Appeal No. 2001-0111
Application 09/077,376
Goralski, the examiner’s primary reference, discloses a
back-up pad 10 for an abrasive disk. The pad 10 includes a
layer 11 of resiliently compressible foam having front and
rear surfaces 12 and 13, a flexible sheet 14 fixed to the
front surface 12 for attachment to the abrasive disk, a
generally rigid
backing plate 16 fixed to the rear surface 13, and a circular
array of passageways 40 extending through the backing plate
16, foam layer 11 and flexible sheet 14. The passageways 40
define inlet openings 41 on the bottom of the pad
corresponding to openings in the abrasive disk and outlet
openings 42 on the top of the pad positioned to communicate
with a vacuum system on a drive motor assembly. The vacuum
system functions via the openings in the abrasive disk and the
passageways in the back-up pad 10 to remove dust generated
during an abrading operation. As shown in Figure 4, the
passageways 40 lie completely within the circumferential
periphery of the back-up pad 10.
In comparing the subject matter recited in claim 1 to the
Goralski back-up pad, the examiner has determined that the “at
least three spaced and symmetrically disposed gaps in the
3
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