Appeal No. 2005-1635
Application No. 09/782,036
APPEALED SUBJECT MATTER
The subject matter on appeal relates to a process for
making a floor covering. See the specification, page 1. The
process involves scattering thermoplastic powder onto a first
substrate, such as a conveyer belt, to form a first coating
layer; applying a second substrate, such as a fiber matt, over
the first coating layer; scattering thermoplastic powder onto
the second substrate to form a second coating layer; heating the
coating layers to fuse them onto the second substrate; smoothing
the coating layers with nipping rollers; and finally cooling the
coating layers to form a laminated floor covering. See the
specification, page 9. Further details of this appealed subject
mater are recited in claims 1, 8, 13 and 32, which are
reproduced below1:
1. A method for manufacturing a floor covering comprising
the steps of:
1 On page 4 of the Brief, the appellants have grouped the
claims on appeal as follows:
i. Claims 1 through 5, 10 through 23 and 25 through 31;
ii. Claim 8;
iii. Claims 13 through 17, 19 and 20; and
iv. Claim 32.
Therefore, for purpose of this appeal, we selected claims 1, 32,
8 and 13 as representative of all of the claims on appeal and
determine the propriety of the examiner’s rejections below based
on these claims alone consistent with 37 CFR § 1.192(c)(7)(2003)
and 37 CFR § 41.37(c)(i)(vii)(2004).
2
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