Appeal No. 2002-1749 Application No. 09/395,270 Rejections (3) to (5) Fundamental to each of these rejections is the examiner’s position that claim term “dimensionally stable” is broad and “virtually meaningless since even the most loosely woven or no woven [sic, non-woven] material has at least some degree of dimensional stability” (answer, page 4). Based on this interpretation, the examiner concluded that the mesh material underlay of Shaw is dimensionally stable at least to some degree, such that the method of Shaw includes the step of providing a dimensionally stable sheet. In proceedings before it, the PTO applies to the verbiage of claims 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 applicant’s specification. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997). In the present case, appellant’s specification does not contain a precise definition of the term “dimensionally stable.” However, in the “Background of the Invention” section of the specification it is explained on page 1 that laying broadloom carpet is often a difficult process because the carpet 10Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007