Opinion ID: 6112100
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: “Main Storage Chamber”

Text: Finally, the parties dispute whether a reference, Pedicini, teaches the claimed “main storage chamber.” Based on the parties’ agreement, the ALJ construed “main storage chamber” to mean “a chamber that is distinct from the volume of the cylinder and contains part of the working air volume during operation.” J.A. 229. The ALJ found Pedicini does not disclose a distinct main storage chamber because it only disclosed one component—air chamber 13. J.A. 138–39. Based in part on that finding, the ALJ held the asserted claims would not have been obvious over Pedicini in combination with other references. Koki claims the ALJ’s finding about Pedicini’s teachings, which we review for substantial evidence, see Norgren Inc. v. Int’l Trade Comm’n, 699 F.3d 1317, 1321–22 (Fed. Cir. 2012), was based on an erroneous application of the agreed-upon claim construction. We do not agree. The ALJ’s analysis is supported by substantial evidence and is consistent with the agreed-upon construction. The specification describes the “main storage chamber” as distinct from the working cylinder, a.k.a., the “hollow Case: 20-1046 Document: 87 Page: 23 Filed: 01/21/2022 KYOCERA SENCO INDUS. TOOLS INC v. ITC 23 cylinder.” See, e.g., ’718 patent claim 1, 8:29–41. That is, the claims require two distinct structures: the main storage volume and a smaller “hollow cylinder” contained within the main storage volume. The agreed-upon construction confirms that requirement, noting the “main storage chamber” must be “distinct from the volume of the cylinder,” i.e., the hollow cylinder. J.A. 229. It was not error, therefore, for the ALJ to require Pedicini to disclose two separate structures for it to teach the “main storage chamber” limitation. And substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s finding that Pedicini has only one structure. The Pedicini figure upon which Koki relies shows a single structure. See J.A. 136–41 (discussing J.A. 2616, which is an annotation of figure 1 in Pedicini, see J.A. 2460).