What may happen if Claims are broader than the limitations expressed in the specification?

When claims in a patent application are broader than the limitations expressed in the specification, they may encounter issues related to lack of enablement. The enablement requirement, set forth in 35 U.S.C. § 112, mandates that a patent application must provide sufficient detail to allow a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention without undue experimentation. If the claims extend beyond what is disclosed or supported by the specification, it indicates that the invention may not be fully enabled as claimed.

This can lead to a rejection during examination because the patent examiner could determine that the claims do not adequately reflect the scope described in the specification. Adequate enablement ensures that the claims are rooted in the technical details provided in the specification, thereby ensuring that the scope of the claims does not mislead anyone about what the inventor intended to protect.