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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`JOHNS MANVILLE CORPORATION AND JOHNS MANVILLE, INC.
`
`
`Petitioners
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`v.
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`KNAUF INSULATION, INC. AND KNAUF INSULATION SPRL
`
`Patent Owners
`
`
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`
`
`Case No. IPR2018-00879
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`
`
`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF
`U.S. PATENT NO. 9,926,464
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.8(B) .............................. 1
`A.
`REAL PARTY IN INTEREST ............................................................. 1
`B.
`RELATED MATTERS ......................................................................... 1
`C.
`PAYMENT OF FEES ........................................................................... 3
`D. DESIGNATION OF LEAD COUNSEL .............................................. 3
`E.
`SERVICE INFORMATION ................................................................. 4
`F.
`POWER OF ATTORNEY .................................................................... 4
`G.
`STANDING ........................................................................................... 4
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 4
`A.
`The ’464 Patent ..................................................................................... 5
`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGES ........................................................ 6
`A.
`Challenged Claims ................................................................................ 6
`B.
`Statutory Grounds for Challenges ......................................................... 6
` PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART .......................................... 7
`LEGAL STANDARD ..................................................................................... 7
` CLAIM CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................ 8
`A.
`“Consists Essentially Of” ...................................................................... 8
`B.
`“amine reactant” .................................................................................. 12
`IDENTIFICATION OF HOW THE CLAIMS ARE UNPATENTABLE .... 13
`A.
`The ʼ464 Patent and Related Patents ................................................... 13
`B. Maillard Reactions .............................................................................. 17
`C.
`Ground #1: Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-13, 16-18, and 29-41 are Unpatentable
`As Obvious over Strauss in view of Tutin and Worthington .............. 21
`D. Ground #2: Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 9-13, 16-18, 29-38, and 40-41 are
`Unpatentable As Obvious over Strauss combined with Tutin and
`Gogek .................................................................................................. 48
` CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 66
`
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`i
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`TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
`
` Page(s)
`
`Cases
`Atlas Powder Co. v. E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Co.,
`750 F.2d 1569 (Fed. Cir. 1984) ............................................................................ 9
`Cuozzo Speed Tech., LLC v. Lee,
`136 S.Ct. 2131 2144-45 (2016) ............................................................................ 8
`In re Herz,
`537 F.2d 549 (C.C.P.A. 1976) .............................................................................. 9
`Ineos USA LLC v. Berry Plastics Corp.,
`783 F.3d 865 (Fed. Cir. 2015) ...................................................................... 33, 56
`In re Janakirama-Rao,
`317 F.2d 951 (C.C.P.A. 1963) ........................................................................ 9, 11
`In Re: Knauf Insulation,
`Fed. Cir. Nos. 2017-1317, -1323, -1324 (Fed. Cir. March 9,
`2018)(Ex. 1014) ................................................................................................ 1, 2
`Ex Parte Knauf Insulation GmbH,
`Appeal 2017-004826 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 8, 2017) (Ex. 1012) ................................. 34
`
`Knauf Insulation, Inc., Knauf Insulation GMBH, and Knauf Insulation
`SPRL v. Johns Manville Corporation and Johns Manville, Inc.,
`Case no. 1:15-CV-00111-WTL-MJD (S.D. Ind.) ................................................. 1
`Ex Parte Knauf Insulation, Inc.,
`No. 2016-006369 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 30, 2016) ....................................................... 22
`Knauf Insulation, Inc. v. Rockwool Int’l A/S,
`680 Fed.Appx. 956 (Feb. 27, 2017) .................................................... 2, 10, 31, 55
`Knauf Insulation v. Johns Manville Corp.,
`Fed. Cir. No. 2017-1433 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 16, 2018) ............................................... 2
`Ex Parte Morozumi,
`No. 2013-005195, 2015 WL 1537957 (P.T.A.B. Mar. 27, 2015) ...................... 11
`
`
`
`ii
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`
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`PPG Indus. v. Guardian Indus. Corp.,
`156 F.3d 1351 (Fed. Cir. 1998) ............................................................ 8, 9, 11, 63
