Appeal No. 96-1835
Application 08/207,116
examiner explains that
[t]he description is insufficient in regard to the
structure of the breather. What material is the
breather formed of? Is it formed from cork, cotton, or
perhaps a specific type of synthetic material? Is
there a presently preferred embodiment of the breather
which permits only gas to escape from the torque
transmission chamber when the pressure in the chamber
exceeds an upper limit value while preventing fluid
from leaking therefrom, but which also allows air from
outside the clutch to pass into the torque transmission
chamber when the pressure therein is below a
predetermined lower limit? [answer, page 3]
As indicated above, independent claim 1 recites a fluid
clutch comprising, inter alia,
at least one breather extending through said casing
between the torque transmission gap and atmospheric air
for releasing gas from said torque transmission chamber
when pressure in said torque transmission chamber
exceeds a predetermined upper limit value and for
enabling inflow of atmospheric air to said torque
transmission chamber when pressure in the torque
transmission chamber is less than a predetermined lower
limit value.
Claims 2 and 14, the other independent claims on appeal,
contain like recitations of the “at least one breather.”
The examiner’s explanation of the rejection indicates that
the issue on appeal is whether the appellants’ specification
complies with the enablement requirement of 35 U.S.C. § 112,
first paragraph, with regard to the claimed fluid clutch having
the at least one breather. The breather is described on page 20
of the appellants’ specification as follows:
-3-
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Last modified: November 3, 2007