Appeal No. 1997-3096
Application 08/391,407
inorganic filler (see claim 32). The sheet of elastomeric material can be selectively deformed to
fit the shape of an inner panel of a door (claim 34) as long as it remains generally flat (claim 33).
The sheet of elastomeric material can still further comprise a layer of adhesive selectively applied
about the periphery of the sheet for adhering the sheet to a door (claim 35).
According to appellants, “a suitable barrier against water, sound, dust and air comprises a
mixture of an inorganically filled thermoplastic elastomer intimately blended with a suitable
polyethylene, such as . . . low density polyethylene . . . , or a linear low density polyethylene . . . ,
or an ultra-low density polyethylene . . . ,” wherein “ the composite sheet is relatively flexible, . .
. [but] is still sufficiently rigid to function as a barrier” (page 2, lines 10-15 and 23-24).
Appellants further discloses that, with respect to “barrier 16” for a “vehicle door” having a “trim
panel 14” in specification Figure 1, the “thickness of the sheet is minimized and the flexibility
maximized by the inorganic filler,” the “[s]ound deadening benefits . . . are achieved by the . . .
thermoplastic elastomer” and the “water, wind, air and dust benefits . . . are achieved through the
ability of the low density polyethylene to impart flexibility, high tear strength and stretch
characteristics to the sheet” (id., page 4, line 10, to page 5, line 13).
The references relied on by the examiner are:
Baxmann et al. (Baxmann) 4,049,945 Sep. 6, 1977
Kosaka et al. (Kosaka) 4,483,958 Nov. 20, 1984
Nakamura et al. (Nakamura) 4,613,643 Sep. 23, 1986
Ito et al. (Ito) 4,623,587 Nov. 18, 1986
Sezaki et al. (Sezaki) 4,728,692 Mar. 1, 1988
Kawai et al. (Kawai) 4,734,450 Mar. 29, 1988
Komatsu et al. (Komatsu ‘651) 4,801,651 Jan. 31, 1989
Komatsu et al. (Komatsu ‘796) 4,871,796 Oct. 3, 1989
Abe et al. (Abe) 4,891,392 Jan. 2, 1990
Komatsu et al. (Komatsu ‘683) 4,906,683 Mar. 6, 1990
(filed Nov. 2, 1987)
Adur et al. (Adur ‘127) 4,918,127 Apr. 17, 1990
(filed May 4, 1983)
Adur et al. (Adur ‘968) 4,957,968 Sep. 18, 1990
(filed Aug. 9, 1988)
Thus, we decide this appeal based on appealed claims 16, 31, 32, 34 and 35, which we find to be
representative of the issues involved on appeal. 37 CFR § 1.192(c)(7) (1995).
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