Appeal No. 2006-1809 Page 3
Application No. 09/975,386
brief (filed March 9, 2005) and reply brief (filed January 17, 2006) for the appellant's arguments
thereagainst.
OPINION
In reaching our decision in this appeal, we have given careful consideration to the
appellant's specification and claims, to the applied prior art, and to the respective positions
articulated by the appellant and the examiner. For the reason explained below, we cannot sustain
any of the examiner’s rejections.
Independent claim 1 recites a blanket of insulation comprising a fibrous insulation layer,
a thin facing sheet, a thin adhesive layer, a grid of perforations through the facing sheet and spots
of adhesive visible through the perforations. Independent claim 8 recites a method of making a
blanket of fibrous insulation comprising providing a thin layer of facing material having
preformed perforations therethrough, applying a thin layer of adhesive to a surface of the facing
material while maintaining the adhesive at a sufficient viscosity that it will blend into the
perforations an amount sufficient to be visible from an opposite surface of the facing material,
applying a layer of fibrous insulation to the adhesive-applied surface of the facing material and
allowing the adhesive to set and adhere the facing material to the insulation layer.
Ernest discloses a perforated faced insulation assembly including a porous insulation
layer 18 attached to a facing layer 20. The facing layer has a pressure-balancing region with
perforations formed in the facing layer. The perforations allow sufficient gas flow through the
facing layer for adequately balancing the pressures acting on the facing layer within the pressure-
balancing region (col. 2, ll. 6-10). Ernest teaches the following:
The pressure-balancing regions 20c, 20d each include
perforations 26 formed through the facing layer 20. Preferably, the
perforations 26 are circular as best shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively,
the perforations 26 may be any desired shape such as square, oval,
irregular or the like. The perforations 26 are preferably formed
after the facing layer 20 has been adhered to the insulation layer
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