Appeal No. 2005-1386
Application No. 10/010,620
According to appellants, the invention is directed to a method
of making a lofty nonwoven fabric laminate and the corresponding
article (Brief, pages 3-4). Appellants state that the claims
should be considered in two groups (Brief, page 5). Accordingly,
to the extent of appellants’ separate arguments, we consider claims
7 and 21 as representative of Groups 1 and 2, respectively. See 37
CFR § 1.192(c)(7)(2003); Answer, page 2, ¶ (7). Illustrative
independent claims 7 and 21 are reproduced below:
7. A method of making a lofty nonwoven fabric laminate in a
single, in-line process, comprising steps in the order of:
a) depositing a first layer of filaments onto a wire;
b) bonding the first layer to an integrity sufficient to
withstand high speed web transfer;
c) depositing a second layer of crimped homofilament fibers
connected to the first layer while the first layer remains on the
wire;
d) traversing the second layer of crimped homofilament fibers
through a flow of heated air at a temperature, flow rate, and
traversal rate sufficient to set the crimps of the fibers without
substantial melt bonding or relaxation of the fibers and to provide
an integrity sufficient to withstand high speed web transfer; and
e) bonding the heat set second layer and the first nonwoven
layer in a manner having sufficient integrity to withstand high
speed web transfer.
21. A lofty nonwoven fabric laminate comprising:
a first nonwoven layer having sufficient integrity to
withstand high speed web transfer;
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