Appeal No. 95-3406
Application 07/940,016
paragraphs, and under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b), pursuant to the
provisions of 37 CFR § 1.196(b). Our reasoning for this
determination follows.
At the outset, we observe that appealed claim 6 recites,
inter alia, an opening "defined by two pairs of opposing sides,
one pair of which slopes from top to bottom to define a flow
means, said pair terminating in a ridge means" (emphasis added).
The only appearance of the term "ridge means" found in
appellant’s disclosure as originally filed is in original claim
3. Although there is no other specific description to define the
term "ridge means" in the disclosure as originally filed, it is
clear to us from the description of the "second port 44" which
"slopes downward" as discussed on page 37 of the specification as
originally filed, when read with reference to Figure 3a of the
drawings as originally filed, that the opposing sides with the
indicia 46, 47 slope downwardly and terminate in opposing edges
that define longitudinal edges of the port 44. These edges
inherently have some finite thickness, although not depicted in
any view of the drawings, which we interpret to be the claimed
"ridge means" consistent with the common definition for the term
"ridge" which is "1. The long, narrow upper section or crest of
something: ridge of a wave," The American Heritage Dictionary,
4
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007