Appeal No. 2004-0071
Application No. 09/888,445
substrate, cut and non-cut portions are formed in the substrate
along outlines defining the pieces.
The invention is more particularly described in claim 1 as
follows:
1. A porous sheet substrate for cutting off porous
sheet pieces, which comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene
porous material or a composite sheet comprising the
polytetrafluoroethylene porous material and a gas-permeable
reinforcing member laminated on at least one side of the
porous material, wherein cut portions and non-cut portions
are formed along outlines of porous sheet pieces to be cut
in a manner which permits the porous sheet pieces to be cut
off against the non-cut portions by pushing the porous sheet
pieces to be cut.
Claim 1 stands rejected for obviousness under 35 U.S.C.
§ 103 in view of admitted prior art (as described on page 1 of
appellant’s specification) taken with the following prior art
reference:1
Wilk 5,322,521 Jun. 21, 1994
We have carefully evaluated the entire record on appeal in
light of the opposing positions taken by the appellant and the
examiner. Having done so, we conclude that the admitted prior
art taken with Wilk supports a prima facie case of obviousness.
Accordingly, we shall affirm the examiner’s rejection.
1A previously applied rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112,
second paragraph, is not mentioned in the examiner’s answer and,
thus, presumably has been withdrawn by the examiner on appeal.
2
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