Appeal No. 96-2653
Application No. 08/395,681
itself. See Smithkline Diagnostics, Inc. v. Helena Laboratories
Corp., 859 F.2d 878, 882, 8 USPQ2d 1468, 1472 (Fed. Cir. 1988).
Our review of independent claim 1 reveals that it is drawn
to a vibration isolator grommet capable of preassembly with a
workpiece and cooperative with a workpiece supporting structure
to limit compression of an elastomeric element of the grommet and
requires, inter alia, a compression limiting metal sleeve having
a cylindrical portion with a radially outwardly extending flange
at one end thereof, and an annular elastomeric element having a
radially outwardly extending flange portion at one end thereof
underlying the flange on the sleeve and a cylindrical portion
with an inside diameter complementary to the outside diameter of
the cylindrical portion of the sleeve so as to be acceptable
thereover in a slidable frictional fit, the elastomeric element
having a radially inwardly extending portion at the opposite end
of the cylindrical portion thereof from the flange portion
thereon initially underlying the cylindrical portion of said
sleeve but movable radially outwardly upon axial advancement of
the sleeve relative to the elastomeric element to lock the
grommet in the aperture in a workpiece. The length of the
cylindrical portion of the metal sleeve is related to the length
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007