Appeal No. 1998-2459 Page 7
Application No. 08/566,340
29. The end of the tube 28 is tapered at an angle which
approximates the critical angle with respect to the material
being measured. The angle of the end of tube 28 that
intersects passage 21 is selected such that the amount of
light transmitted through tube 28 changes if there is a change
in the refractive index of the test liquid in passage 21.
From these teachings of Broerman that the end of the tube 28
and the end of the optical fibers 29 are tapered at an angle
where the liquid passes, we find that the portion of the light
guide that contacts the liquid is not along the length of the
fiber optic tube 28, but rather along the end
of the fiber optic tube. Moreover, we take note of Webster's
New World Dictionary (1972) which defines "length" as "the1
measure of how long a thing is; measurement of anything from
end to end; the greatest of the two or three dimensions of
anything." From the teachings of Broerman and the customary
definition of the term "length" we agree with appellant
(brief, page 4) that in an optical guide or tube, the surface
along the length of the guide is the portion between the two
1A copy of the Dictionary definition of the term "length" is attached
to this decision.
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