`Plantronics, Inc. v. Aliph, Inc.,
`724 F.3d 1343 (Fed. Cir. 2013) ............................................................................ 8
`Ex Parte Rastegar,
`No. 2014-009943, 2016 WL 5957910 (P.T.A.B. Oct. 12, 2016) ....................... 11
`Riverwood Int’l Corp. v. R.A. Jones & Co.,
`324 F.3d 1346 (Fed. Cir. 2003) .......................................................................... 31
`Rockwool Int’l A/S v. Knauf Insulation GmbH,
`No. 2017-004826 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 8, 2017) ........................................................... 9
`Rockwool Int’l A/S v. Patent of Knauf Insulation LLC,
`No. 2015-001824, 2015 WL 4607935 (P.T.A.B. July 30, 2015) ....................... 10
`Statutes
`35 U.S.C. .................................................................................................................. 10
`35 U.S.C. § 102(b) ................................................................................................. 5, 7
`35 U.S.C. § 103 .................................................................................................. 6, 7, 9
`35 U.S.C. § 103(a) ..................................................................................................... 7
`35 U.S.C. §312(a)(1) .................................................................................................. 3
`Other Authorities
`37 C.F.R. §42.8(B) ..................................................................................................... 1
`37 C.F.R. §42.10(b) ................................................................................................... 4
`37 C.F.R. § 42.15 ....................................................................................................... 3
`37 CFR §42.24(a)(i) ................................................................................................. 67
`37 CFR §42.24(d) .................................................................................................... 67
`MPEP § 2111.03 III ........................................................................................... 10, 11
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`
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`iii
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`LIST OF EXHIBITS
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`1001
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`U.S. Patent No. 9,926,464
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`1002
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`Prosecution History of U.S. Patent No. 9,926,464
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`1003
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,318,990 to Strauss
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`1004
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`U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0038017 by Tutin
`et al.
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`1005
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`U.S. Patent No. 3,513,001 to Worthington
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`1006
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`U.S. Patent No. 2,965,504 to Gogek
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`1007
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`Hodge JE. Chemistry of browning reactions in
`model systems. J Agric Food Chem.
`1953;1(15):928–943
`
`1008
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`Declaration of Dr. Frederick Hirsekorn
`
`1009
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`Curriculum Vitae of Dr. Frederick Hirsekorn
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`1010
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`U.S. Patent No. 8,114,210 to Hampson
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`1011
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`Excerpts of Patent Owner’s Infringement
`Contentions in Related Litigation
`
`1012
`
`Inter partes reexamination decision in
`Reexamination Control 95/000,672 and PTAB
`Appeal 2017-004826 (PTAB, Sept. 8, 2017)
`(regarding Patent No. 7,888,445)
`
`iv
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`1013
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`Ex parte reexamination decision in Reexamination
`Control 90/013,029 and PTAB Appeal 2016-006341
`(PTAB Sept. 29, 2016) (regarding Patent No.
`7,888,445)
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`1014
`
`In Re: Knauf Insulation, Fed. Cir. Nos. 2017-1317,-
`1323, -1324 (Fed. Cir. March 9, 2018)
`
`1015
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`1016
`
`Ex parte reexamination decision in Reexamination
`Control 90/013,156 and PTAB Appeal 2016-006369
`(PTAB Sept. 30, 2016) (regarding Patent No.
`7,854,980)
`
`Inter partes reexamination decision in
`Reexamination Control 95/000,674 (PTAB July 30,
`2015) (regarding Patent No. 7,854,980)
`
`1017
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`Knauf Insulation, Inc. v. Rockwool Int’l A/S, 680
`Fed.Appx. 956 (Feb. 27, 2017)
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`1018
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`1019
`
`1020
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`1021
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`Ex parte reexamination decision in Reexamination
`Control 90/013,030 and PTAB Appeal no. 2016-
`006368 (Sept. 29, 2016) (regarding Patent No.
