Appeal 2007-1792
Application 10/050,834
FINDINGS OF FACT
We find the following enumerated findings to be supported by at least a
preponderance of the evidence. Ethicon, Inc. v. Quigg, 849 F.2d 1422, 1427, 7
USPQ2d 1152, 1156 (Fed. Cir. 1988) (explaining the general evidentiary standard
for proceedings before the Office).
1. As shown in Figure 6, Mizusawa discloses a ball joint comprising an
elongated shaft, a ball 2, a retaining member 20, a housing 6, and a
fastening means (29 and interconnected threaded portions of 6 and 20)
for fastening the retaining member 20 in the housing 6. The shaft 1 has
an upper end, a lower end, and a longitudinal axis running through the
upper end and the lower end. The shaft is threaded on the lower end.
The ball 2 is rigidly fixed and surmounted on the upper end of the shaft 1.
The ball 2, at a highest point opposite the upper end of the shaft 1, has a
truncated flat face (Mizusawa, Fig. 6). The retaining member 20 is
externally threaded, (Mizusawa, col. 5, ll. 61-64), on its lower end. The
housing 6 has an outside surface, a middle portion, and a lower end. The
housing 6 is internally conformed at the lower end of the housing 6. The
middle portion of the housing 6 is internally threaded (Mizusawa, col. 5,
l. 51-54). The middle portion includes externally threaded clamping
screw 5 that provides a means for attaching the housing 6 to a support
arm of a suspension system. (Mizusawa, Fig. 6).
2. Edwards discloses a lubricating port for insertion of lubrication into the
bore of a ball joint (Edwards, col. 2, ll. 10-13, Fig. 1). Edwards teaches
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013