Appeal No. 97-2554
Application No. 08/164,112
Background
Appellant’s invention concerns the reduction in the
malodors in disposable absorbent products, in particular, the
odor of urine in disposable products such as diapers which
have an absorbent structure which includes a so-called
“superabsorbent” (page 4, line 10 et seq.). According to the
disclosure, such reduction is achieved by applying to the
absorbent material, prior to use, “an effective amount of a
surface-active agent having a hydrophilic/lipophilic balance
(HLB) of less than about 12” (page 6, lines 36 to 37).
However (page 7, lines 28 to 37):
Not all of the surface-active agents having an HLB
of less than 12 are able to reduce the odor of
urine. Applicant has devised a simple test to
determine whether or not a given surface-active
agent, having an HLB of less than 12, is capable of
reducing the odor of urine. The test method for
determining whether or not a surface-active agent is
able to reduce the odor of urine (Surface-Active
Agent Effectiveness Test) is set forth in connection
with the examples which follow. If a surface-active
agent has an HLB of less than 12 and is capable of
reducing the odor of urine, it is believed suitable
for use in the present invention.
On page 9, appellant lists as “suitable for use in the
present invention (as determined by the Surface-Active Agent
Effectiveness Test set forth below)” the surfactants Tween 81,
3
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