`7,772,347)
`
`Inter partes reexamination decision, in
`Reexamination Control No. 95/000,675 (Sept. 8,
`2017) (regarding Patent No. 7,772,347)
`
`Final Written Decision in IPR2015-01402 (PTAB
`Oct. 19, 2016) (regarding Patent No. 8,114,210)
`
`Knauf Insulation v. Johns Manville Corp., Fed. Cir.
`No. 2017-1433 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 16, 2018)
`
`v
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`
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`Petitioners request institution of an inter partes review (“IPR”) trial of
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`Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-13, 16-18, and 29-41 (the “Challenged Claims”) of U.S. Patent
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`No. 9,926,464 (“the ’464 Patent”), and a final written decision cancelling those
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`claims as unpatentable.
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` MANDATORY NOTICES UNDER 37 C.F.R. §42.8(B)
`A. REAL PARTY IN INTEREST
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`The real parties-in-interest are Johns Manville Inc. and Johns Manville
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`Corporation.
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`B. RELATED MATTERS
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`The ’464 Patent has been asserted against Johns Manville in Knauf
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`Insulation, Inc., Knauf Insulation GMBH, and Knauf Insulation SPRL v. Johns
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`Manville Corporation and Johns Manville, Inc., Case no. 1:15-CV-00111-WTL-
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`MJD (S.D. Ind.).
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`The ’464 Patent contains overlapping subject matter with U.S. Patent No.
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`7,888,445, which patent was subject to both (1) inter partes reexamination
`
`proceedings, in Reexamination Control 95/000,672 and PTAB Appeal 2017-
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`004826 (Ex. 1012) (claims 16-22 rejected) and (2) ex parte reexamination
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`proceedings, in Reexamination Control 90/013,029 and PTAB Appeal 2016-
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`006341 (Ex. 1013) (claims 1-28 rejected), affm’d, In Re: Knauf Insulation, Fed.
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`Cir. Nos. 2017-1317, -1323, -1324 (Fed. Cir. March 9, 2018)(Ex. 1014).
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 7,854,980,
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`which patent was subject to both (1) ex parte reexamination proceedings, in
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`Reexamination Control 90/013,156 and PTAB Appeal 2016-006369 (Ex. 1015)
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`(claims 1-54 rejected), affm’d, In Re: Knauf Insulation, Fed. Cir. Nos. 2017-1317, -
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`1323, -1324 (Fed. Cir. March 9, 2018)(Ex. 1014); and (2) inter partes
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`reexamination proceedings, in Reexamination Control 95/000,674 (Ex. 1016)
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`(claims 21-26 rejected), affm’d, Knauf Insulation, Inc. v. Rockwool Int’l A/S, 680
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`Fed.Appx. 956 (Feb. 27, 2017) (Ex. 1017).
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 7,772,347,
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`which patent was subject to both (1) ex parte reexamination proceedings, in
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`Reexamination Control 90/013,030 and PTAB Appeal No. 2016-006368 (Ex.
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`1018) (claims 1-36 rejected), affm’d, In Re: Knauf Insulation, Fed. Cir. Nos. 2017-
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`1317, -1323, -1324 (Fed. Cir. March 9, 2018) (Ex. 1014); and (2) inter partes
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`reexamination proceedings, in Reexamination Control No. 95/000,675 (Ex. 1019)
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`(claims 29-32 rejected).
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 8,114,210
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`(Ex. 1010), which patent was subject to IPR, in IPR2015-01402 (Ex. 1020) (claims
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`1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 14 held unpatentable), affm’d, Knauf Insulation v. Johns Manville
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`Corp., Fed. Cir. No. 2017-1433 (Fed. Cir. Jan. 16, 2018) (Ex. 1021).
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 9,469,747,
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`which patent is subject to a Petition for IPR in Case No. IPR2018-00805.
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 9,828,287,
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`which patent is subject to a Petition for IPR in Case No. IPR2018-00827.
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`The ’464 Patent also shares subject matter with U.S. Patent No. 9,464,207,
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`which patent is subject to a Petition for IPR in Case No. IPR2018-00863.
