Appeal No. 2002-1704
Application No. 09/240,313
Whittle describes the teeth (2) on the outer periphery of head
(3) of the bolt therein as being used in conjunction with a
matching driver socket (7) for tightening the bolt (see col. 4,
lines 23-26, and Figs. 4 and 7) and provides a blind axial recess
or socket (6) with ratchet teeth (5) therein used in conjunction
with a second driver (8) for releasing the bolt (Fig. 9), we
nonetheless share the examiner's view that the teeth (2) on the
bolt head (3) and complementary teeth on the driver socket (7),
as best seen in Figure 4 of Whittle, include fastener tightening
surfaces and what appear to be fastener loosening surfaces
associated therewith, wherein the fastener tightening angle of
the tightening surfaces is smaller than the fastener loosening
angle of the loosening surfaces, as broadly claimed by appellant.
As is apparent from viewing Figures 1, 3 and 4 of Whittle, the
fastener tightening surfaces allow the bolt (1) to be rotated in
a clockwise manner for tightening and the surface connecting the
top of each tightening surface to the bottom of an adjacent
tightening surface appears to be of a configuration which would
allow such surfaces to act as fastener loosening surfaces when
the wrench (7) is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to
permit some level of force to be applied to loosen the bolt,
especially if it were not tightened down completely. Although we
55
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007