Appeal No. 97-0759
Application 08/155,564
the frustoconical surface of the ball and being
positioned against the frustoconical surface of the
ball; and
a resilient member in the form of an O-ring positioned
with the socket for engaging the spherical portion and
for urging the frustoconical surface of the ball into
engagement with the frustoconical surface in the
housing whereby the ball is urged to a centered
position.
Opinion
The rejection of claims 1 and 3-6 cannot be sustained.
The examiner acknowledges (answer at 4) that Karl does not
disclose a spherical portion on a ball structure or a contact
stem extending through the spherical portion. The examiner did
not state so but it is evident that Karl also does not disclose
an O-ring structure engaging the spherical portion of the ball to
urge the frustoconical portion of the ball in contact with the
frustoconical surface in the housing.
The examiner finds in Hagberg a joystick assembly having a
ball structure including a spherical portion and a frustoconical
portion and a contact stem extending from the spherical portion
through the frustoconical portion. He concludes (answer at 4)
that it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the
art to modify Karl's joystick head structure 9 by making it in
the shape of Hagberg's partly spherical and partly frustoconical
-3-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007