Ex Parte Skoufis - Page 8

                Appeal  2007-2364                                                                                
                Application 09/879,613                                                                           
                31. In particular, the Examiner found that Onodera taught the use of its                         
                packaged sponges in a clean room, the use of deionized water, and                                
                "particulate, metal ion and ionic counts at or below the values specified for                    
                clean room."  (Answer at 3.)                                                                     
                32. The Examiner found that Paley teaches a flexible plastic bag as a                            
                container allowing easier shipping and handling.  (Answer at 3.)                                 
                33. The Examiner concluded that the choice of "material [PVA] of the                             
                cleaning article" would have been obvious because it would have been the                         
                selection of a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended                   
                use.  (Answer at the paragraph bridging 3–4.)                                                    
                34. The Examiner concluded further that the recited range of hydrogen                            
                peroxide composition would have been obvious as a routine optimization of                        
                the general conditions of the claims.  (Answer at 4.)                                            
                       Skoufis’s Arguments                                                                       
                35. Skoufis states that claims 1 and 3 stand or fall together; that claims 4                     
                and 5 do not stand or fall together or with any other claims; and that claims 9                  
                and 12 stand or fall together.  (Br. at 6.)4                                                     
                36. However, Skoufis does not appear to argue the separate patentability                         
                of any of the claims or groups of claims.                                                        
                37. Skoufis's  principal argument is that "[n]either of the cited references                     
                discloses the concept of using very low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide                      


                                                                                                                
                4 References are to Appellant's Substitute Appeal Brief ("Br."), filed                           
                19 April 2006.                                                                                   
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