T 0284/94 (Thermal printing mechanism/ELECTRONIC POSTAGE METER) du 25.11.1998

I. An amendment of a claim by the introduction of a technical feature taken in isolation from the description of a specific embodiment is not allowable under Article 123(2) EPC if it is not clear beyond any doubt for a skilled reader from the application documents as filed that the subject-matter of the claim thus amended provides a complete solution to a technical problem unambiguously recognizable from the application.

II. Nor is an amendment allowable under Article 123(2) EPC which replaces a disclosed specific feature either by its function or by a more general term and thus incorporates undisclosed equivalents into the content of the application as filed.