Appeal No. 2004-2081 Page 3
Application No. 09/799,601
surfactants.” Page 3, line 27 to page 4, line 3. The compositions contain a nonionic
guar gum and a non-crosslinked anionic polymer chosen from one of several specified
types. See page 2, line 19 to page 3, line 22. Nonionic guar gums useful in the
disclosed compositions include the modified guar gum sold under the trade name
Jaguar HP60. Page 4, lines 26-28. A preferred polymer for use in the claimed
invention is the product sold under the name Gantrez ES 425. Page 6, line 27 to page
7, line 7.
Discussion
The claims stand or fall together. Appeal Brief, page 4. We will consider claim 1
as representative. Claim 1 is directed to a non-washing composition comprising a non-
crosslinked anionic copolymer (e.g., Gantrez ES 425) and a nonionic guar gum (e.g.,
Jaguar HP60).
The examiner rejected the claims as obvious in view of Grollier, on the basis that
Grollier discloses compositions containing a nonionic guar gum and anionic polymers
and it would have been obvious to those skilled in the art to manipulate the particular
ingredients in the exemplified compositions. Examiner’s Answer, page 3. The
examiner pointed specifically to Examples 15-17, 22, and 24 in Grollier.
We agree with the examiner that the instantly claimed compositions would have
been obvious in view of Grollier to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Grollier discloses
hair conditioning compositions that contain xanthan gum, an anionic polymer, and a
cationic polymer. Col. 1, lines 5-10. “The preferred anionic polymers used according to
[Grollier’s] invention” (col. 8, lines 56-57) include the polymers recited in groups (A) and
(B) of Appellants’ claim 1. Compare Grollier’s column 9, lines 1-8 and 26-42 (Groups
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007