Appeal No. 1999-1786
Application No. 08/821,738
said teeth (46) and tapered radially outwardly moving axially
toward said inner end.
Now we look to the combination of Scharboneau and Fisher
as applied to claims 1-8 by the examiner in the examiner’s
answer, pages 4-5. The examiner is of the view that
Scharboneau discloses a steering wheel assembly (See Figures
5, 6A and 6C) substantially as set forth in claims 1 and 5 on
appeal including a gear (174) having circumferentially spaced
teeth extending radially from an annular collar (178). The
examiner notes that Scharboneau does not disclose the gear
including a web-flange extending radially outwardly from the
collar circumferentially between the teeth tapering radially
outwardly from a mid-point moving axially toward the inner end
as set forth in claims 1 and 5. Fisher is relied upon as
teaching a worm-gear connection device including a gear (10)
having a web-flange extending radially outwardly from a collar
circumferentially between the teeth and tapering radially
outwardly from a mid-point moving axially toward the inner
end. The examiner sets forth that the reason to provide the
gear of Scharboneau with a web-flange is for the purpose of
7
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007