Appeal No. 98-1447
Application 08/385,356
bearing inner part 10 (pedestal), with the spherically formed
bearing parts 10, 10' cooperating with spherically formed
bearing carrying faces of housing 12 (base) and having
pressurized air therebetween.
The patent to Blizard addresses a bearing (Fig. 1)
wherein a supported element 11 (hollow sphere) is floated on a
bearing provided by a cup-shaped support 12. The patentee
expressly indicates that air, or other fluids such as liquids
and other gases may be used as a lubricant (column 1, lines 30
through 33).
Blizard recognizes the compressible nature of air as a
disadvantage (column 1, lines 46 through 51). Of additional
interest is Fig. 6 of this reference, wherein a bearing with a
truncated conoid shape is depicted (column 4, lines 35 through
41).
In applying the test for obviousness, this panel of the5
5The test for obviousness is what the combined teachings of references would
have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Young, 927 F.2d 588, 591,
18 USPQ2d 1089, 1091 (Fed. Cir. 1991) and In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 425, 208 USPQ 871,
881 (CCPA 1981).
6
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