Appeal No. 97-1840 Page 11
Application No. 08/316,685
(Andrä's hub ring 1 and inertial ring 2) of the rotor
assembly.
The argument presented by the appellant (brief, pp. 8-10)
is unpersuasive for the following reasons.
First, the appellant argues that the concentric rings of
Andrä are radially spaced, not axially spaced as claimed and
disclosed. We do not agree. As shown in the appellant's2
Figures 1 and 2, the three concentric rings 10, 11, 12 rotate
about the axis/centerline 13 with each ring spaced at a
different radial distance from the axis/centerline 13. In
addition, the appellant describes (specification, pp. 6-7) the
lower end 23 of each separator 19, 20 as extending radially
outwardly and that the separators 19, 20 provide for radial
expansion of the rings. In similar fashion, Andrä has hub
ring 1 and inertial ring 2 which rotate about the axis x-x
with the inertial ring 2 and hub ring 1 spaced at different
2The phrase "axially spaced" was introduced by the
appellant in the amendment filed on November 20, 1995 (Paper
No. 4).
Page: Previous 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007