Appeal No. 2001-0305 Page 5
Application No. 09/077,356
cause expansion thereof and introducing the male part 4 into
the hollow space of the female part 1 such that the grooves 3
are situated over the projections 6. After the temperature of
the parts 1 and 4 is equalized, the interior surface 2 of the
female part 1 presses firmly against the exterior surface 5 of
the male part 4 and the projections 6 enter into the grooves 3
(translation, p. 4).
The Soviet patent evidences that non-detachable
interference-fit couplings comprising male parts provided with
projections and female parts provided with grooves were well
known in the art at the time of appellant's invention. From
our perspective, it would have been obvious to one skilled in
the art at the time of appellants' invention to provide
annular projections on the exterior surface of the pin 94 of
Ament's valve tip 90 and corresponding grooves on the interior
surface of the blind bore 95 of Ament's shank portion 92 in
order to obtain the self-evident advantage of a positive
locking to provide a more secure attachment.
Appellant argues on pages 4 and 5 of the brief that the
Soviet patent is non-analogous art. We do not agree. The
test for non-analogous art is first whether the art is within
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