Appeal No. 1998-2494
Application No. 08/521,363
of a magnetic layer composed of CoCr Ta , and indeed that a media coercivity of more
16 4
than 2280 oersteds would reasonably be expected to correspond to a fluctuation field of
15 or more oersteds. While the magnetic film composition may be similar to materials
disclosed by Murayama, the magnetic film thickness was 25 nm in each case. As
appellants suggest, the magnetic film thicknesses of what may be similar materials in the
reference are disclosed as substantially more than 25 nm. See, for example, column 8,
lines 39 through 46 and lines 53 through 63 of Murayama. A magnetic film thickness of 25
nm (250 D) is disclosed in one embodiment (see column 7, line 41 through column 8, line
37), but the Cr content is substantially less than in the materials disclosed by appellants.
Here, we will not speculate with regard to what Murayama may have suggested to the
artisan; the rejection is based upon anticipation rather than obviousness.
If Cr content of the magnetic layer and media coercivity determined fluctuation field
of the magnetic layer, then we could reasonably conclude that materials disclosed by
Murayama are within at least the scope of appellants’ claim 1. However, we agree with
appellants that factors other than Cr content and media coercivity contribute to fluctuation
field of the magnetic layer, in view of the evidence before us. Claims 2 and 3 each set
forth requirements for fluctuation field which are greater than the 15 oersteds required by
claim 1. We therefore do not sustain the rejection of claims 1-3 over Murayama, nor the
rejection of dependent claims 4-7 and 11-17.
-6-
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007