US PATENT SUBCLASS 516 / 113
COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING AN AGENT FOR BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS; PROCESSES OF BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS (E.G., GEL BREAKING OR INHIBITING, COAGULATING, FLOCCULATING); PROCESSES OF PREPARING THE COMPOSITIONS

Current as of: June, 1999
Click HD for Main Headings
Click for All Classes

Internet Version by PATENTEC © 1999      Terms of Use


516 /   HD   COLLOID SYSTEMS AND WETTING AGENTS; SUBCOMBINATIONS THEREOF; PROCESSES OF

113COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING AN AGENT FOR BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS; PROCESSES OF BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS (E.G., GEL BREAKING OR INHIBITING, COAGULATING, FLOCCULATING); PROCESSES OF PREPARING THE COMPOSITIONS {3}
114  DF  .~> Continuous gas or vapor phase colloid system (e.g., fog dispelling, dust or contrail suppressing)
115  DF  .~> Continuous liquid phase colloid system and discontinuous gas or vapor phase (i.e., foam) {7}
135  DF  .~> Continuous liquid phase colloid system and discontinuous liquid phase (e.g., breaking an emulsion) {4}

DEFINITION

Classification: 516/113

COMPOSITIONS CONTAINING AN AGENT FOR BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS; PROCESSES OF BREAKING (RESOLVING) OR INHIBITING COLLOID SYSTEMS (E.G., GEL BREAKING OR INHIBITING, COAGULATING, FLOCCULATING); PROCESSES OF PREPARING THE COMPOSITIONS:

(under the class definition) Subject matter which is a (1) composition containing an agent* for breaking (resolving) or inhibiting a colloid system, (2) process of breaking (resolving) or inhibiting such a system, by any means including chemically, physically, or energetically, for example, using contacted or added substance*, material*, or matrix, using shearing technique, using fixed bed, mesh, or screen, or using cooling or heating, or (3) process of preparing a composition containing an agent* for breaking (resolving) or inhibiting such a system.

(1) Note. Subject matter included in this and indented

subclasses includes smoke clearing, defoaming, de-emulsifying, resolving emulsions or suspensions, flocculating colloid suspensions, and gel-breaking and compositions containing agents* for accomplishing these objectives.

(2) Note. As set forth in class definition (3) note, methods of breaking or inhibiting a colloid system which also thereby makes or stabilizes a (different) colloid system will be placed in the first occurring appropriate subclass in this class and cross-referenced to each other appropriate subclass.

(3) Note. Agents* for and methods of inhibiting or breaking gels (continuous solid phase colloid systems) or continuous liquid phase with discontinuous solid phase (solid particle sols, suspended solids) are not provided for in indented subclasses and hence are located in this subclass.

(4) Note. Methods and agents* for inhibiting or breaking colloid systems which are proper for this and indented subclasses include those which are characterized as physical, including those which do not involve the addition of solutes. For example, applying or removing heat, contacting with porous or particulate materials*, or shearing techniques.

(5) Note. Claims to methods for inhibiting or breaking which involve the use of a single compound are proper for placement in this and indented subclasses. Claims to agents* consisting of single compounds, or to solid resins are properly placed in the appropriate compound or resin class, and no cross-reference is required to Class 516.

(6) Note. A colloid system which intentionally contains a breaking (resolving) or inhibiting agent* which is to be triggered by an event, such as heat, or light, or shear, in order for it to act to resolve or break the colloid system is proper for placement of a cross-reference in this and indented subclasses. SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

73, Measuring and Testing,

53.01+, for liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a liquid (particularly subclasses 64.41+ for a process or an apparatus for detecting or determining the composition of, a constituent of, or a property of a liquid or a liquid suspension of a solid and the determination is made by measuring or detecting the ability of the liquid to coagulate, to form a clot, or to form a stiffened or solid colloid-like mass (e.g., gel)).

162, Paper Making and Fiber Liberation; see

1+, for processes of liberation (especially subclasses 70+ for compositions specifically employed in or intended to be

employed in the class provided for processes), subclasses 100+ for processes of depositing fibers from a liquid suspension thereof to form an interfelted fibrous product (paper), subclass 187 for processes of forming an interfelted fibrous product from a hydrated or partially gelatinized fiber and the product, per se.

166, Wells,

244.1+, for processes of treating or operating a well which may include gel forming or breaking in a well, which includes significantly claimed process steps of well treating or well operation. See also the Notes and SEARCH CLASS references in Class 166, subclass 244.1.

204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy,

193+, for apparatus for electrical separation or purification of liquids, subclasses 450+ for processes of separating or purifying using electrophoresis or electro-osmosis, subclasses 554+ for processes (e.g., electrostatic separation of a liquid) involving (a) electrical (including simultaneous electrical and magnetic) separation or purification of a liquid, or (b) magnetic treatment, per se, when some effect other than mere separation is desired or produced (especially subclasses 563+ for process which involves breaking emulsion or dispersion by agglomerating or accreting suspended constituents in a predominantly hydrocarbon liquid, subclass 573 for process which involves breaking emulsion or dispersion by agglomerating or accreting suspended constituents in other than a predominantly hydrocarbon liquid).

