Appeal No. 2002-1572
Application No. 09/286,088
The examiner, finding that Fukuoka’s molding step is
terminated when a pre-determined molding pressure is applied to
the matrix M, concludes that
[i]t would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
in the art at the time the invention was made and one
of ordinary skill would have been motivated to use the
spring arrangement taught in Fukuoka in place of the
stop mechanism for counteracting the pressure applied
by the cylinder and piston units in [the] process of
Haas et al. to allow the frame member to be free
floating to thereby assure more even compression of the
brake lining material [answer, page 4].
The examiner’s position here is unconvincing for at least
two reasons. To begin with, there is nothing in the combined
teachings of Haas and Fukuoka which would have suggested the
apparently proposed elimination of Haas’ stop members 9 and
replacement of Haas’ cylinder and piston units 7 with springs of
the sort 26 disclosed by Fukuoka for the uniform compression
rationale advanced by the examiner or for any other ostensible
reason. Furthermore, there is nothing in the combined teachings
of these references, and particularly in Fukuoka, which would
have suggested terminating Haas’ forming step when a pre-
determined molding pressure is applied as recited in claim 7.
The examiner’s finding that Fukuoka discloses this feature rests
5
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007