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`C.
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`PAYMENT OF FEES
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`This petition for IPR is accompanied by a payment of $ 39,800 and requests
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`review of 27 claims of the ’464 Patent. 37 C.F.R. § 42.15. The Office is further
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`authorized to charge any other fees, or apply any credit in connection with this
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`Petition, to Deposit Account No. 20-1430. This Petition meets the fee
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`requirements under 35 U.S.C. §312(a)(1).
`
`D. DESIGNATION OF LEAD COUNSEL
`
`Lead Counsel
`Kristopher L. Reed
`Reg. No. 58,694
`kreed@kilpatricktownsend.com
`1400 Wewatta Street, Suite 600
`Denver, CO 80202
`(303) 571-4000
`
`Backup Lead Counsel
`Matthew C. Holohan
`Reg. No. 73,288
`mholohan@kilpatricktownsend.com
`1400 Wewatta Street, Suite 600
`Denver, CO 80202
`(303) 571-4000
`
`Darin J. Gibby
`Reg. No. 38,464
`digibby@kilpatricktownsend.com
`1400 Wewatta Street, Suite 600
`Denver, CO 80202
`(303) 571-4000
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`E.
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`SERVICE INFORMATION
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`As identified in the attached Certificate of Service, a copy of this Petition, in
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`its entirety, is being served at the address of the attorney or agent of record in the
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`Patent Office for the ’464 Patent, as well as counsel of record for the Patent
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`Owners Knauf Insulation, Inc. and Knauf Insulation SPRL (collectively, “Patent
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`Owners” or “Knauf”) in the above-referenced litigation. The following email
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`address may be used for service and all communications to both Lead and Backup
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`Counsel:
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`JMIPR@kilpatricktownsend.com
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`F.
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`POWER OF ATTORNEY
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`Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. §42.10(b), a Power of Attorney executed by
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`Petitioners appointing the above designated counsel is concurrently filed.
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`G.
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`STANDING
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`The Petitioners certify that the ’464 Patent is available for IPR and that the
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`Petitioners are not barred or estopped from requesting an IPR challenging the
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`patent claims on the grounds identified in this petition.
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`
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`INTRODUCTION
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`The ’464 Patent relates to fiberglass insulation made using binders. The
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`claimed method involves manufacturing a fiberglass insulation product by spraying
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`a binder solution onto a mat of fibers such that the residual heat from the fibers and
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`flow of air evaporates water from the solution, transferring the mat to and through
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`a curing oven, curing the binder, and compressing the product for packaging and
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`shipping. The binder solution comprises “Maillard reactants” including an amine
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`reactant and a carbohydrate reactant, and the curing step consists of a Maillard
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`reaction.
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`A. The ’464 Patent
` Overview
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`The ’464 Patent has 1 independent claim and 40 dependent claims. The sole
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`independent claim and 26 dependent claims are challenged.
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`Priority Date
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`The ’464 Patent claims priority to provisional application No. 60/702,456,
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`filed on July 26, 2005. The prior art references relied upon are prior art under pre-
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`AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) based on this filing date.
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`
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`Prosecution History
`
`The ’464 Patent issued on March 27, 2018, from U.S. Application No.
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`15/177,442 (“’442 Application”). The ʼ442 Application was rejected, amended,
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`and finally allowed after Knauf filed terminal disclaimers and added claim
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`language in order to overcome certain rejections.
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`However, as will be seen below, many of the added method steps were taken
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`directly from the prior art Strauss patent—some almost verbatim—and all such
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`added features were commonly known aspects of fiberglass or the well-known art
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`of fiberglass manufacturing. Moreover, according to the Examiner’s statement of
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`“allowable subject matter,” the alleged “closest prior art” was the Hansen reference
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`that allegedly fails to disclose a binder having a carbohydrate within “the claimed
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`range of 73 to 96 weight percent.” Ex. 1002, part 1 of 2, at 60. But this too had
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`been disclosed long ago in the prior art by Worthington and by Gogek.
