Appeal No. 2001-0373 Page 6
Application No. 09/122,255
the spool engages with the seat so as to block fluid communication
past the seat. Claims 1 and 4 both further recite that "when the
spool is at the fully open position the circumference of the inlet
port multiplied by its average distance from the spool does not
substantially exceed the smallest annular cross-sectional area
between the spool and the seat" (the "extent limitation").
Claim 2 on appeal is directed to a poppet valve, comprising,
inter alia, (1) a valve body including a bore therein, the bore
comprising an inlet port for admitting fluid to the bore and at least
one seat; (2) a spool disposed in the bore slideably between at least
a fully open position in which the spool is spaced from the seat, and
a closed position in which the spool is engaging the seat, and (3) an
annular groove in the spool. Claim 2 further recites "pressure
controlling means for keeping static fluid pressure from developing
in the annular groove when the spool is at the fully open position
and fluid is flowing from the inlet port to the seat via the annular
groove" (the "pressure controlling limitation"). Claim 3 depends
from claim 2 and provides that the pressure controlling means
comprises "a configuration of the annular groove such that when the
spool is at the fully open position the circumference of the inlet
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007