Appeal No. 2004-1917 Page 8
Application No. 09/853,096
Kuroda's invention relates to a die for making a beaded article having a support
layer on which a bottom layer and a top layer of sheet material are superimposed. The
top layer is heat bonded to the bottom layer and both are heat bonded to the support
layer along a circumferentially complete narrow annular zone. In the area
circumscribed by the annular zone the top layer is provided with a raised self-supporting
bead-like prominence which contains ornamental particles visible to a viewer because
the top layer is of transparent material. The die has a base portion from which extend
projections whose free end faces are formed with recesses which are bounded by
annular cutting edges located in the plane of the respective endface, and by a
bevelled shoulder which is inwardly inclined away from the associated cutting edge.1
The appellant argues (brief, pp. 4-9) that (1) Anello does not teach or suggest
that one of the layers be retroreflective; and (2) that neither Richards nor Nestegard
provide the required motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modified
one of the layers of Anello's toy to be retroreflective.
1 Kuroda was not utilized by the examiner in determining the obviousness of the subject matter of
claim 1.
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