Appeal No. 1996-3496
Application No. 08/167,288
application claims the broadest reasonable interpretation in
light of the specification. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048,
1054-55, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997). When there is
appellants’ intent in the specification to utilize those words
in a more limited sense, however, we give them limited
meaning. See e.g., Vitronics Corp. v. Conceptronic, Inc., 90
F.3d 1576, 1582, 39 USPQ2d 1573, 1576 (Fed. Cir. 1996);
Paulsen, 30 F.3d at 1480, 31 USPQ2d at 1674.
The claimed subject matter is directed to a process for
the production of a powdered ceramic material, such as alpha
alumina powder. See claims 1 and 8. The process involves,
inter alia, firing a mixture of inert carrier particles, such
as alpha alumina, having a particle size of 3 to 30 mm and a
precursor of the ceramic material (transitional alumina) in
the powder form having a particle size smaller than 65 microns
in a weight ratio of about 3:1 to about 15:1 in a rotary kiln
to convert the precursor to the ceramic powder. Id. The
presence of the inert carrier particles is said to minimize
thermal stress and structure failure associated with
accumulation of solid powder on the internal wall of a long
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