Appeal No. 2002-0902
Application No. 09/231,672
The examiner relies on the following prior art reference as
evidence of unpatentability:
Laapotti 5,868,904 Feb. 9, 1999
(filed May 6, 1997)
Claims 1 through 20 on appeal stand rejected under 35
U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Laapotti. (Examiner’s
answer of Apr. 10, 2001, paper 14, pages 2-3.)
We reverse this rejection.
Laapotti discloses a press section of a paper making
machine comprising a first extended nip NP1, which is formed
between press roll 13 and hose roll 20, and a first roll nip N1,
which is formed between a press roll 15 and a center roll 30.
(Figure 6.) Laapotti further teaches that the press felts 11
and 28 contact the two sides of the web at NP1 and that felt 11
and a transfer band loop 60a contact the two sides of the web at
N1. (Column 6, lines 38-48; column 14, lines 50-56.) According
to Laapotti, “[t]he surface of the transfer band loop 60a that
contacts the paper web is preferably smooth, and the transfer
band loop 60a itself is preferably comprised of a materials
[sic] known in the art, preferably one that is water permeable
and may also or instead one that is water absorbing.” (Column
14, lines 56-61.)
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