Appeal 2007-2440
Application 10/913,902
A. Introduction
Applicants ("Varanese") appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134 from the final
rejection of claims 1–5 and 10–16 as obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a).2
We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b). We REVERSE.
The claimed subject matter relates to resealable containers. In
particular, Varanese seeks patent protection for a sealing system wherein
two "cohesive layers" affixed to "sealing surfaces" of a container, such as
the opposed faces of a plastic bag, are brought together. According to
Varanese, because the two cohesive layers adhere to one another less
strongly than they adhere to the container, the container may be opened and
closed repeatedly without damaging the container. (Specification
at 4:26-32.)
Claim 1, the sole independent claim, is representative of the issues on
appeal, and may be understood with reference to the particular embodiment
shown in Figure 1B:
A container [100] comprising
a body [103] forming a container and at least two sealing
surfaces
and a cohesive reclosure [101, 102]adhered to the sealing
surfaces,
wherein the cohesive reclosure comprises two
cohesive layers,
wherein the bond strength between the
cohesive layers [101, 102] is less than the
bond strength between the cohesive layers
and the sealing surfaces.
2 We are advised that claims 7–9 have been withdrawn from consideration
by the Examiner and are not on appeal (Br. at 2).
2
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