Appeal No. 2005-1710
Application No. 10/057,474
The examiner relies upon the following references as
evidence of obviousness:
Gaydecki 3,858,925 Jan. 7, 1975
Fishbaugh et al. 4,073,047 Feb. 14, 1978
(Fishbaugh)
Ando et al. (Ando) 5,578,680 Nov. 26, 1996
Kingsly 6,082,721 Jul. 4, 2000
Appellants' claimed invention is directed to a vibration
dampener comprising a pre-cured elastomer that is compression
fitted between a metal weight and a metal hub. The surface of
the metal weight and metal hub is phosphate-coated, and the
elastomer is selected from either ethylene propylene diene
monomer rubber or ethylene acrylate copolymer. Appellants submit
that "[a]lthough it is known that phosphate treatment improves
the adhesion between metal and rubber wherein the rubber is cured
in contact with the phosphate coated surface, applicants'
invention is the use of a pre-cured elastomeric member
compression fitted between two phosphate coated metallic
surfaces" (page 4 of principal brief, second paragraph). Also,
appellants rely upon a declaration by one of the present
inventors which demonstrates that the claimed elastomers show
improved heat aging in comparison to other rubbers such as SBR
and nitrile rubber.
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