Appeal 2006-3055
Application 10/440,124
The engine of claim 7 includes a retaining plate having at least one notch
“engaging the at least one camshaft between the first and second ends.”
The specification does not provide any definition for “notch.”
A common meaning of “notch” is “a V-shaped indentation or hollow (as in a
surface or edge).” Webster’s Third International Dictionary (unabridged) 1543
G. & C. Merriam Co., 1971 (excerpt attached).
We find that one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention
would have understood “notch,” in view of the specification, to have meant an
indentation on the edge of the retaining plate.
Frank discloses an engine 10 having a camshaft member 22 and a camshaft
thrust plate 62 (Frank, Figure 1, col. 1, ll. 66-69 and col. 2, l. 27).
The only description provided by Frank of the camshaft thrust plate 62 is as
follows: “The camshaft thrust plate 62 is also formed to include passages 63 and
engine wall 52 is cut back as at 64 to insure the accessibility of lubricant in the
vicinity of the eccentric 36, bushing 44 and control arm 30.” (Frank, col. 2, ll. 27-
31).
The only depiction of the camshaft thrust plate 62 is in Figure 1 of Frank.
Figure 1 shows that camshaft 22 has a wider diameter to the right side and a
narrower diameter to the left side of camshaft thrust plate 62. As such, camshaft
thrust plate 62 is disposed in engine 10 so that it prevents camshaft 22 from
moving in the left direction but it does not prevent camshaft 22 from moving in the
right direction (Frank, Figure 1).
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