Appeal 2006-3299
Application 10/346,878
Appellants invented a snap-in sheet protector having slits that extend
from the hole punches to the edge of the sheet protector material
(Specification [0010]). Independent claim 17 is reproduced below:
17. A sheet protector comprising:
flexible sheet material joined together to form a pocket;
a plurality of holes placed adjacent to at least one edge of the sheet
protector; and
a plurality of curved slits each having a hooking area and which join
the holes to the edge of the sheet protector, wherein the curved slits are
adapted for releasable engagement with the rings of loose-leaf ring binders
and wherein the curved slits are tapered, with a wider portion at the edge of
the sheet tapering down to a narrow neck portion at an edge of the hole;
wherein the narrow neck at the edge of each hole serves to prevent the
sheet protector from slipping out of a ring of a ring binder when the ring
extends through the hole; and
wherein a first curved slit joins a first hole from a first direction, and a
second curved slit joins a second hole from an opposite, second direction.
The prior art set forth below is relied upon by the Examiner as
evidence of obviousness:
Segal US 4,479,733 Oct. 30, 1984
Mermelstein US 5,000,319 Mar. 19, 1991
Schwarz US 5,407,231 Apr. 18, 1995
Hansen US 6,196,750 B1 Mar. 6, 2001
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