Appeal No. 1996-2979
Application No. 08/175,376
art as a whole would not have suggested spraying an isocyanate
binder onto the fibers after they leave the blowing pipe, but
before they enter a dryer, to avoid both lump formation in the
fiber material and precuring of the isocyanate. See Brief,
page
4. The dispositive question is, therefore, whether it would
have been obvious to spray the isocyanate binder onto the
fibers after they leave the blowing pipe, but before they
enter a dryer (before they are dried). We answer this
question in the negative.
As one of its preferred embodiment, Harmon describes
adding an isocyanate binder to fibers at blow line 16
(corresponding to the claimed blowing pipe). See column 3,
lines 62-67, in conjunction with Figure 1. Although Harmon
does teach adding the isocyanate binder to fibers at other
locations in its process, it limits the other locations to
those locations before the claimed blowing pipe or after the
claimed dryer. See column 4, lines
30-38. Specifically, Harmon states (column 4, lines 30-38):
In general, the binder can be added to
the fibers in any suitable location in
the board forming apparatus
4
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