Appeal No. 1999-0124
Application No. 08/467,438
of topsheet 22 and an apex in intimate contact with an
absorbent core element 23. Noda is directed to an enhancement
to topsheets of the type disclosed in Thompson. More2
particularly, Noda discloses that the performance of a
topsheet may be improved by coating one or
both surfaces thereof with a film of material that renders the
coated surface hydrophilic.
The examiner found that Thompson’s capillaries 26
comprise “grooves” within the meaning of the claims, such that
topsheet
22 comprises a liquid management member generally as claimed.
The examiner further found that Noda teaches a film having
surface hydrophilic properties with an average contact angle
theta (2) of 77.5 ± 4 degrees. Based on the above findings,
the examiner concluded that it would have been obvious to one
of ordinary skill in the art "to have provided the invention
of Thompson with the hydrophilic surface of contact angle
Theta as taught by Noda in order to provide a better absorbent
material and reduce wet-back" (answer, page 4). Implicit in
2Note column 7, lines 61-63, wherein Noda refers to the
Thompson patent.
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