Ex Parte Prater - Page 2



             Appeal 2006-2880                                                                                      
             Application 10/226,387                                                                                
                                                BACKGROUND                                                         
                    The Appellant's invention relates to a clutch housing assembly                                 
             (Specification 1).  Claim 23, reproduced below, is representative of the subject                      
             matter on appeal.  A copy of all of the claims can be found in the appendix to the                    
             Appellant’s Brief.                                                                                    
                       23. A housing for use as a vehicle driveline component,                                     
                       comprising:                                                                                 
                              a sidewall establishing an open end of the housing, the                              
                       sidewall having a plurality of spaced splines and a                                         
                       strengthening member near the open end that is formed of the                                
                       sidewall material having a folded over portion that is at least                             
                       partially aligned with and adjacent the sidewall, an inner                                  
                       surface of the sidewall near the open end extending                                         
                       continuously and uninterrupted onto the strengthening member                                
                       and establishing at least one surface of the strengthening                                  
                       member.                                                                                     
                    The Examiner relies upon the following as evidence of unpatentability:                         
                     Maruki                     US 5,934,126                Aug. 10, 1999                          
                    The Appellant seeks our review of the Examiner’s rejection of claims 23-28                     
             and 30 under 35 USC § 102(b) as anticipated by Maruki.                                                
                    Rather than reiterate in detail the conflicting viewpoints advanced by the                     
             Examiner and the Appellant regarding this appeal, we make reference to the                            
             Examiner's Answer (mailed April 7, 2006) for the Examiner's complete reasoning                        
             in support of the rejection and to the Appellant's Brief (filed August 18, 2005) and                  
             Reply Brief (filed January 3, 2006) for the Appellant's arguments.                                    


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