Appeal No. 2003-0203 Page 3
Application No. 09/419,136
review, we will not sustain the rejection of claims 1 to 9 under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first
paragraph.
The claimed subject matter
Claims 1, 4, 5 and 7 under appeal read as follows:
1. A device for suspending a wheel axle from a vehicle having an electronic
control unit for receiving suspension-related inputs, the device comprising:
an interwoven mesh diaphragm including a plurality of interwoven
members intersecting a plurality of intersecting points, said mesh diaphragm
coupled between the vehicle and the wheel axle and to the electronic control unit
and formed of a material that changes shape in the presence of electrical signals
having a varying signal strength; and
wherein the electronic control unit, in response to receiving the
suspension related inputs, transmits the electrical signals having the varying
signal strength to the interwoven mesh diaphragm to change the shape thereof in
order to vary the stiffness of the interwoven mesh diaphragm and thus control the
suspension of the vehicle.
4. The device as recited in claim 3 wherein the interwoven members include
flexible tubes having an electrically responsive fluid contained therein.
5. The device as recited in claim 4 wherein the electrically responsive fluid is
a rheological fluid.
7. A device for suspending a wheel axle from a vehicle having an electronic
control unit for receiving suspension-related inputs, the device comprising:
an elastomeric member including two opposing end plates and containing
an electrically responsive gel, said elastomeric member coupled between the
vehicle and the wheel axle and to the electronic control unit wherein the gel
changes shape in response to electrical signals having a varying signal strength;
and
wherein the electronic control unit, in response to receiving the
suspension related inputs, transmits the electrical signals having the varying
signal strength through at least one of the end plates to change the shape of the
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