Appeal No. 1999-0932
Application No. 08/723,889
brake, we refer to the attached drawings (ATTACHMENT A) from the Suzuki patent, which
we have marked with reference letters and coloring to highlight features thereof.
With regard to the disk caliper for applying a braking force (required by each of
independent claims 1 and 9), we note that the appellants do not contest the examiner's statement
that "the examiner has considered the device of Suzuki to also include a disk caliper" (answer,
page 2). Further, in this regard, we note Suzuki's references to a pair of brake pads for
frictionally engaging the friction plates 5a, 5b on the brake rotor (column 1, lines 17-18;
column 2, lines 6-7; column 3, lines 5-6). As Suzuki's disclosure of a caliper does not appear
to be in contention, we shall focus our attention in this decision on the details of the rotor
recited in the claims.
Suzuki discloses a brake rotor comprising a cup-shaped central hub 3 and an annular
part 4 consisting of friction plates 5a, 5b axially spaced from each other by a plurality of radial
slots 7 therebetween. The radial slots 7 are communicated with the interior of the central hub
by way of holes 8 extending radially through the cylindrical wall of the hub (column 2, lines
49-62). As seen in Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of arcuate slots 10 and small holes 11 also
communicate with the slots 7.
With particular regard to claim 1, the Suzuki rotor comprises a hat (the portion of the
hub labeled A and highlighted in yellow in the attached Figure 2) and a disk element. The disk
element includes the portions of friction plates 5a, 5b located radially outside the grooves 9a, 9b
4
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