Appeal 2006-2786
Application 10/240,329
separating foremilk, rather, Petterson senses whether milk, be it foremilk or
normal milk, has blood or clots and then discards the milk if it does contain
blood or clots or sends it to the collection vessel if it does not contain blood
or clots (Br. 7-8). Appellants further argue that Petterson’s embodiment of
Figures 7 and 8 does not show “means operable to divert foremilk away
from a milk line” (Br. 8)
We cannot agree with Appellants’ arguments for the reasons
discussed below.
Petterson discloses a method and apparatus for sensing milk quality to
ensure that “no foremilk or milk not suitable for human consumption comes
into the milk line system including the milk tank” (Petterson 6, ll. 19-22;
Figure 1). Petterson describes Figure 1 as “. . . an apparatus for separation,
analysing and taking care of foremilk according to the invention” (Petterson
4). To ensure that “no foremilk” comes into the milk tank or milk line,
Petterson uses sensing means 36 to analyze the milk quality and send a
signal to control unit 14 (Petterson 6-7). The control unit 14 controls valve
device 32 and three-way valve 37 depending upon the milk quality sensed
by sensing means 36 (Petterson 7). Petterson’s sensing means 36 may be
“light emitting diodes (LED), light sensing means, infrared detectors and
video systems. . .” (Petterson 11).
Appellants disclose that the sensing means used in their method and
apparatus for separating foremilk includes “a light source, such as a light
omitting [sic emitting] diode and a photosensitive component, e.g. a
phototransistor” (Specification 3).
Therefore, Petterson’s sensing means are the same as Appellants’
sensing means (i.e., a light emitting diode and a photosensitive component
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013