Appeal No. 99-0214 Page 4
Application No. 08/372,126
invention. The first of these is forming a sharp edge or
corner (22) where the groove intersects with the inner seat
defining surface (5), which prevents the seal from moving in
that direction by interacting with the bead that extends into
the groove. This clearly is taught by Kondoh, and is not an
issue in the case. The second feature is inclining the wall
(24) of the annular groove opposite the edge at an angle of
“about" fifteen degrees relative to the seat defining surface
(5), which “provides the least possible resistance to pressing
the sealing ring into the seat” (page 2). A “gentle
transition” of the inclined wall (24) relative to the seat
defining surface (5) is another feature of the invention. The
final two features are that the axial extent of the groove is
“approximately 20-30%” of the axial length of the seat defining
surface (5), and the depth of the annular groove is
“approximately 5-7%” of the axial length of the seat defining
surface (5).
Kondoh discloses means for sealing around a rotating shaft
which, as shown in Figure 10, comprises a pair of axially
spaced grooves (223) and an elastic sealing ring. As is the
case in the appellant’s invention, the sealing ring is pressed
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