Appeal No. 1997-2964
Application No. 08/531,103
configuration which is substantially complementary to the
shape of the induction passage when the throttle valve is in
the idle position (Figures 1 and 2). One of ordinary skill in
that art would have understood that when the valve is in the
idle position air flow is prevented between the periphery of
the valve and the induction passage because Lamm states that
20% of the idle airflow passes through the idling channel (8)
and the remaining 80% flows through the openings (10 & 11) in
the throttle valve (column 3, lines 3-12). Lamm discloses the
required means for providing a bypass air flow past the
throttle valve for at least engine idle air flow, in the form
of the above-mentioned bypass conduit and the openings in the
throttle valve itself. Claim 1 also requires that when in the
idle position the throttle valve be at an angle in the range
of about two degrees to twelve degrees to a plane
perpendicular to the airflow through the induction passage.
There is no explicit disclosure in Lamm of any specific value
for the angle of the throttle valve at idle, although from the
showing of Figure 1 the throttle valve would appear to be
within the claimed range.
8
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