Appeal No. 2006-1493
Application No. 10/037,276
1 DECISION ON APPEAL
2
3 STATEMENT OF THE CASE
4 Ronald L. Edens et al. (Appellants) appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134
5 from the Examiner’s decision rejecting claims 1-18 and 22-35, the only
6 claims pending in the application. We have jurisdiction over this appeal
7 under 35 U.S.C. § 6.
8 The Invention
9 Appellants’ invention is a labial pad configured for disposition within
10 the vestibule of a female wearer for absorption of body exudates
11 (Specification 1). Claim 1 is representative of the claims on appeal and
12 reads as follows:
13 1. An absorbent article (40) comprising a fluid
14 permeable cover (62), a liquid impermeable baffle
15 (64) and an absorbent (66) situated between the
16 cover and the baffle, the absorbent article having a
17 principal longitudinal axis and a principal
18 transverse axis, and being configured to provide a
19 labial pad for disposition within the vestibule of a
20 female wearer, the absorbent having a maximum
21 longitudinal length of no greater than about 100
22 mm extending from a first transverse end (76) to a
23 spaced apart second transverse end (78), a body-
24 facing surface of the absorbent having a minimum
25 longitudinal length (Lmin) that lies generally along
26 said principal longitudinal axis from said first
27 transverse end area to said second transverse end
28 area and is less than said maximum longitudinal
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