Appeal No. 2001-0302
Application No. 08/635,614
gear. The torque setting member, defined in lines 12-13 of claim
1 as including a ring with a circumference around which plural
projections are spaced and project diametrically, “is subject to
diametric deformation along the diametric direction as a result
of being fitted in between the outer circumference of the
steering shaft and the inner circumference of the gear” (claim 1,
lines 9-11). The last three paragraphs of claim 1 set forth the
diametric deformation of the torque setting member. More
particularly, and with reference to appellants’ Figure 6, the
last three paragraphs of claim 1 call for the torque setting
member (51) to have a diametric deformation (generally, *b in
Figure 6) such that the torque limiter (11) functions in the area
“A” of the diametric force/diametric deformation curve shown in
Figure 6, that is, to the right of the “specific value” *a.
We consider first the Section 102 rejection of claims 1, 6
and 8 based on Ito (rejection (c)). The Ito reference pertains
to an electric power steering assembly having a clutch located
between the outer circumference of the steering shaft 13 and the
inner circumference of a gear 11 that is driven by a power assist
motor 47. The examiner refers to several of the embodiments of
13
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