Appeal No. 96-4203
Application No. 08/409,550
(Answer, page 3) that Matsuzaki ‘910 does not show an inner
air bearing surface “coincident with the longitudinal edge of
the slider.”
Okita discloses a slider (Figures 1 through 8) in which
both of the air bearing members are coincident with the
longitudinal edge of the slider.
According to the examiner (Answer, page 4), “it would
have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the
time the invention was made to move the inner rail of
Matsuzaki over in order to be coincident with the longitudinal
edge . . . because doing this would help to stiffen the slider
and increase the stability of the slider.”
Appellant acknowledges (Brief, page 14) that it is known
to locate “both air bearing rails coincident with a slider
edge,” but argues (Brief, pages 14 and 15) that impermissible
hindsight would be needed on the part of the examiner to pick
and choose from known features “in order to rebuild a prior
device in the manner to provide for the first time an
apparatus/method as claimed by appellant.”
In the absence of a teaching or a suggestion in the
applied references or a convincing line of reasoning by the
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Last modified: November 3, 2007