Appeal 2007-3396
Application 1 11008,592
to use and reveals little of direct relevance in the prior art. Indeed, the
background art that Bayer cites, while similar to what Eisen discloses, is
much less relevant than the older Horn patent.
Horn reveals broad familiarity in the polyurethane foam art with the
use of polyisocyanate and pol yo1 components in water to avoid the use of
more dangerous or otherwise undesirable ingredients. Horn provides
detailed discussions of suitable ingredients and their specific uses, including
polyisocyanates, polyhydroxyls (polyols), initiators, chain extenders, cross
linkers, blowing agents, catalysts, silica gel additives, surfactants, fillers, and
flame-proofing agents.45 Horn also expresses confidence that those in the art
would readily apply the teachings of related processes (such as for closed-
cell rigid foams) and the broader ~iterature.~~
Bayer suggests that the large number of crystalline microporous
molecular sieves that Horn teaches makes selection of a zeolite
improbable.47 To the contrary, Horn shows confidence that others in the art
have sufficient skill to select zeolites as appropriate from among the many
choices with very little guidance.
Those of skill in the art would appreciate that additional ingredients
may be added to either the polyisocyanate component or the polyol
component. Both Horn and Skowronski teach as much for the related close-
cell rigid foam art. Skowronski also suggests it when noting that adding
water to the polyol component is "convenient" rather than necessary.
Similarly, Horn teaches that it is "expedient" to add the silica gel to the
45 Horn 3:21-1354.
46 Horn 2: 19-28 and 13:35-43.
47 Br. 4.
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