Appeal No. 2000-0117 Page 15
Application No. 08/770,676
(Matsushita, col. 4, lines 25-28). Matsushita does not
disclose that the elastic can be bonded to the top sheet.
However, Igaue discloses a top sheet (6), a bottom sheet (7,
9), an absorbent core (8) between the top and bottom sheets
and elastic members (4A , 4B ) along the leg holes (15)1 1
attached to the top sheet (col. 3, lines 14-18). Daio, as we
noted above, discloses that elastic members (4, 5) can be
affixed to the top sheet(1) and that an absorbent core and a
bottom sheet (2A) are then superposed. Therefore, upon review
of the collective teachings of the references, one having
ordinary skill in the art, at the time of appellants’
invention, would look to both Igaue and Daio to provide a
teaching for bonding the elastic to the top sheet in
Matsushita’s invention for the purpose of effectively
utilizing the elasticity of the top sheet (Igaue, col. 2,
lines 63-68).
Claim 8, as a whole, requires the elastic member cross-
over/crotch portions to be severed to produce elastic portions
retracted toward the first and second cross portions secured
to the sheet. The claim also requires that the elastic
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