Appeal 2006-2334
Application 09/909,913
3, l. 2, and Fig.). The channel 14 is formed by belts 6,12 surrounding rows
of rollers 5,11, wherein the belts can be rubber, such as rubber bands, or
plastic that can be reinforced with textile or wire cloth (id., e.g., col. 1,
l. 60 to col. 2, l. 43). One of ordinary skill in the art would reasonably infer
from this disclosure that the belts 6,12 can comprise pliable material.2 In the
sole illustrative embodiment, the stiff rolls 5,11 are paired and spaced such
that “the meat slice, during its passage through the channel, always will be in
a nip of any of the pairs of rolls,” that is, “[t]he distance between successive
pairs of rolls is less than the size of the slice,” and belts 6,12 can have a
honeycomb surface that holds the meat slice in place (id., col. 3,
ll. 3-26, and 28-31). In the embodiment, “[e]ach step of this treatment is
adapted to the structure of the meat so that the connective tissue thereof does
not rupture” (id., col. 3, ll. 26-28).
We find Margolis would have disclosed to one of ordinary skill in this
art a method for removing fat from a boneless meat food item by heating the
item to cause the fat therein to at least partially liquefy and applying pressure
to the heated meat to exude a substantial portion of the liquefied fat
therefrom (Margolis, e.g., Abstract, col. 2, ll. 42-57, col. 3,
l. 16 to col. 5, l. 42). The pressure is applied generally at about 2.5 to 14 psi
such that the product does not “have a texture or appearance which is
2 It is well settled that a reference stands for all of the specific teachings
thereof as well as the inferences one of ordinary skill in this art would have
reasonably been expected to draw therefrom, see In re Fritch, 972 F.2d
1260, 1264-65, 23 USPQ2d 1780, 1782-83 (Fed. Cir. 1992); In re Preda,
401 F.2d 825, 826, 159 USPQ 342, 344 (CCPA 1968), presuming skill on
the part of this person. In re Sovish, 769 F.2d 738, 743, 226 USPQ 771,
774 (Fed. Cir. 1985).
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