Appeal No. 2004-2346 Page 4
Application No. 09/876,519
roof panel 12. The movement of the roof panel 12 between open and closed positions
is powered by an electrical motor that drives an outer sprocket 66, via a gear reduction
unit 64. Two flexible drive cables 68, 70 drivingly engage opposite sides of sprocket 66.
One end of cable 68 is attached to a drive link 43 that is rotatably attached to the hub of
a forward support roller 36 of the forward roller assembly 32 of the roof panel 12 at the
right side as viewed in Figure 7 and the opposite end portion of cable 68 slides in a
channel 72 in the fixed rail 20 at the left side of the roof 18 as viewed in Figure 7. Cable
70 is attached to a drive link 43 that is rotatably attached to the hub of the forward
support roller 36 of the moveable panel roller assembly at the left side as viewed in
Figure 7 with its opposite end portion slidably received in a channel in the fixed rail at
the right side of roof 18. Consequently, the moveable roof panel 12 is pulled forward
when the sprocket 66 is rotated clockwise and pushed rearward when the sprocket 66 is
rotated counterclockwise. Guide tabs 73, 74 are provided at sprocket 66 for cables 68,
70, respectively. According to Staser, “[o]ther guides may be provided as needed.” As
illustrated in Figure 7, the drive motor 62, gear reduction unit 64 and sprocket 66 are
housed within an air dam 54.
The examiner concedes that Staser lacks “a take-up tube supported by said
deflector and receiving a portion of said at least one drive element with said sunroof in
said open position” as called for in claim 1. To overcome this deficiency, the examiner
relies on the teaching of Racine of a guide tube 90 (see Figure 5) included in the
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