Appeal No. 2004-0563
Application No. 09/975,747
preventing the tampon string from completely retreating into a user’s vagina. On page
3, it is also noted that the longer than customary string on appellant’s tampon makes it
easier for a woman to locate the free end of the string.
Claims 20 and 22 on appeal read as follows:
20. Apparatus comprising:
a tampon;
a tampon string attached to the tampon, the tampon string having a first
end attached to a tampon and a second, free end distal from the tampon,
the tampon string having a length of 9" to 13".
22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the tampon string has a length of 11"
to 12.5" (27.9-31.8 cm).
The sole prior art reference of record relied upon by the examiner as evidence
of obviousness of the claimed subject matter is:
Yeo 5,533,990 Jul. 9, 1996
Claims 20 and 22 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being
unpatentable over Yeo.
Reference is made to the examiner's answer (Paper No. 12, mailed April 23,
2003) for the reasoning in support of the above-noted obviousness rejection and to
appellant’s brief (Paper No. 11, filed April 1, 2003) for appellant’s arguments
thereagainst.
OPINION
2
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