Ex Parte Hokanson et al - Page 4



               Appeal 2007-1000                                                                       
               Application 10/315,842                                                                 

               4.0 percent of the phosphate mixture by weight; heating the mixture to a               
               temperature of 1200°C - 1375°C; reacting the sulfur, silica and carbon with            
               the phosphate ore such that the resulting reactions of both carbon and sulfur          
               with the phosphate ore reduce the phosphorous content in the phosphate ore             
               by 95% to form phosphorous gas which is ultimately oxidized to phosphorus              
               pentoxide, wherein the reduction of the phosphate ore occurs within said               
               temperature range and within a residency time period of two hours or less;             
               and converting the phosphorus pentoxide to phosphoric acid.                            
                                                                                                     
                    The Examiner relies upon the following references as evidence of                  
               obviousness:                                                                           
               Lapple                        US 3,235,330               Feb. 15, 1966                 
               Galeev                        SU 1,370,073               Jan. 30, 1988                 
                    Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a method of producing                
               phosphoric acid from phosphate ore.  The method involves mixing a source               
               of carbon, sulfur, which may be in the carbon source, and silica with the              
               phosphate ore, and heating the mixture at the recited temperature to react the         
               components such that the phosphorus content in the ore is reduced by 95%               
               in the formation of phosphorus gas.  The phosphorus gas is oxidized to                 
               phosphorus pentoxide which is then converted to phosphoric acid.                       
                    Appealed claims 1-12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as                   
               being unpatentable over Lapple in view of Galeev.                                      
                    Appellants have not set forth an argument that is reasonably specific             
               to any particular claim on appeal.  Accordingly, all the appealed claims               
               stand or fall together with claim 1.                                                   
                    We have thoroughly reviewed each of Appellants’ arguments for                     
               patentability, as well as the Declaration evidence relied upon in support              
                                                  2                                                   



Page:  Previous  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  Next

Last modified: September 9, 2013