Appeal 2007-0163
Application 10/318,898
The dispositive question is, therefore, whether one of ordinary skill in
the art would have been led to employ the claimed distance and groove size
in question in the tire taught by Young within the meaning of 35 U.S.C.
§ 103. On this record, we answer this question in the affirmative.
As is apparent from pages 9-11 of the Answer, the Examiner
demonstrated that such distance and groove size are result effective variables
for the tire of the type discussed in Young. Specifically, the Examiner found
(Answer 9-11), and the Appellants have not disputed (Br. 5-9), that:
Nakamura discloses a heavy load pneumatic radial tire
for use on trucks comprising a tread, circumferential grooves
and a belt having four layers and a fine circumferential groove
("narrow decoupling groove") in the shoulder portion of the
tread. The fine groove has an aperture width of 4-12 mm.
Nakamura teaches that if the groove bottom end 54A of the fine
groove gets nearer the belt, the deformation of rubber
surrounding the belt 6 increases and crack of the rubber from
the vicinity of the groove bottom 54A is likely to be generated.
See col. 8 lines 45-67, col. 9 lines 1-8. In order to prevent
cracking, Nakamura teaches locating the groove bottom 54A
nearer the axially external side of the tire than position W100
and nearer to the tread surface than position D1. See col. 7
lines 18-34. In figure 1, the axially outermost end of the four
layer belt is axially inward of position W100. . . .
Travers discloses a pneumatic tire comprising decoupling
grooves wherein the tire has decreased rolling effort, improved
road holding ability, and greater resistance to wear and tear.
See col. 1 lines 43-52, col. 1 lines 70-73, col. 2 lines 1-25, col.
3 lines 27-30. Travers teaches that the decoupling groove 7
should have a width of 4.5 mm to 15 mm for heavy load tire.
See col. 3 lines 69-75, col. 4 line 1. Travers also teaches that
the bottom of the groove should be rounded rather than angular
to avoid splitting of the rubber at the bottom of the groove. See
col. 4 lines 7-15. [Emphasis added.]
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