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Keywords

hearingpatentcase law

patent

Related Cases

Bettcher Industries, Inc. v. Bunzl USA, Inc., Not Reported in Fed. Supp., 2009 WL 10656206, 2009 Markman 10656206

Facts

The case involves a dispute over the definition of the term 'frustoconical' in a patent. Both parties submitted detailed Markman briefs and participated in a hearing to narrow down the disputed claim terms. The term 'frustoconical' is not explicitly defined in the patent, leading to reliance on dictionary definitions and case law for interpretation. The parties presented differing views on the definition, with Bunzl providing a specific definition and Bettcher arguing for a broader interpretation.

Issue

What is the proper definition of the term 'frustoconical' as it applies to the patent in question?

Rule

The claims of a patent define the scope of the invention, and while terms may not be defined in the patent, dictionary definitions can assist in understanding their commonly understood meanings. Courts may consult dictionary definitions as long as they do not contradict any definitions found in the patent documents.

The claims of a patent define the scope of the invention. Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1312 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc). However, frustoconical is not defined in the patent at issue in this case.

Analysis

In this case, the court analyzed the term 'frustoconical' by considering both the patent's drawings and the definitions provided by the parties. The court noted that while the specific embodiment in the patent displays truncated right circular cones, the ordinary meaning of 'frustoconical' is not limited to this definition. The court emphasized that the interpretation should reflect engineering realities rather than strict mathematical precision.

Conclusion

The court adopted the broader definition of 'frustoconical' as proposed by Bettcher, concluding that it encompasses more than just right circular cones.

This Court adopts the more general definition offered by Bettcher.

Who won?

Bettcher prevailed in this case as the court agreed with their broader interpretation of 'frustoconical.' The court found that the ordinary meaning of the term is not limited to right circular cones, which aligns with Bettcher's argument. The court's reasoning emphasized the importance of engineering realities in the interpretation of patent claims, leading to a favorable outcome for Bettcher.

Bettcher prevailed in this case as the court agreed with their broader interpretation of 'frustoconical.'

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