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`As shown below, the claims at issue here recite an admittedly conventional
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`method for making fiberglass—with all of the baseline method steps disclosed by
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`Strauss and/or Tutin—featuring well-known binder solutions comprising Maillard
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`reactants, such as those disclosed decades ago by Worthington and Gogek.
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`
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`IDENTIFICATION OF CHALLENGES
`A. Challenged Claims
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`Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-13, 16-18, and 29-41 of the ’464 Patent are challenged.
`
`B.
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`Statutory Grounds for Challenges
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`Ground #1: Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-13, 16-18, and 29-41 are obvious under
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`(pre-AIA) 35 U.S.C. § 103 over U.S. Patent No. 5,318,990 to Strauss (“Strauss”) in
`
`view of U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2004/0038017 by Tutin et al. (“Tutin”) and U.S.
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`Patent No. 3,513,001 to Worthington et al. (“Worthington”). Strauss issued on
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`June 7, 1994, Tutin published on February 26, 2004, and Worthington issued on
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`May 19, 1970. All three references are prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
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`Ground #2: Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 9-13, 16-18, 29-38, and 40-41 are obvious
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`under (pre-AIA) 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Strauss in view of Tutin and U.S. Patent No.
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`2,965,504 to Gogek (“Gogek”). Gogek issued on December 20, 1960, and thus is
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`prior art to the claims of the ʼ464 Patent at least under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b).
`
` PERSON OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
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`A person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the earliest effective filing
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`date of the ’464 Patent would have had a Ph.D. in Chemistry and 3-5 years of
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`industry experience in binder development for insulating or analogous products, or
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`be someone with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering and
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`10 or more years of experience in binder development for the manufacture of
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`insulating or analogous products. Ex. 1008 ¶ 37.
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` LEGAL STANDARD
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`A claim is unpatentable for obviousness “if the differences between the
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`subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject
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`matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a
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`person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains.” 35
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`U.S.C. § 103(a) (pre-AIA). “Applying a flexible approach to the obviousness
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`inquiry, the Supreme Court observed that common sense can be a source of
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`reasons to combine or modify prior art references to achieve the patented
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`invention.” Plantronics, Inc. v. Aliph, Inc., 724 F.3d 1343, 1354 (Fed. Cir. 2013).
`
`The reason or motivation to combine references may be found “explicitly or
`
`implicitly in market forces; design incentives; the ‘interrelated teachings of
`
`multiple patents’; ‘any need or problem known in the field of endeavor at the time
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`of invention and addressed by the patent’; and the background knowledge,
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`creativity and common sense of the person of ordinary skill.” Id.
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`
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` CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`
`The claim terms of an unexpired patent subject to IPR shall receive the
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`“broadest reasonable construction in light of the specification of the patent in
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`which [they] appear[].” See Cuozzo Speed Tech., LLC v. Lee, 136 S.Ct. 2131
`
`2144-45 (2016). Because the standards of claim interpretation used by the Courts
`
`and by the Board are different, Petitioners reserve the right to present additional
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`and different interpretations in the district court litigation.
`
`A.
`
`“Consists Essentially Of”
`
`
`“Consists Essentially Of”
`
`“Consists essentially of” is a transition phrase used in a claim to signal that
`
`the claim is partially open. PPG Indus. v. Guardian Indus. Corp., 156 F.3d 1351,
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`1354 (Fed. Cir. 1998). “By using the term ‘consisting essentially of,’ the drafter
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`signals that the invention necessarily includes the listed ingredients and is open to
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`unlisted ingredients that do not materially affect the basic and novel properties of
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`the invention.” Id.
`
`Under the “broadest reasonable construction standard,” “an applicant who
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`has not clearly limited his claims is in a weak position to assert a narrow
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`construction.” In re Herz, 537 F.2d 549, 551 (C.C.P.A. 1976). Therefore, “in
`
`construing the phrase ‘consisting essentially of’ in [the challenged] claims, it is
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`necessary and proper to determine whether [the] specification reasonably supports
`
`a construction that would” exclude unrecited ingredients disclosed in the prior art.
