Appeal No. 97-4294 Page 29
Application No. 08/294,155
discloses that the binder fiber of such a web usually amounts
to no more than 25% of the total weight of the web, but
preferably amounts to no more than 15%. The binder fiber can
be incorporated into the web conveniently, by "coforming",
that is by intimately and uniformly blending matrix and binder
fibers
prior to forming the web itself.
Bair discloses one example of an absorbing pad according
to his invention. The absorbing pad included (1) a carded web
comprising 75% of 6.5-denier (7.2-dtex), 2-inch (5.1-cm) long
polyester staple fibers (KODEL 430 sold by Eastman) and 25% of
3-denier (3.3-dtex), bicomponent sheath/core
(polyethylene/polyester) binder fiber (sold by BASF Corp), and
(2) superabsorbent powder J-400 Grade (sold by Sanyo
Corporation of America) which was applied to the web at a rate
of 60 grams per square yard (72 g/m ).2
A comparison of the claimed subject matter (using claim 1
as a guide) to the above teachings of Bair reveals that Bair
does not specifically disclose that (1) the matrix (i.e.,
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