Appeal No. 2006-0994
Application No. 09/898,969
These arguments are not persuasive. As correctly set forth by the examiner
(Answer, pages 8-9), Everaerts discloses that there is often interfacial failure between
the primer coating layer and the foam backing (col. 10, ll. 15-34, and col. 23, ll. 1-32,
including Table 9). Accordingly, we determine that one of ordinary skill in this art would
have been led to the teachings of Ragland, where this reference teaches the
advantages of a curable urethane primer layer to yield superior short-term and long-
term bond strength between the primer layer and the foam backing in a PSA laminate
(Ragland, abstract; col. 3, ll. 50-52).4 See In re Huang, 100 F.3d 135, 139 n.5, 40
USPQ2d 1685, 1688 n.5 (Fed. Cir. 1996)(A suggestion to combine may also come from
the nature of a problem to be solved, leading inventors to look to references relating to
possible solutions to that problem). Furthermore, Ragland specifically refers to De
Santis for the specific composition of the primer layer (Ragland, col. 6, l. 49-col. 7, l. 1).
We note that De Santis teaches that his specific primer layer produces advantageous
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4 We note that Ragland additionally teaches the use of
silicone rubbers as a conventional primer (col. 9, ll. 64-65).
There has been no determination by the examiner or the appellant
as to whether this conventional primer is the same or similar to
the claimed primer “silane modified rubber solutions.” We also
note the specification fails to further define or provide
guidelines for this term (see ¶[0056]).
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