obviousness:
Regis R. Rumpf and William J. Gonzalez (hereinafter
"Rumpf"),"Update on the Application of Methyl Ethyl Ketoxime for
Corrosion Control in High Pressure Steam Generating Systems" 2-8
(April 27-May 1, 1992)
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to a process for
removing iron oxide deposits from the metallic surface of a
boiler operating at a pressure of at least 1,000 psig. The
process entails adding an oxime, such as methyl ethyl ketoxime
(MEKO), to the aqueous system within the boiler at a
concentration of at least 300 ppb. The concentration of oxime
is maintained for a period of at least one week.
Appealed claims 1-11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103(a) as being unpatentable over Rumpf.
We have thoroughly reviewed the respective positions
advanced by appellants and the examiner. In so doing, we concur
with appellants that the examiner has failed to establish a
prima facie case of obviousness for the claimed invention.
Accordingly, we will not sustain the examiner's rejection.
As emphasized by appellants, Rumpf controls corrosion in
high-pressure boilers by adding the claimed oxime as a scavenger
for oxygen in order to prevent the deposition of corrosion
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