Appeal 2007-3580
Application 10/359,976
We have considered all of Appellants’ arguments and find them
unpersuasive for the reasons below.
Carlstrom, Jr. discloses that it is known to control pressure oscillations
of the fuel and oxidant streams in either an “in-phase” or an “out-of-phase”
pattern with one another (Carlstrom, Jr., col. 10, ll. 50-61; Figures 13-15).
Carlstrom, Jr. further discloses that oscillation of the fuel and oxidant
streams may be in a sinusoidal pattern, a “sporadic” or “non-repeating”
pattern (i.e., irregular) or a periodic, intermittent, spiked, and/or random
pattern (Carlstrom, Jr., col. 11, ll. 5-15).
Chow discloses that reversing the direction of the fuel and oxidant
streams are done periodically (Chow, col. 3, ll. 54-56; col. 4, ll. 16).
Plainly, Carlstrom discloses that oscillations of the fuel and oxidant
streams in a fuel cell may be controlled with the patterns as claimed in
Appellants’ claims 5 and 8-9. Regarding claim 10, we agree with the
Examiner that Carlstrom, Jr.’s disclosure at column 11, lines 5-15 noted
above would reasonably have suggested a polygonal-wave pattern (Answer
11-12).
We are unpersuaded by Appellants’ arguments that Carlstrom, Jr.’s
disclosure regarding the control of the fuel cell is only applicable to pressure
oscillations (Reply Br. 4-6). Rather, Carlstrom, Jr.’s and Chow’s
disclosures, as a whole, would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the
art that Carlstrom, Jr.,’s various oscillation patterns would apply to any
oscillations of the fuel and oxidant streams including oscillation of the flow
direction (i.e., flow reversals). Chow’s disclosure to “periodically” oscillate
the flow reversal pattern (Chow, col. 3, ll. 54-56; col. 4, ll. 16), one of the
patterns disclosed by Carlstrom, Jr., further supports such a determination.
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