Appeal 2007-1214
Application 10/272,270
exciter without the need for additional support springs” (id. at 14). The
ovoid coil spring also “has a consistent, repeatable spring rate, [and] an
effectively infinite shelf life” and can be manufactured to close tolerances
more easily than elastomer springs (id.). The Specification discloses that
“[a]lthough ovoid-shaped springs are somewhat easier to manufacture,
springs closer to true rectangles can also be used” in vibratory feeders (id. at
10).
DISCUSSION
1. CLAIMS
Claims 1-13 are on appeal. Claim 14 is also pending but has been
withdrawn from consideration by the Examiner.
Claim 1 is representative and reads as follows:
1. A vibratory conveying apparatus, comprising:
a trough having a conveying surface;
a vibratory exciter;
a first coil spring arranged to be compressed
between a first portion of the trough and a first portion of the
exciter, said first coil spring having a longitudinal axis around
which said first coil spring is wound, a transverse axis and a
lateral axis, said transverse axis and said lateral axis being
perpendicular and in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal
axis;
wherein an outside dimension of said first coil spring is
greater along the lateral axis than along the transverse axis; and
wherein the lateral axis of the first coil spring is generally
parallel to a vertical plane containing the longitudinal axis.
Thus, claim 1 is directed to a vibratory conveyor that has a trough, a
vibratory exciter, and a coil spring compressed between the trough and
exciter. As we interpret the claim language, the dimensions specified for the
3
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