Appeal No. 1999-2760
Application 08/773,304
portion of a latex, which may be a vinyl acetate/ethylene
copolymer (col. 18, lines 37 and 38). Since ethylene-vinyl1
acetate (EVA) polymer is a member of the Markush group of
resins recited in claim 23, Engen meets all the limitations of
the claim except for the recitation in the final portion that
the adhesive further comprises a photosensitizer.
As evidence that claim 23 would have been obvious
notwithstanding this difference between Engen and the claimed
subject matter, the examiner cites Harmer, stating at pages 2
and 3 of the final rejection:
Harmer et al. ‘462 discloses [a] coated abrasive
article. With reference to column 8, lines 52, Harmer
discloses that it is known to use acryloxy for better
curing. With reference to column 16, lines 49-65,
photosensitizer is well-known in the polymerizable
composition. The amount of photosensitizer is generally
in the range of 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per part of
curing system.
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of
ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
made to have modified the abrasive particle [sic: binder
?] of Engen with acryloxy and photosensitizer as taught
1Although Engen discloses that the latex is a “minor
portion” of the binder precursor (col. 15, line 16), it also
states that the latex may be up to 90% of the binder precursor
(col. 18, lines 59 to 61).
4
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