Appeal No. 2000-2180 Page 5
Application No. 08/919,866
It is the examiner’s view that all of the subject matter recited in claim 1 is found in Bennett,
except for the roller bearing, but that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in
the art to replace the annular bearing ring disclosed by Bennett with roller bearing
elements in a cage, in view of the teachings of Barton and Bando. The appellants provide
several arguments in opposition to this conclusion, including the assertion that there would
have been no suggestion to combine the references in the manner proposed by the
examiner. We find ourselves in agreement with the appellants on this point. Our reasoning
follows.
Bennett discloses a cutting tool comprising a base, a work supporting turntable
mounted for rotation on the base about a substantially vertical axis, and a cutting unit
mounted on the turntable. Interposed between the base and the turntable is an annular
bearing ring 40 comprising upper and lower flat bearing surfaces (unnumbered) which
engage, respectively, a cooperating downwardly facing bearing surface 40' on the
turntable and an upwardly facing bearing surface (unnumbered) on the base. The bearing
ring is provided with a plurality of downwardly extending extensions 42-44 to anchor it in
position on the base, and with a plurality of upwardly extending lugs 46-48 which mate with
a groove in the turntable, thus maintaining the established relationship between the
bearing ring and the turntable while permitting the turntable to rotate (see Figures 4 and 9
and column 3, lines 16-42). The objectives of Bennett’s invention include simple and
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007