Appeal No. 97-1840 Page 10
Application No. 08/316,685
extending through aperture 1a, and an inertial ring 2
rotatable relative to central hub ring 1 about longitudinal
axis of rotation x-x. The central hub ring 1 and inertial
ring 2 are connected to each other via a damping element
arranged in the radial space between the hub ring 1 and
inertial ring 2. The damping element comprises an outer ring
3, flange ring 5 and an inner ring 4. The outer ring 3 is
bonded to substantially axially opposed, adhesive surfaces 6,
7 of the inertial ring 2 and the flange ring 5, respectively.
The inner ring 4 is bonded to substantially radially opposed,
adhesive surfaces 8, 9, respectively, of the hub ring 1 and
the flange ring 5.
It is our opinion that claim 1 "reads on" Andrä as
follows: in a concentric ring rotor assembly (Andrä's
torsional vibration damper is a rotor assembly having
concentric rings (e.g., hub ring 1 and inertial ring 2)), the
improvement comprising: at least one expandable
separator/torque coupler (Andrä's damping element (i.e., outer
ring 3, flange ring 5 and inner ring 4)) operatively connected
between at least two adjacent axially spaced concentric rings
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Last modified: November 3, 2007