Appeal No. 96-2675
Application No. 08/299,760
THE CLAIMS
Claim 1 is illustrative of appellant’s invention and is
reproduced below.
1. A method of disposing of garments, linens, drapes,
towels and other useful articles after use comprising
providing said garment, linens, drapes, towels and other
useful articles as a stand alone thermoplastic polymer film or
fabric, which may include fiber, of polyvinyl alcohol which is
water soluble at temperatures above approximately 37EC and
insoluble at temperatures below approximately 37EC and
subjecting said articles after use to an aqueous bath to
substantially dissolve said articles whereupon said dissolved
polymer is subjected to disposal, said polyvinyl alcohol
polymer being produced by reducing its moisture content prior
to melt extrusion and subsequent thereto, increasing its
moisture content to a value between approximately 1.5 to 15.0%
(wt.), said polyvinyl alcohol having a degree of
polymerization between approximately 700 to 1500 being
produced from at least approximately 98% saponified polyvinyl
acetate and containing between approximately 0.1 to 5.0% (wt.)
of an anti-blocking agent.
THE REFERENCES OF RECORD
As evidence of obviousness and double patenting, the
examiner relies upon the following references.
Honeycutt 5,207,837 May 4,
1993
(Application No. 07/643,615, filed Apr. 10, 1991)
Takigawa et al. 1,187,690 Apr. 15, 1970
(Takigawa) (Great Britain)
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