Ex Parte Nawata et al - Page 2

               Appeal Number: 2006-2391                                                                                           
               Application Number: 10/311,513                                                                                     


                                        BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION                                                               
                   The Appellants' invention relates to a water absorbent resin suitable for                                      
               absorbing polymer containing viscous liquids.  The water-absorbent resin may                                       
               include an absorbent core.  The absorbent core may be incorporated into absorbent                                  
               articles between a liquid permeable sheet and a liquid impermeable sheet.  An                                      
               understanding of Appellants' invention can be derived from a reading of exemplary                                  
               claim 1, which is reproduced from the Brief below:                                                                 
                           1.  A water-absorbent resin suitable for absorbing polymer-                                            
                      containing viscous liquids,                                                                                 
                           wherein the resin is selected from the group consisting of                                             
                      hydrolyzed starch/acrylonitrile graft copolymers, neutralized                                               
                      starch/acrylic acid graft copolymers, saponified vinyl acetate/acrylic                                      
                      acid esters, and partially neutralized polyacrylic acids;                                                   
                           wherein the resin has a specific surface area of no less than 0.05                                     
                      m2/g measured by a BET multipoint technique using krypton gas as an                                         
                      absorption gas;                                                                                             
                           wherein the resin has a water retention capacity of 5-30 g/g for                                       
                      0.9 wt% physiological saline under a centrifugal force of 167G; and                                         
                           wherein the 0.02g of the water-absorbent resin exhibits a swelling                                     
                      power of at least 5N (newtons) when 60 seconds has elapsed after                                            
                      starting to absorb 0.9 wt% physiological saline.                                                            

                                                         PRIOR ART                                                                
                      The prior art references of record relied upon by the Examiner in rejecting                                 
               the appealed claims are:                                                                                           

               Beal     US 5,429,630   Jul. 4, 1995                                                                               
               Ishizaki    US 5,981,070   Nov. 9, 1999                                                                            


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