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The words „comprising“, „consisting of“ or „containing“ count among the most discussed words in the patent-related case-law.

In the decision T 0056/08 the respondent/opponent had argued that an amendment from „to comprise“ to „to contain“ infringes Art. 123(2) EPC.

Respondent’s argument that the verb „to contain“ has a more restrictive meaning than the verb „to comprise“, the Board would point out that the general meaning of the verb „to contain“ is „to have in it“, „to hold“, „to include“, „to encompass“ or „to comprise“.

Entscheidung der Beschwerdekammer des Europäischen Patentamts

http://www.epo.org/law-practice/case-law-appeals/pdf/t080056eu1.pdf