Appeal No. 98-1947
Application 08/431,702
Appellants’ invention relates to a heat exchanger for an
automotive vehicle. More specifically, as may be seen best in
Figure 2 of the application, the heat exchanger is one which
is intended to include an open thermal stress relieving zone
(26) in the side supports (24) thereof. However, the claimed
subject matter is actually directed to an intermediate product
wherein the area of the side supports which will ultimate be
provided with the open thermal stress relieving zones includes
a Z-shaped aperture (32) formed therein. As may be seen in
Figures 3A and 3B of the application drawings, each Z-shaped
aperture includes a pair of leg portions (33) disposed at the
junction of the base portion (28) and the flanges (30) of each
side support, with the leg portions being disposed generally
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the side support and
interconnected by an intermediate portion (35) extending
across substantially the entire base portion of the side
support. As noted on page 7 of the specification,
“[b]y providing a Z-shaped aperture in the side
support, a greater shearing area is produced,
requiring less tolerance during the shearing
process.”
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