Ex Parte Chen et al - Page 2



            Appeal 2007-0571                                                                                
            Application 10/277,004                                                                          
                                      STATEMENT OF THE CASE                                                 
                   Appellants seek our review under 35 U.S.C. § 134 (2002) of the Examiner’s                
            final rejection of claims 1, 4-7, and 10-20.1  We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C.             
            § 6(b) (2002).                                                                                  

                                       SUMMARY OF DECISION                                                  
                   We AFFIRM-IN-PART.                                                                       

                                            THE INVENTION                                                   
                   Appellants’ claimed invention is to a system and method for providing                    
            improved exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) mass flow rate to the intake manifold of               
            an internal combustion engine (Specification 2:[0005]).  Claims 1 and 16,                       
            reproduced below, are representative of the subject matter on appeal.                           
                         1. An apparatus comprising:                                                        
                         a first divided exhaust manifold in fluid flow                                     
                         communication with a first exhaust gas recirculation                               
                         (EGR) path;                                                                        
                         a second divided exhaust manifold in fluid flow                                    
                         communication with a second EGR path;                                              
                         a first check valve, arranged and constructed to prevent                           
                         backflow from an intake manifold and backflow from the                             
                         second divided exhaust manifold from entering the first                            
                         divided exhaust manifold;                                                          
                         a second check valve, arranged and constructed to                                  
                                                                                                           
            1 Claims 2 and 3 have been canceled and claims 8 and 9 are objected to as being                 
            dependent upon a rejected base claim.                                                           
                                                     2                                                      



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