In re: Smith International, Inc., No. 16-2303 (Fed. Cir. 2017)
Annotate this CaseSmith’s 817 patent, entitled “Expandable Underreamer/Stabilizer,” is directed to a downhole drilling tool for oil and gas operations. It describes an “expandable tool 500” having “a generally cylindrical tool body 510 with a flowbore 508 extending therethrough” and “one or more moveable, non-pivotable tool arms 520.” The Patent Board affirmed the rejection of certain claims in an ex parte examination, interpreting the term “body” as a broad term that may encompass other components such as “mandrel” and “cam sleeve.” The Federal Circuit reversed. The Board’s construction of “body” was unreasonably broad. Even when giving claim terms their broadest reasonable interpretation, the Board cannot construe the claims “so broadly that its constructions are unreasonable under general claim construction principles.” The challenged claims were not unpatentable as obvious.
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