Appeal 2007-1902
Application 09/398,006
The plain language of independent claim 24 specifies a pneumatic
radial tire comprising at least, among other things, the same belt 34, 4
circumferential grooves 40, cord inclination angle of innermost cord layer 35
and middle cord layer 36 of cross cord layer 38, and width of outermost
layer 37 as in claim 1. Claim 24 differs in that cords 37a of outermost cord
layer 37 have an inclination angle of not less than 45° and not less than 90°
with respect to equatorial plane E as measured in the same direction as cords
36a of middle cord layer 36 and the width of outermost cord layer 37 is
otherwise specified as only narrower than the width of innermost cord layer
35.
We find Farnsworth would have disclosed to one of ordinary skill in
this art heavy duty radial ply pneumatic tires suitable for, e.g., trucks, which
have a tread supported by a breaker assembly, that is, belt assembly, having
at least three superimposed plies, that is, cord layers, with, e.g., steel cords
(Farnsworth, e.g., page 1, ll. 9-50, and page 1, .97, to page 2, l. 1).
Farnsworth discloses the cords of two cord layers have equal and opposite
bias angles, that is, inclination angles, relative to the mid-circumferential
plane, that is, equatorial plane, of the tire, and the cords of the third cord
layer have an inclination angle relative to the equatorial plane different from
the inclination angle of the first two cord layers (id. page 1, ll. 50-56).
Farnsworth discloses “[i]n this way the lateral stiffness of the [belt] and
hence the overall tread life may be optimized,” teaching that
3 See Specification Figs. 5, 6, and 8 as described at Specification, e.g., pages
15-23.
4 See above note 3.
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