Appeal No. 2004-1171
Application No. 09/754,618
We sustain each of the obviousness rejections on appeal for
reasons explained, infra.
The first rejection
Independent Claim 1 addresses a thrust ball bearing that
includes the feature of first and second circular ring shaped
bearing disks being made from a through-hardenable ferrous
material. Independent claim 7 sets forth a scroll compressor
that includes the feature of first and second bearing disks being
made from a through-hardenable ferrous material.3
The patent to Niina discloses a thrust ball bearing in a
scroll compressor (Figs 1A and 5). According to the patentee
(column 4, lines 18 through 39), heat treating hardness is
intended for the steel bearing rings 4a,4b from the raceway
surface 4a1, 4b1 to any depth. Each of Volkmuth and the
Technical Book reveal to us the knowledge in the art, at the time
3 It is worthy of pointing out that each of appellants’
independent claims require that the disks be made from “through-
hardenable” (not through-hardened) ferrous material.
4
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