Appeal No. 2000-1479 Page 5 Application No. 08/915,355 substantially continuously laterally across the width of the bag splitter assembly.2 Roman's invention is directed to a bag splitter assembly for tearing open conveyed bags containing municipal solid waste and emptying the contents therefrom. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bag splitter assembly comprises a series of pivotally mounted splitter blades 36 and 36' which are located above a bag transporting conveyor 30. Confronting serrated edges 48 and 48' of the splitter blades tear open the conveyed bags while the trailing edges of the blades contain 2The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) applies to the verbiage of the claims before it the broadest reasonable meaning of the words in their ordinary usage as they would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, taking into account whatever enlightenment by way of definitions or otherwise that may be afforded by the written description contained in the appellant's specification. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997). See also In re Sneed, 710 F.2d 1544, 1548, 218 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir. 1983). In this case, it is our determination that the term "horizontally-disposed" as used in the claims under appeal would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to mean that the canard-like blades which are disposed substantially continuously laterally across the width of the bag splitter assembly lie in a plane more horizontal than vertical.Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007