Appeal No. 1998-0113
Application No. 08/437,517
91. Staple fibres comprising a plurality of solid
cellulosic regenerated viscose fibres of standard viscose,
substantially all of said fibres having substantially the same
cross-sectional shape, each fibre having a decitex in the
range of 0.5 to 5 and having three limbs, each limb having a
length-to-width aspect ratio in the range of 2:1 to 10:1.
The examiner has relied upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Turbak et al. (Turbak) 4,076,933 Feb. 28, 1978
Minami et al. (Minami) 61-113812 May 31, 1986
(Published Japanese Patent Application)1
The claims on appeal stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103
as unpatentable over Turbak and Minami in combination (Answer,
page 3). We reverse this rejection essentially for the
reasons set forth in the Brief and the reasons below.
OPINION
The examiner finds that Turbak teaches trilobal and
quadrilobal regenerated cellulosic fibers, including staple
fibers, having a denier of about 0.96 (Answer, page 3). The 2
1We rely upon and cite from a full English translation of
this document, previously made of record.
2Appellants and the examiner agree that the claimed
decitex range of 0.5 to 5 is equivalent to a denier range of
0.45 to 4.5 (Brief, page 4; Answer, page 3).
2
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