Appeal No. 2004-1341
Application No. 09/806,220
rods 10 and 11 joined by a coupling sleeve 12 having female
threads which engage male threads on the opposing ends of the
drill rods. The threads are cylindrical or round in shape and
are particularly dimensioned to enhance wear life and to
facilitate unscrewing. Thread pitch and top (i.e., crest) radius
of curvature are among several interrelated parameters of concern
to Jansson. The particular dimensions mentioned for each (see
Jansson at column 2, lines 10 through 16; and column 3, lines 28
through 42) encompass male threads having a crest radius of
curvature which is larger than 30% of the pitch of the thread.
The examiner contends that it would have been obvious
to have formed the threads of [Manten] so that they are
characterized in that they had crests having a radius
of curvature that was greater than 30% of the pitch of
the threads as taught by Jansson . . . in order to have
achieved a threaded coupling that has a long life span
and good unscrewing characteristics [answer, pages 3
and 4].
In the second approach, the examiner, citing In re Boesch,
617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980), submits that it would
have been obvious, presumably in view of the teachings of
Jansson,
to have formed the threads of [Manten] so that they are
characterized in that they had crests having a radius
of curvature that was greater than 30% of the pitch of
the threads, since it has been held that discovering an
optimum value of a result effective variable involves
only routine skill in the art [answer, page 4].
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