Appeal No. 2000-1386
Application No. 09/078,477
In general, the terms in a patent claim are given their ordinary
meaning as used in the field of the invention unless the text of
the patent indicates that a word has special meaning. Rexnord
Corp. v. Laitram Corp., 274 F.3d 1336, 1342, 60 USPQ2d 1851, 1854
(Fed. Cir. 2001)(citations omitted). A patentee may be his own
lexicographer provided that he sets forth an explicit definition
for a claim term in the patent specification. Id. (citations
omitted). We have reviewed the specification, but have found no
indication that the inventors intended anything other than the
ordinary meanings of the aforementioned terms, which, in the
context of the present invention, are generally understood to mean:
1. Cascading: something falling or rushing forth in quantity.
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary 345 (1cascade 3a)
(1971).
Flow: an easy smooth and uninterrupted progress or
movement. Id. at 875 (2flow 3a).
2. Top: the highest point, level or part of something. Id.
at 2409 (1top 1a(1)).
Moving: that which is not fixed or stationary but
advances or progresses. Id. at 1480 (moving 1a and 1b).
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