Appeal No. 2006-1277 Page 4
Application No. 10/221,711
Cam [ kam ] (plural cams)
noun
machine part that transfers motion: an irregularly-shaped
projection on a rotating shaft that changes rotary motion into a
reciprocating up-and-down motion in another machine part (cam
follower) that touches it
According to the examiner,
it is clear from the formatting and text of the MSN Encarta
definition (see above) that the primary definition of cam is a
“machine part that transfers motion”. This is clear from the bold
texting of the definition, indicating that this is the primary, broad
definition of “cam”. The definition is further qualified or limited
by the language following the colon, which is clearly a secondary
definition of the previous description of ”cam”. This secondary
definition is a limitation of the previous definition, and does not
constitute the complete broad definition of the term. The examiner
is required to give claim language its broadest reasonable
interpretation consistent with the specification, and maintains that
the [Christrup] reference meets the broadest reasonable
interpretation of “cam”, which is believed to be a ”machine part
that transfers motion”.
The appellant, on page 4 of the brief, contends that the examiner has erred in ignoring the
remainder of the MSN Encarta definition following the bold text. Additionally, on page 5 of the
brief, the appellant cites the Oxford English Dictionary Online definition, which defines “cam”
as “A projecting part of a wheel or other revolving piece of machinery, adapted to impart an
alternating or variable motion of any kind to another piece pressing against it, by sliding or
rolling contact” and argues that, among other things, a torsion spring does not impart motion by
sliding or rolling contact. The appellant urges that a person of ordinary skill in the art would not
consider a torsion spring to be a “cam.”
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