208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products,

177+, (see particularly subclass 263) for mere removal of a colloid system stabilizing agent* from a mineral oil for the purpose of preventing formation of an emulsion, or colloid system, containing the mineral oil. Class 516 provides for breaking of emulsions of mineral oil when not combined with some other treatment of the mineral oil, i.e., Class 516 provides for effecting breaking or inhibiting by merely adding an agent* for that purpose and permitting or causing separation (e.g., by settling). 209, Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids,

5, for methods or apparatus for treatment of materials or items prior to their separation to facilitate the latter in which certain components of a mixture may be deflocculated or dispersed relatively to others or by which certain components may be flocculated (this subclass receives only methods and apparatus in which the deflocculation or coagulation is contributory to a subsequent separation of some components from others).

210, Liquid Purification or Separation, provides for treating

water or waste liquid, and when not more specifically provided for, for treating liquids in general or of any kind. Class 516 is the locus for the breaking of colloid systems generically claimed and provides for (a) the separation or purification of liquids, generally claimed, when performed by a Class 516 process, such as by breaking an emulsion, dispersion, or foam, and for such processes further including ancillary steps, such as, decanting, or passing through a separatory funnel, etc., or (b) processes in which recovery is intended of both water and another product. Class 210 provides for (a) processes which include a step of colloid system resolution of liquids, generally claimed, when combined with a step of separation of a diverse component, unless that step is also a Class 516 step (i.e., multiple Class 516 steps are proper for placement in Class 516), or (b) a step of colloid system breaking, per se, for the purpose of obtaining water, wherein the water may be intended for use or intended to be made suitable for disposal, thus, decontaminating of sewage waste water to be dumped into the ocean using an emulsion breaking step is proper for Class 210. See subclasses 634+ for liquid/liquid solvent or colloid dispersion extraction, subclasses 702+ for processes in which a liquid is treated by a chemical or physical agent to cause a dissolved constituent to separate from the solvent or to cause a constituent, dispersed in such a finely divided state that it is not filterable or settleable, to agglomerate, coagulate, coalesce, or flocculate (e.g., subclasses 703+ for flotation using a specified precipitant, coagulant, or flocculant, and subclass 708 for including emulsion breaking), cross-reference art collections 922+ for oil spill cleanup (e.g., cross-reference art collection 925 for using chemical agent).

252, Compositions, for all those compositions for which there is no provision elsewhere in the USPCS; including those compositions (or appropriate methods) which are claimed as specifically intended for a special use or function, but which, if only generically claimed, would be proper for Class 516, provided that subject matter is hierarchically superior within Class 252. See

175+, for compositions for treating water to soften or purify it, to precipitate impurities in it, or to inhibit formation of scale or incrustation in steam boilers or other water containers,

435, Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology, methods for defoaming or foam inhibiting of fermentations which include more than a nominal fermentation step are proper for Class 435, even though a Class 516 composition or step may be present.

436, Chemistry: Analytical and Immunological Testing,

18, for compositions, such as anticoagulant containing, which are used to mimic or quantify the effect, in a chemical test procedure, of another chemical composition, or to stabilize,

preserve or otherwise prepare a sample for a chemical test and the processes of use of such materials preparatory to a chemical test procedure.

507, Earth Boring, Well Treating, and Oil Field Chemistry, cross-reference art collection 921 for well treating composition intended to break an emulsion or gel or to uncrosslink a polymer.

520, Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers, appropriate subclasses for (1) synthetic resins, per se, or (2) resin containing compositions, the use or utility of which is not specifically provided for elsewhere. The subject matter of the Class 520 series is hierarchically superior to Class 516 for placement of ORs (original reference). 1, of Class 520 is the residual subclass for solid resin containing subject matter. See various subclasses in the 520 series of classes for aqueous or organic dispersions, latexes, or gels, of a polymer or natural or synthetic rubber, and methods of making or treating same.

524, Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers--Part of the Class 520 Series, cross-reference art collection 922 for flocculating, clarifying, or fining compositions.

528, Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers--Part of the Class 520 Series, cross-reference art collections 934+ for subject matter relating to recovery and physical processing of natural rubber latex (particularly cross-reference art collection 936 for coagulating).

530, Chemistry: Natural Resins or Derivatives; Peptides or Proteins; Lignins or Reaction Products Thereof, appropriate subclasses for breaking suspended solid colloid systems such as proteins; areas known to have documents related to colloid systems or wetting agents include:

354+, for gelatin, subclass 356 for collagen, subclasses 360+ for casein or caseinate, subclasses 362+ for albumin, subclasses 370+ for plant or yeast proteins, subclasses 380+ for blood proteins (particularly 381+ for blood coagulation factors and fibrin, e.g., thromboplastin).