Appeal No. 2000-0117 Page 4
Application No. 08/770,676
(6c) of the elastic members (6a, 6b) traversing the crotch
region are not bonded to the top sheet. The elastic members
(6a, 6b) are severed at the central sections (6c) so that
those sections snap back to define unstretched tail portions
(T) extending from the cross-over portions to eliminate
undesirable deformation of the article in the crotch region.
Appellants’ invention also relates to a method of
manufacturing an absorbent article which is formed from the
elements set forth above, wherein the method includes the
steps of bonding the elastic members to the top sheet except
in the crotch region, cutting the elastic members in the area
not bonded, combining the top sheet with the back sheet and
then severing the resultant combination at predetermined
cutting lines to define leg holes. An understanding of the
invention can be derived from a reading of exemplary claims 1,
4, 8, 11 and 12, which appears in the appendix to the
appellants’ brief.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
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