Appeal No. 2006-0845 4
Application No. 10/113,524
elastomeric material so that the relative motion between the
contact surfaces is accommodated by internal shear in said
elastomeric layers,” and wherein the thin elastomeric layers have
length-to-thickness and width-to-thickness ratios that are greater
than approximately 10.
The examiner looks to the torsional connection and improved
“Oldham” coupling in the power transmission system of Rivin ‘540,
and specifically to the laminated elements (109, 110, 111, 112) in
the holding structures (105a, 105b) interconnecting the
intermediate members (103a, 103b) of the rotary coupling as
teaching elastomeric shim members (layers 114) similar to those set
forth in the claims on appeal. Given the advantages associated
with the improved torque transmitting coupling of Rivin ‘540 over a
conventional “Oldham” coupling, wherein the sliding connections
between the hubs and the intermediate member characteristic of a
conventional “Oldham” coupling are replaced with the holding
members and laminated elements noted above, the examiner concludes
that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art
at the time of appellant’s invention to modify the contact surfaces
of the basic conventional wedge mechanism of appellant’s admitted
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