Appeal No. 2004-1583
Application No. 09/760,962
Applying these principles, we find the following
enlightenment in the specification (page 5, lines 9-16)
regarding the term “continuous” recited in appealed claim 28.
The term “fiber” as used herein refers to an
elongated extrudate formed by passing a polymer
through a forming orifice such as a die. Unless noted
as otherwise the term “fibers” include discontinuous
strands having a definite length and continuous
strands of material, such as filaments. The nonwoven
fabric of the present invention may be formed from
staple multicomponent fibers. Such staple fibers may
be carded and bonded to form the nonwoven fabric.
Desirably, however, the nonwoven fabric of the present
invention is made with continuous multicomponent
filaments which are extruded, drawn, and laid on a
traveling forming surface.
From this description, one skilled in the relevant art would
understand that “continuous multicomponent fibers” are not
limited to have any particular length.5 Accordingly, we
determine that the term “continuous multicomponent fibers” would
encompass multicomponent fibers of any length “extruded, drawn,
and laid on a traveling forming surface.”
5 The term “multicomponent fibers” is defined as containing
“at least two components that occupy distinct cross-sections
along substantially the entire length of the fiber.”
(Specification, p. 1, ll. 18-20.)
5
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