Appeal No. 2002-1213
Application No. 09/293,019
[t]he invention permits the manufacture of articles
(e.g., toothbrush bodies) having a predetermined
variety of properties (e.g., different colors) from a
single mold in a single molding cycle. This in turn
allows control over the subsequent manufacture and
packaging of toothbrushes such that single packages of
multiple toothbrushes can be manufactured where each
package contains a predetermined multiple of
toothbrushes having different properties (e.g., a
predetermined number of red, yellow or blue handled
toothbrushes in a single package). The invention also
permits the selection of a predetermined variety of
articles to achieve an array of articles having a
variety of properties. The present invention thus
avoids the need for manual intervention or assistance
in the mixing of toothbrushes to achieve a desired
mixture of toothbrushes having different properties in
a single package.
Independent claims 1, 19, 25, 34 and 38 are representative
of the subject matter on appeal and a copy of those claims can be
found in the Appendix to appellants' brief.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Boucherie 5,588,714 Dec. 31, 1996
Lui GB 2 276 580 A May 10, 1994
(British Patent Application)
In addition to the foregoing prior art references, the
examiner has also relied upon appellants' admitted prior art
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