Appeal No. 2005-1988
Application No. 09/822,651
molded surface fastener wherein a synthetic resin encapsulates
the substrate, and refers to figures 4A-4F of Wessels.
Appellants argue that Wessels makes clear that the woven or knit
cloth to be used “must have adequate pores for the passage of
molten resin”. Appellants conclude that the resin that forms the
hooks in Wessels does so by encapsulating, i.e., flowing through,
its base substrate, rather that fusing to a first major side, as
recited by the claims.
As discussed supra, appellants’ specification indicates that
the word “fused” involves application of pressure to attach the
polymeric material to web 50.
Wessels teaches that one typical manufacturing method is an
extrusion molding method in which the die wheel having a
multiplicity of engaging-element-forming cavities and annular
recesses and a press roller confronting the die wheel with a
predetermined gap are rotated in opposite directions.
Simultaneously, molten resin is continuously extruded from an
extrusion nozzle to the gap between the die wheel and the press
roller by a predetermined width and, at the same time, the coarse
pile woven or knit cloth is continuously introduced between the
die wheel and the molten resin extruded from the corrosion
nozzle. The molten resin forms the substrate sheet in the gap by
the pressing force [emphasis added] of the press roller and, at
the same time, part of the molten resin reaches the
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