Appeal 2006-3270
Application 10/369,089
Appellants’ invention relates to a method of treating an adsorbent.
The adsorbent is capable of removing water vapor from a vapor stream
(Specification 22: 27-28). Representative independent claim 1, as presented
in the Brief, appears below:
1. A method of treating an adsorbent, comprising:
first heating the adsorbent at a first temperature under dry
nitrogen; and
second heating the adsorbent at a second temperature, wherein
the second temperature is less than the first temperature and greater
than 100°C., under a gas comprising Cl2, Br2, F2, HCl, HF, or HBr.
The Examiner relies on the following references in rejecting the
appealed subject matter:
Alvarez, Jr US 5,910,292 Jun. 08, 1999
Schulze US 2,246,900 Jun. 24, 1941
Claims 1-8 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable
over Alvarez in view of Schulze.
As evidence of obviousness of the claimed subject matter under § 103,
the Examiner has relied on the disclosures of Alvarez and Schulze (Answer
3-4). The Examiner has found that Alvarez teaches a method of treating an
adsorbent including first heating the absorbent and an anhydrous nitrogen
atmosphere of 250°-425°C and subsequently passing a gas stream
comprising a halide over the absorbent resin. The Examiner has recognized
that Alvarez does not teach performing the second heating step at a
temperature lower than the first but greater than 100°C as required by claim
1 (Answer 4). The Examiner asserts the second treatment step of an
adsorbent at a temperature lower than the first but greater than 100°C would
2
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