Appeal No. 2000-0117 Page 10
Application No. 08/770,676
Igaue et al. ‘239 teaches . . . that elastic members may
be attached to the topsheet and/or backsheet, i.e.
interchangeable connections, and Daio teaches, e.g.
Figures 2, 4 and 5 as compared to 8 and 10, that elastic
members may be attached to one sheet or between dual layers
of one sheet (answer, pages 4 and 5).
From these teachings, the examiner concludes that attaching
the elastic members of Matsushita’s invention to the topsheet,
as taught by Igaue, and also replacing Matsushita’s topsheet
with a dual layered topsheet with the elastic members
positioned therebetween, as suggested by Daio, would have been
obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Appellants argue that “[n]either Matsushita alone nor in
combination with Igaue or Daio discloses or suggests having a
dual-layered top sheet between which are positioned the
elastic elements as claimed” (brief, page 19). Appellants
further argue that the examiner failed to recognize that even
though Igaue discloses portions of the elastic members
traversing the crotch region bonded to the top sheet, “the
elastics nevertheless still are positioned centrally under the
Page: Previous 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007