Appeal No. 2007-0175 Page 8
Application No. 10/467,134
accelerate the rate of rise of the grease particles, it is possible to inject fine air
bubbles. . . .”), and column 4, lines 51-54 (“[g]iven that grease particles may
appear on top of the reactors [(e.g., flotation degreasing)] . . . a system for taking
up or for transferring the floating particles . . . is provided.”)
Based on the foregoing analysis, we find ourselves in agreement with
appellant, that while the flocculation process “might remove some grease
particles while removing suspended solids, . . . [t]his does not mean that Vion
teaches the elimination of his degreasing process which is a flotation degreasing
process.” Reply Brief, bridging paragraph, pages 2-3. Therefore, we disagree
with the examiner’s assertion (Answer, page 3) that “Vion discloses[, at step 2 of
this process,] (see col. 4 lines 15-42) the use of mechanical stirring instead of air
flotation to remove grease particles.” To the contrary, Vion clearly discloses in
step 4 of this process that “[g]iven that grease particles may appear on top of the
reactors . . . a system for taking up or for transferring the floating particles . . . is
provided.” Contrary, to the examiner’s interpretation of Vion, we do not read Vion
as teaching the use of mechanical stirring as an alternative to flotation
degreasing. Instead, at best, we understand Vion to teach the combination of
mechanical stirring together with flotation degreasing.
According to the examiner (Answer, page 4, emphasis added), since
coagulants and flocculants are added in the Vion and Binot methods prior to
removing grease particles from the wastewater, “at least some grease particles
that are not removed by the [floatation] degreasing means” would be removed
with the coagulants and flocculants. While this may be true, it serves only to
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