Ex Parte Honda - Page 2

                Appeal 2007-1459                                                                             
                Application 10/204,413                                                                       
                                             INTRODUCTION                                                    
                      The claims are directed to a hypoid gear in which a tooth surface of                   
                one gear of a pair of gears is an involute helicoid.  Claim 8 is illustrative:               
                            8.   A hypoid gear in which a tooth surface of one gear of a pair                
                      of gears is an involute helicoid, wherein, in said hypoid gear, a radius               
                      of a base circle of the gear having the involute helicoidal tooth surface              
                      differs at a drive side and a coast side.                                              
                      The Examiner relies on the following prior art references to show                      
                unpatentability:                                                                             
                      Wildhaber                 US 1,694,028             Dec.  4, 1928                       
                      Litvin                   US 6,128,969             Oct. 10, 2000                       

                      The rejections as presented by the Examiner are as follows:                            
                   1. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first paragraph, as failing                
                      to comply with the enablement requirement.  The Examiner contends                      
                      that the variable i0  is not described in the Specification in such a way              
                      as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or to which it is            
                      most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention because                        
                      Appellant repeatedly refers to i0  as a ratio of angular velocity and not              
                      as a gear ratio as claimed.                                                            
                   2.  Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112, second                           
                      paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and               
                      distinctly claim the subject matter which Appellant regards as the                     
                      invention.  The Examiner contends that it is unclear what the ratio                    
                      E/R20  represents such that the metes and bounds of the claim is not                   
                      discernable.                                                                           



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