Appeal 2007-1792
Application 10/050,834
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
Kelly Molenaar (“Appellant”) seeks our review under 35 U.S.C. § 134 of the
Examiner’s final rejection of claims 1, 4, and 8. We have jurisdiction under 35
U.S.C. § 6(b) (2002). We affirm.
THE INVENTION
Appellant claims a performance ball and joint system that provides the
ability to quickly and easily replace or change the ball and shaft rather than
replacing the entire ball joint (Specification 1:7-15). Claims 1, 4, and 8,
reproduced below, are the subject matter on appeal.
1. A ball joint comprising in combination:
(i) an elongated shaft having an upper end and a
lower end and having a longitudinal axis running through
said upper end and said lower end, said elongated shaft
being threaded on the lower end;
(ii) a ball rigidly fixed and surmounted on the
upper end of the elongated shaft, said ball, at the highest
point opposite the upper end of the elongated shaft,
having a truncated flat face;
(iii) a retaining member having an upper surface
and a lower end, said retaining member having a
lubricating port located in the upper surface thereof, the
lubricating port being openly connected to a duct, said
duct providing a passageway for lubricants from the
lubricating port to the truncated flat face of the ball, said
retaining member being externally threaded on the
retaining member lower end;
(iv) a housing having an outside surface, a middle
portion, and a lower end, said housing being internally
conformed at the lower end of the housing to seat the ball
2
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