Appeal No. 2005-1980 Page 2
Application No. 10/373,385
BACKGROUND
The appellant's invention relates generally to a dunnage conversion machine and
method for producing a dunnage product from sheet stock material, and more
particularly, to an improved machine and method for producing a void-fill dunnage
product from a sheet stock material (specification, p. 1). A copy of the dependent
claims under appeal is set forth in the appendix to the appellant's brief. Claims 1 and
31, the independent claims under appeal, read as follows:
1. A dunnage conversion machine for converting sheet stock material into
dunnage product, comprising a forming assembly and a feeding/fixing assembly
downstream of the forming assembly, the feeding/fixing assembly advancing the
sheet a stock material from a supply thereof along the forming assembly,
whereby the feeding/fixing assembly cooperates with the forming assembly to
cause inward folding and crumpling of lateral edge portions of the sheet stock
material to form a strip of dunnage having laterally spaced apart folded edge
portions, wherein the feeding/fixing assembly includes laterally spaced-apart
feeding/fixing members that engage respective laterally spaced apart folded
edge portions to feed the sheet stock material through the machine and to fix the
folded edge portions in a folded state.
31. A dunnage conversion machine for converting sheet stock material into a
dunnage product, comprising a conversion assembly for withdrawing the sheet
stock material from a supply thereof and inwardly folding and crumpling lateral
edge portions of the stock material to form a strip of dunnage having laterally
spaced apart folded crumpled edge portions.[1]
1The examiner should determine if the "conversion assembly" limitation of claim
31 invokes means-plus-function treatment. If the "conversion assembly" limitation of
claim 31 invokes means-plus-function treatment the examiner should determine if claim
31 is a "single means claim."
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