Appeal No. 2003-1889
Application No. 09/367,455
OPINION
We have carefully reviewed appellants’ Brief and Reply
Brief, and the examiner’s Answer. Our opinion follows.
I. The 102(b)/103 Rejections
The examiner states that Blake discloses a pressure
sensitive adhesive (psa) and method of making it which falls
within the scope of the instant claims, and refers to the
abstract; column 2, lines 42-68; column 3, lines 1-68; column 4,
lines 1-18; column 7, lines 1-31; column 8, lines 1-31; the
table of columns 11-12, particularly examples 73-75; and the
patented claims, of Blake. Answer, pages 3-4.
Appellants argue that Blake fails to disclose the following
claim features: (1) a “wet” stick pressure sensitive adhesive;
(2) a wet-stick pressure sensitive adhesive comprising a
polymerizable product of a non-reactive plasticizing agent; and
(3) a wet-stick pressure sensitive adhesive, wherein the
pressure sensitive adhesive adheres to wet substrate surfaces.
Reply Brief, page 3.
With regard to asserted differences (1) and (3), the
examiner regards the water-dispersible pressure sensitive
adhesive of Blake as a wet stick pressure sensitive adhesive
that can adhere to a wet substrate surface, for the reasons set
forth on pages 3-4 of the Answer.
We observe that appellants’ own specification indicates
that water dispersible adhesives have been classified as wet-
stick adhesives. See page 2, lines 9-18 of appellants’
specification. Therefore, we agree with the examiner’s position
that the water dispersible pressure sensitive adhesive of Blake
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