Appeal No. 97-1029
Application 08/456,166
body part. Thus, for wrapping the extremities of
the human body, such as the hand or foot, the width
of the bandage is from about 1 inch to about 3
inches, preferably about 2 inches. The length of
the bandage is selected so as to be effective to
wrap the entire area of the human or animal body
part to which the bandage is to be applied. For
example, the length of the bandage can be from about
2 to about 6 feet, with a length of about 4 feet
being preferred for most practical uses [column 3,
lines 28 through 41].
Romaine indicates that this bandage is “packageable in a small
and compact form because it can be spirally rolled for
storage” (column 1, lines 57 through 59).
Claims 25, 29 and 30, the three independent claims on
appeal, recite a wound packing comprising, inter alia, a
flexible wound packing material “in the form of a
substantially flat, coiled, spirally-cut layer.” The
examiner’s determination that the Romaine bandage when
spirally rolled for storage meets this limitation (see pages
5, 7 and 8 in the main answer) is not well taken. Although
the Romaine bandage as so rolled arguably would be coiled, it
still would not be a substantially flat, spirally cut layer as
claimed. The examiner’s finding to the contrary is unsound
because it is predicated on an unreasonable interpretation of
-5-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007