Appeal No. 2004-0917
Application No. 09/684,210
providing a connecting block comprising an
engagement surface thereon, said connecting block
further comprising a conduit passage therethrough and
a fastener passage therethrough and offset from said
conduit passage, said conduit passage receiving said
conduit therethrough;
providing a conduit port and a fastener port
offset from said conduit port in said component;
releasably securing a threaded stud within said
fastener port of said component, said threaded stud
comprising an engagement device locked therearound to
a portion thereof, said engagement device having a
locking portion thereon;
mounting said fastener passage over said
engagement device;
assembling said connecting block to said
component by inserting said conduit into said conduit
port of said component to trap said annular bead of
said conduit between said connecting block and said
component;
verifying that said locking portion of said
engagement device engages said engagement surface of
said connecting block to trap said connecting block
between said locking portion of said engagement device
and said component, such that upon engagement of said
connecting block to said component, said locking
portion of said engagement device expands against said
engagement surface of said connecting block to provide
visible, audible, and tactile verification that said
conduit connection is completely engaged; and
releasably securing a nut to said threaded stud
to fasten said connecting block to said component to
complete connecting said conduit to said component.
The appellants do not dispute that Pickett’s patented
claims describe the connecting block and fastener elements
specified in appealed claim 1. (See, e.g., column 6, lines 4-12
and Figures 2-7.) Rather, the appellants’ principal argument in
this appeal is that Pickett’s engagement device is not an
alignment device. (Substitute appeal brief, pages 7-8.)
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