Appeal No. 2006-1952
Application No. 09/750,744
independent claims, i.e., claims 23 and 37.2 Those claims
require an absorbent article having a cover including a
hydroentangled, hydroapertured spun-lace material.
Hamajima discloses (col. 1, lines 53-55; col. 3, line 36;
fig. 2A) an absorbent article having a liquid permeable
topsheet (23), an absorptive portion (33) and, in a central
region of the absorptive portion, two layers (an absorbent member
(24) and a second absorbent layer (27)) which the examiner relies
upon as being a two layer pledget (answer, page 4). The topsheet
can be an apertured nonwoven fabric (col. 4, line 59 - col. 5,
line 1).
Jackson discloses an absorbent article having a fibrous,
nonwoven separation layer (26) (col. 4, lines 35-36) which the
examiner relies upon as being a pledget (answer, page 4). The
separation layer readily desorbs fluid from the surface of the
absorbent article and transfers it to an absorbent core (16)
(col. 4, lines 37-40). Jackson teaches that it is important for
the separation layer to maintain its loftiness, and that through-
air bonding does not adversely affect loft (col. 4, lines 18-23).
The separation layer can include a through-air bonded carded
stable fiber bicomponent web having a basis weight of 27 g/m2
rejected over Hamajima in view of Jackson are stated incorrectly as “27-33, 25
and 37” (page 3).
2 The examiner does not rely upon Reiter for any disclosure that remedies the
3
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