Appeal 2006-2329
Application 10/211,381
The claimed invention is directed to a carbon-phenol resin molding
compound. In the Background of the Invention portion of the Specification,
Appellants state that "the present invention relates to a molding compound
containing a phenol resin and a carbon powder." More particularly, the
Specification states "the molding compound of the present invention is
obtained by reacting a phenol with an aldehyde in the presence of a catalyst,
while mixing them with a carbon powder.” (Specification 2:12-14).
It is apparent from the description appearing throughout the Specification
that the "molding compound" comprises a variety of ingredients. In other
words, the "molding compound" is a "molding composition" requiring a
variety of different ingredients. Thus, upon careful consideration of the
Specification as a whole, it appears that the phrase "molding compound" is
properly interpreted as a "molding composition."1 Utilizing this
interpretation of the claimed subject matter, we turn to the Examiner's stated
rejections.
The Examiner asserts that Ide discloses a carbon phenol resin molding
compound that anticipates or renders obvious the claimed subject matter.
The Examiner states "[t]he nitrogen containing compounds mentioned by the
reference [Ide] are denoted by terms such as 'may' which indicates they are
optional, as shown by example 4 which does not use nitrogen compounds."
(Answer 3). We note that Ide in addition to the carbon-phenol resin molding
compound discloses a carbonfuran resin compound (Ide 3, ll. 43-47). The
composite carbonfuran resin compound is exemplified in Example 4. The
Examiner asserts that the reaction catalyst for the carbonfuran resin
compound can exclude primary or secondary amines. (Answer 3).
1 This interpretation equally applies to independent claim 11.
3
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007