Appeal No. 2005-1988
Application No. 09/822,651
On page 8 of appellants’ specification, beginning at line 4,
the specification discloses that in the embodiment shown, a
casting roll 58 provides pressure against the back side of the
web 50 as the polymeric material cools, thereby assisting in
pressing the polymeric material into the cavities in tooled
surface 57 of tool roll 56, and fusing of the polymeric material
to the web 50. The web 50 conforms to the tool roll 56 until
release point 59 is reached, at which point the web 50 is pulled
away from tooled surface 57 and the solidified polymeric material
is stripped from the tool roll 56, exposing the newly formed
stems 52. The bond between the substrate 50 and region 54 may be
enhanced by adhesives, tie layers or surface treatment within the
skill of the art.
In view of the above-discussed disclosure of appellants’
specification, portions 55, that have been deposited by source
53, come into contact with surface 57, which presses portions 55
into the cavities, and fuses them to the web 50.
Hence, according to appellants’ specification, the fusing of
the polymeric material to web 50 involves application of
pressure.
Thomas teaches that the array of loops 22 is produced by
methods which yield free formed members 22A. The term “free
formed” means a structure which is formed by a material deposited
onto a substrate and which is not removed from a mold cavity or
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