Appeal No. 97-2035
Application 08/161,234
through the spindle was not well known, but simply argues that
Abo does not disclose a closed path from the slider to the
disk.
The applicants’ argument is misplaced. Abo was relied on
by the examiner only to support the factual finding that an
electrical connection from the disk to the housing through the
spindle was well known. Abo itself does not have to
illustrate every feature of the applicants’ claimed invention.
The rejection is based on the combination of Horiuchi and Abo.
Horiuchi discloses grounding the slider to the housing.
We agree with the examiner’s reasoning that in light of the
known connection from the disk to the housing through the
spindle, it would have been obvious to connect the slider to
the disk, as an alternative connection of the slider to the
housing. The connection of the slider to the disk necessarily
completes an electrically conducting path between the slider
and the disk.
To the extent that some magnetic drive assemblies may not
have an electrical connection between the disk and the housing
through the spindle, it should be noted that the applicants’
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