Appeal 2006-3186
Application 10/700,364
1 12. A void-fill system for automatically determining and
2 producing an amount of dunnage material sufficient to fill the void
3 left in a container in which one or more objects have been placed,
4 comprising:
5 a dunnage dispenser which is operable to dispense a controlled
6 amount of a dunnage material;
7 a void-measuring apparatus which measures the amount of void
8 left in a container after one or more objects have been placed in the
9 container, the void-measuring apparatus being operative to command
10 the dunnage dispenser to dispense a prescribed amount of dunnage
11 material; and
12 an input device connected to the void-measuring apparatus
13 which enables selection of a void-fill density from a plurality of void-
14 fill densities, and wherein the void-measuring apparatus, in response
15 to a selected void-fill density, varies the amount of dunnage material
16 that the dunnage dispenser is commanded to dispense per measured
17 volume of void, thereby to obtain the selected void-filled density.
18
19 The Examiner rejected claims 12 and 14 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as
20 being anticipated by, or in the alternative under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
21 unpatentable over Harding.
22 The Examiner rejected claims 13 and 15 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
23 being unpatentable over Harding in view of Hale or Reynolds.
24 The prior art relied upon by the Examiner in rejecting the claims on
25 appeal is:
26 Hale US 3,819,918 Jun. 25, 1974
27 Reynolds US 5,719,678 Feb. 17, 1998
28 Harding US 5,871,429 Feb. 16, 1999
29
30 Appellant contends that Harding does not disclose or suggest an input
31 device connected to a void-measuring apparatus which enables the selection
32 of a void-fill density from a plurality of void-fill densities.
33
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