`
`In re Herz, 537 F.2d at 551. If a specification does not contain a clear indication of
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`the alleged basic and novel characteristics, “consisting essentially of” should be
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`construed as “comprising.” Id.; In re Janakirama-Rao, 317 F.2d 951, 954
`
`(C.C.P.A. 1963); see also Atlas Powder Co. v. E.I. du Pont De Nemours & Co.,
`
`750 F.2d 1569, 1573-74 (Fed. Cir. 1984).
`
`For example, in Rockwool Int’l A/S v. Knauf Insulation GmbH, No. 2017-
`
`004826, at 16 (P.T.A.B. Sep. 8, 2017) (Ex. 1012), where the Patent Owner had not
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`“established what additional materials would be excluded by the ‘consisting
`
`essentially of’ language or even what the basic and novel characteristics of the
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`invention are,” id. at 16, the Board held that the existence of additional ingredients
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`in the prior art reference could not overcome the Examiner’s Section 103
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`rejection.1 In other words, the Board treated “consisting essentially of” as
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`“comprising.” Accord MPEP § 2111.03 III (“For the purposes of searching for and
`
`applying prior art under 35 U.S.C. [§§] 102 and 103, absent a clear indication in
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`the specification or claims of what the basic and novel characteristics actually are,
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`‘consisting essentially of’ will be construed as equivalent to ‘comprising.’”).
`
`Similarly, in a separate inter partes reexamination concerning Knauf’s
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`Patent No. 7,854,980—which claims a binder “consisting essentially of a
`
`carbohydrate, an amine, and a polycarboxylic acid”—the Board found that “there
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`was no clear indication of what constitutes the basic and novel characteristics of
`
`the invention” and, therefore, the phrase “consisting essentially of” was once again
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`properly interpreted “to have the same meaning as ‘comprising’.” Rockwool Int'l
`
`A/S v. Patent of Knauf Insulation LLC, No. 2015-001824, 2015 WL 4607935, at *9
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`(P.T.A.B. July 30, 2015) (Ex. 1016); see also Knauf Insulation, Inc. v. Rockwool
`
`Int’l A/S, 680 Fed.Appx. 956, 958 (Fed. Cir. Feb. 27, 2017) (Ex. 1017) (affirming
`
`obviousness of claims 21-26 of Pat. No. 7,854,980, which recite a binder
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`“consisting essentially of dextrose and ammonium salt of citric acid,” without
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`explicitly opining on the construction of “consisting essentially of”).
`
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`1 The Rockwool decision involved the inter partes reexamination of U.S. Patent
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`No. 7,888,445 (“the ʼ445 Patent”), the great-grandparent of the ʼ464 Patent.
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`The two Board decisions mentioned above interpreting Knauf’s related
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`patents follow a long line of Board decisions construing the phrase “consisting
`
`essentially of” as “comprising” when, as here, the patent lacks a clear identification
`
`of the basic and novel characteristics. See, e.g., Ex Parte Morozumi, No. 2013-
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`005195, 2015 WL 1537957, at *2 (P.T.A.B. Mar. 27, 2015) (“Absent a clear
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`indication in the specification what the basic and novel characteristics of the
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`claimed invention actually are, the term ‘consisting essentially of’ will be
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`construed as “comprising.”) (citing PPG, 156 F.3d at 1354 and In re Janakirama-
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`Rao, 317 F.2d at 954) (original emphasis); see also Ex Parte Rastegar, No. 2014-
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`009943, 2016 WL 5957910, at *4 (P.T.A.B. Oct. 12, 2016) (citing PPG, 156 F.3d
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`at 1355 and MPEP § 2111.03 III).
