Ex Parte Robeson et al - Page 11

                Appeal 2007-2910                                                                             
                Application 10/304,881                                                                       
           1    and use of vinyl acetate and vinyl acrylic water-based coatings.  They used                  
           2    pigments to turn stable coatings into paints.  They had considerable                         
           3    experience in working with epoxy resins in water-based polymer emulsions.                    

           4                                    ANALYSIS                                                     
           5          Levine set the stage for a water-based paint or clear coating that                     
           6    would adhere to a surface with an alkyd pre-coating.  Levine recommended                     
           7    the use of bisphenol A-based epoxy resins, but cautioned that lower                          
           8    molecular weight epoxy resins formed less stable emulsions and were thus                     
           9    less suitable for pigmented coatings.                                                        
          10          Robeson taught a way to make water-based epoxy-polymer emulsions                       
          11    that were stable and easier to make.  One skilled in the art would have                      
          12    appreciated that Robeson's approach to water-based epoxy-polymer                             
          13    emulsions would make Levine's epoxy-polymer emulsions easier to make                         
          14    and use.  Indeed, the added stability of Robeson's emulsions would have                      
          15    made even Levine's low molecular weight epoxy resins, such as                                
          16    polyglycidyl bisphenol A, more attractive.                                                   
          17          A person having ordinary skill in the art might not have appreciated                   
          18    the wet adhesion properties of the Levine-Robeson combination.  The claim                    
          19    is not a method claim, however, and does not require an appreciation of this                 
          20    advantage, which appears to be inherent in the combination.  Air Products                    
          21    argues that inherency applies to anticipation, not obviousness.44  This                      
          22    position is an over-simplification of the law.  Recognition of an inherent                   



                                                                                                            
                44 Br. 3-4.                                                                                  

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