Appeal No. 95-4089
Application 08/090,073
3 is less irritating to skin that a pH of 1.2. There is
nothing in Cook which says the pH cannot be 1.2 given that
Cook says the pH is "[g]enerally from about 2-4" (col. 7,
lines 8-9). Based on Thomas, one skilled in the art would
have recognized that the pH of a cleaning composition could be
as low as 1. Moreover, Thomas tells us that pH is adjusted to
achieve the "greatest functional effectiveness with safety"
(col. 4, lines 7-8). Where the user is wearing gloves,
irritation to the skin may not be as much a concern and a
lower pH would be acceptable. Accordingly, we find nothing
unobvious about the use of a pH of 1.2. Certainly nothing in
the record would establish that any unusual result is achieved
with a pH of 1.2.
In rendering our decision, we have not overlooked the
fact that the Cook compositions optionally may contain an
anionic or cationic surfactant and that applicant's claim 6
calls for a composition substantially free of an anionic or
cationic surfactant. However, Cook expressly makes the
presence of an anionic or cationic surfactant optional and
describes examples with and without those surfactants.
Applicant has not established that a composition with maleic
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