Appeal No. 2006-0904
Application No. 09/919,465
should be apparent that Newkirk simply provides additional
evidence that it was known in the art to use a blend of non-
elastomeric polymers in making multiple component fibers. In
our view, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill
in the art to formulate the claimed blend of conventional non-
elastomeric polymers based on Shawyer alone.
Appellants contend that Shawyer never indicates that “their
inventive webs can be made by meltblowing” (page 3 of brief,
third paragraph). However, we fully concur with the examiner
that the cited portion of Shawyer (column 6, lines 30-38) clearly
teaches that the nonwoven webs and nonwoven fabrics of the
disclosed invention may be formed by a variety of processes,
including “meltblowing processes.” As for the fibers of Shawyer
being meltblown, Newkirk, as acknowledged by appellants, teaches
that multicomponent fibers of non-elastomeric polymers can be
made by meltblowing (see page 5 of brief, last paragraph).
As a final point, we note that appellants base no argument
upon objective evidence of nonobviousness, such as unexpected
results attributed to the claimed blend of non-elastomeric
polymers which does not include polypropylene. Indeed,
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