Appeal No. 2005-1543 5
Application No. 09/907,462
material useful in rolling-element bearing components. Dodd places no particular
limitations on the components that can be made using the material of Dodd and
components such as inner and outer bearing rings are specifically mentioned (Dodd,
claim 6). An inner ring of a bearing component is analogous in function to the shaft of
Quenneville as both support bearing elements such as roller bearings. That
Quenneville describes a bearing assembly, is silent with respect to the material of
manufacture, and Dodd describes a material not only suitable for bearing assemblies
but which has improved properties is strong evidence in support of a finding of a
suggestion to combine. Nor can we agree that there is a difference in intended use
environment that would dissuade one of ordinary skill in the art from using the nitrided
material in the bearing assembly of Quenneville. Dodd simply discloses that “[r]olling
element bearing components for use in aircraft engines in particular are made from
M50, M50 NiL and Pyrowear 675 steels.” (Dodd. p. 1, ll. 16-17). That disclosure does
not somehow teach away from the use of M50 steel in aircraft engine starters, it merely
states one well known use. Nor does Dodd teach away from use in bearing assemblies
of the Quenneville construction. Dodd is directed to rolling-element bearing
components in general without restriction.
Appellant further argues that “[o]ne of ordinary skill in the art would not take the
shaft of Quenneville and nitride the shaft or use an M50 alloy because nitriding and
using M50 alloys is very expensive and time-consuming.” (Reply Brief, p. 1). This
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007