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`Here, just as the Board has found with respect to Knauf’s related patents, the
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`claims and the specification of the ʼ464 Patent do not clearly identify the alleged
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`basic and novel characteristics of the invention. Ex. 1008 ¶ 42 .2 Under the
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`2 In litigation, Knauf has asserted that the basic and novel characteristics “of the
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`reactants used in the claimed methods” of the ‘464 Patent “include that the binder
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`solutions ‘may include a product of a Maillard reaction.’” Ex. 1011 at 6-7
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`(regarding Claim 32). This is not supported by the ʼ464 Patent specification,
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`which fails to identify any basic and novel characteristics of any claim. Ex. 1008 ¶
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`broadest reasonable construction, therefore “consists essentially of” in the claims
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`of the ʼ464 Patent should be construed as “comprises” for the purposes of this
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`proceeding.
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`B.
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` “amine reactant”
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`No definition of “amine reactant” is provided in the specification. However,
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`Knauf alleges in the related litigation that (a) ammonium salts (including
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`“diammonium phosphate” and “ammonium sulfate”) are “amine reactants”; (b)
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`43. Moreover, the phrase “consists essentially of” in Claim 32 of the ’464 Patent
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`modifies the term “Maillard reactants,” which is said to consist essentially of “the
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`amine reactant reacted with the reducing sugar from the carbohydrate reactant.”
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`Knauf has not alleged what, if anything, constitutes the basic and novel
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`characteristics of the Maillard reaction, instead proposing a purely circular
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`construction that defines a Maillard reaction as one that “may include a product of
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`a Maillard reaction,” as described above. In infringement contentions, Knauf cites
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`a passage from the specification that allegedly discloses the basic and novel
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`characteristics for Claim 32. Ex. 1011 at 6-7. But nothing from that passage
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`clearly indicates the basic and novel characteristics. Nonetheless, the Challenged
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`Claims are unpatentable even under any of Knauf’s various, unsupported
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`constructions of “consists essentially of,” as discussed below.
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`“ammonia” is an “amine reactant”; and (c) the phrase “amine reactants” also
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`“includes molecules possessing an amine base” or an “amino group.” Ex. 1011 at
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`2-3.
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`Although Petitioners do not concede that Knauf’s construction is correct, if
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`the term “amine reactant” is as broad as Knauf alleges in its infringement
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`contentions, a reference disclosing a binder made with (a) ammonium salts; (b)
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`ammonia; or (c) molecules possessing an amine base or amino group, discloses the
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`claimed “amine reactant.”
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` IDENTIFICATION OF HOW THE CLAIMS ARE UNPATENTABLE
`A. The ʼ464 Patent and Related Patents
` Manufacturing Process
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`The structure of the independent claim of the ʼ464 Patent reflects a method
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`for manufacturing a fiberglass insulation product using an aqueous binder solution.
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`However, the specification of the ʼ464 Patent makes clear that the manufacturing
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`process described and claimed in the ʼ464 is “conventional.” Ex. 1001 at 23:25-
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`29. In fact, the “fiberglass manufacturing procedures” described in the ʼ464 Patent
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`are not only admittedly “conventional” and thus contribute no patentable weight to
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`the claims, but the procedures were previously described in the prior art Strauss
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`reference. Indeed, as the following table shows, much of the language of Claim 1
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`of the ʼ464 Patent was copied—some nearly verbatim—from Strauss:
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`’464 Patent (Claim 1)
`residual heat from the glass fibers and flow
`of air through the mat evaporates water
`from the aqueous binder solution,
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`Ex. 1003 (Strauss) at 4:12-49
`“The residual heat contained in the
`glass fibers as well as the air flow
`through the mat causes a majority of
`the water to volatilize from the mat
`before it exits the forming chamber.”
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`transferring the binder coated mat to and
`through a curing oven;
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`“The … mat is then conveyed to and
`through a curing oven ...”
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`heated air is passed through the mat to cure
`the binder
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`“… wherein heated air is passed
`through the mat to cure the resin.”
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`ii) flights above and below the mat slightly
`compress the mat to give the fiberglass
`insulation product a predetermined
`thickness and surface finish,
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`“Flights above and below the mat
`slightly compress the mat to give the
`finished product a predetermined
`thickness and surface finish.”
