Appeal 2007-2176
Application 10/309,852
the outer overclad tube so that a distal end of the core rod is
blocked from sliding downward by the plug;
positioning the distal end of the outer overclad tube for
entry into a mouth of a furnace;
lowering the distal end of the outer overclad tube with
the inserted core rod, the plug and the fusible fixing member
into the furnace;
heating the distal end of the outer overclad tube in the
furnace until the plug, the fixing member and the outer overclad
tube soften and fuse with one another; and
collapsing the outer overclad tube onto the core rod
inside the furnace.
24. A method of drawing an optical fiber, comprising:
assembling and preparing an optical fiber preform
according to the method of claim 17; and
drawing an optical fiber from the preform after the
collapsing step.
In proceedings before the Office, a claim is given the broadest
construction that is reasonable in view of the specification; however,
limitations may not be read into the claims from the specification.6
Furukawa has not pointed us to definitions in the specification that would
require further limitation of a claim term. In particular, Furukawa has not
pointed us to an express definition of the claim term "fusible fixing
member".
The claims use the transitional term "comprising", which opens each
claim to the inclusion of additional steps.7 The steps of a method claim are
6 In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 1186, 26 USPQ2d 1057, 1059 (Fed. Cir.
1993).
7 Moleculon Res. Corp. v. CBS, Inc., 793 F.2d 1261, 1271, 229 USPQ 805,
812 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
3
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