Appeal No. 2006-2485 Page 2
Application No. 10/925,646
The iron deposits are “iron compounds that build up in the internals of closed loop
systems.” Page 4, lines 21-24.
The method comprises contacting the surface with an aqueous solution of an
oxygen scavenger and introducing dialkylhydroxylamine into the closed loop system at
a concentration that causes the iron deposits to release from the surface. Page 3, line
5, to page 4, line 6. The specification states that the dialkylhydroxylamine is diethyl-
hydroxylamine, di-isopropylhydroxylamine, or a mixture of them. Page 3, lines 10-11.
The oxygen scavengers “are chemical reducing agents,” such as hydrazine and
carbohydrazides. Page 5, lines 21-24. The specification indicates that “[t]he oxygen
scavenger is preferably added in a quantity sufficient to reduce substantially all of any
compound or compounds present that could oxidize dialkylhydroxylamine [DAHA] to
avoid consumption of the DAHA.” Page 5, lines 15-17. The specification states that,
“[f]or most closed loop systems, the concentration of DAHA necessary to achieve
[release of iron deposits] is from about 3 to about 500 parts per million (ppm) DAHA in
the total solution within the closed loop system.” Page 7, lines 13-15. “For the
purposes of the present invention, the term parts per million is determined as milligrams
of DAHA per liter of fluid within the closed loop system.” Page 7, lines 19-21.
Discussion
1. Claim construction
Claims 1-23 are pending and on appeal. Appellants have not separately argued
the claims. Therefore, within each rejection, the claims stand or fall together. We will
focus on claim 1, the broadest claim on appeal. We will also focus on claims 5, 6, 15,
and 21, which are representative. Claims 1, 5, 6, 15, and 21 read as follows:
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