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`and iii) fibrous glass having a cured, rigid
`binder matrix emerges from the curing
`oven so as to produce the fiberglass
`insulation product in the form of a batt;
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`“The fibrous glass having a cured,
`rigid binder matrix emerges from the
`oven in the form of a bat ...”
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`and compressing the batt for packaging and
`shipping
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`“… which may be compressed for
`packaging and shipping ...”
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`Thus, the ʼ464 Patent claims nothing more than the conventional fiberglass
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`manufacturing process described in Strauss, using a well-known “Maillard
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`reactant” binder solution.
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`
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`Binder
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`The binder solution of the ʼ464 Patent is far from novel. It comprises
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`“Maillard reactants” including “an amine reactant” and “a carbohydrate reactant.”
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`Ex. 1001 at Cl. 1. Maillard reactions have been understood since at least 1953, as
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`explained in Section B. Further, the use of such Maillard reactants as binder
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`reactants was well-known in the art, and described in detail in, e.g., the
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`Worthington and Gogek references, both of which predate the ʼ464 Patent by
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`decades.
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`To illustrate this point, consider the great-grandparent patent of the ʼ464
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`Patent, the ʼ445 Patent, which claimed a binder made of “melanoidin products”
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`(i.e., products of a Maillard reaction) that formed upon dehydrating and curing a
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`mixture that included a “monosaccharide and an ammonium salt” of an acid. Ex.
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`1013 at 3-4.3 While the binder in the ʼ445 Patent had other requirements, in
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`3 The accompanying Declaration of Dr. Frederick Hirsekorn (Ex. 1008) describes
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`the family tree for the ’464 Patent. Several related patents, with substantially
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`similar specifications, have been subjected to review by the Board. Ex. 1008 at ¶¶
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`essence the claimed binder comprised a carbohydrate and an amine, just like the
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`binder in Claim 1 of the ʼ464 Patent. In an ex parte reexamination, the Board
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`found claims 1-28 to this binder unpatentable as obvious (in view of Worthington
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`and other art), Ex. 1013, and the Federal Circuit recently affirmed. Ex. 1014. The
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`Board also found claims 16-22 of the ’445 Patent are obvious (in view of
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`Worthington and other art) in an inter partes reexamination. Ex. 1012.
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`Another Knauf patent related to the ’464 Patent—U.S. Pat. No. 7,772,347—
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`claimed a “method of making a collection of matter bound with a melanoidin
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`containing formaldehyde-free thermoset binder.” The Board also held that this
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`method was obvious (Ex. 1018), and the Federal Circuit affirmed. Ex. 1014; see
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`also Ex. 1019.
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`The Board and Federal Circuit have also cancelled as unpatentable claims in
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`Knauf’s Pat. No. 7,854,980 reciting a “mineral fiber insulating material”
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`containing certain Maillard reactants. Exs. 1015-1017.
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`Finally, the Board and Federal Circuit also have held that another Maillard-
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`reactant binder solution patented by Knauf—a “substantially formaldehyde free
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`binder solution consisting essentially of a solution obtainable by dissolving a
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`57-78 (discussing Exs. 1012-1021). The decisions in those proceedings are highly
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`relevant intrinsic evidence in evaluating the patentability of the ‘464 Patent.
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`reducing sugar and at least 2.5% by dry weight … of ammonium sulphate salts”—
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`claimed in U.S. Patent No. 8,114,210 (claim 1), is anticipated by Gogek. Ex.
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`1020; Ex. 1021. In that same decision, the Board also found anticipated by Gogek
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`a method claim for manufacturing that included steps of “providing a collection of
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`loose matter” and “treating the collection of loose matter with the substantially
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`formaldehyde free binder solution of claim 1.” Ex. 1020 (claims 1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 13,
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`14 anticipated by Gogek); see also Ex. 1008 at ¶¶ 57-78 (discussing Exs. 1012-
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`1021).
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`Thus, the Board and Federal Circuit have already determined with respect to
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`Knauf patents related to the 464 Patent or with overlapping subject matter that (1)
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`binder solutions comprising Maillard reactants are not patentable; (2) methods of
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`