Appeal No. 2000-1625
Application No. 08/942,618
blind hole in shaft b. As stated by the examiner on page 7 of
the answer:
[A]n annular recess is clearly shown in figures 2 and 3
[of Haines] between the unlabeled plug in the center of
the knob shaft and the flange (e). Applicant [sic:
Applicants] argues [sic: argue] that Haines does not
disclose any central protrusion or boss which would
define an annular recess. However, the Examiner has
construed the unlabeled plug to be a boss as part of the
mounting member defining the annular recess, since the
plug is also used for mounting the knob. Furthermore,
claim 1 does not require the boss or other central protrusion
defining the annular recess to be integral with the
mounting member prior to mounting the knob.
We do not consider this rejection to be well taken. The
unlabeled part in the blind hole of the Haines knob is
evidently a plug, separate from the mounting member f, which
is placed in the bore of the knob shaft prior to placing the
mounting member in the position shown in the drawings, in
order to prevent lead from entering the interior of the knob
a. The combination of this plug and the flange e on the
mounting member does not, in our view, constitute an annular
recess as called for by claim 1, because claim 1 requires that
"said mounting member includes an annular recess to receive
said free end of said shaft" (emphasis added). The mounting
member cannot reasonably be said to include an annular recess
4
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Last modified: November 3, 2007