Appeal 2006-2990
Application 11/005,250
or contact one another to transfer forces between links (Appeal Br. 5-6;
Reply Br. 4-5).
FINDINGS OF FACT
FF1. The objective of Appellants’ invention is to prevent the outer most
eye of the chain links and the shear point on the hinge pin from carrying the
entire load of the chain tension when side-flexing, which can cause
premature failure (Specification [0005]). Appellants’ side-flexing chain 10
“distributes chain tension across the width of the chain modules 12 as the
chain negotiates a curve. Each chain module 12 includes a first module
member 14 pivotally linked to a second module member 16 about a module
vertical axis 18.” (Specification [0031]) The first module member 14 and
second module member 16 include arcuate cam fingers 98 and 104,
respectively, that interdigitate with one another (Specification [0036]). Each
first module member cam finger 98 includes inner and outer cam surfaces
106, 108. The cam surfaces 106, 108 of the first module member fingers 98
slidably engage cam surfaces 116, 118 of the second module member fingers
104 to transfer forces between the first and second module members 14, 16.
(Specification [0037])
FF2. Lapeyre discloses a conveyor made up of cooperative links that are
pivoted about two mutually orthogonal axes to permit movement in a curved
path within the plane of the conveyor and within planes transverse to the
conveying plane. Each link is composed of two sections 12 and 14 hinged
for pivotal movement about a horizontal pin 16. (Lapeyre, col. 3, ll. 4-15)
Each link section 14 includes an array of spaced ribs 20 upstanding and
extending horizontally therefrom (Lapeyre, col. 3, ll. 15-18 and Figs. 1-4).
4
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