Appeal No. 2004-1321 Page 6
Application No. 10/002,633
The appellant argues (brief, pp. 9-10; reply brief, p. 2) that the examiner has
incorrectly interpreted the claim recitation "similar rotationally symmetrical forms" to
include the cylindrical pockets described in Cermak. We do not agree.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) applies to the
verbiage of the claims before it 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 appellant's specification. In re
Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027 (Fed. Cir. 1997). See also In re
Sneed, 710 F.2d 1544, 1548, 218 USPQ 385, 388 (Fed. Cir. 1983).
The appellant's specification teaches the following:
(1) a number of troughs 4 in the form of spherical cups are provided in the wall 3
(Figure 1, p. 5);
(2) various other possible geometrical forms may be used to form the troughs 4. Figure
2a shows an ellipse shape which is generated by rotation of the corresponding segment
about the axis U. Figure 2b shows a shortened cycloid shape which is generated by
rotation of the corresponding segment about an axis U offset in parallel from the
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