Appeal No. 2001-1268
Application No. 09/100,698
FIG. 5-2) in a cooperative, non-contacting arrangement above a
disc surface of a rotating data storage disc (8 in FIG. 4-3)
comprising a disc facing surface (58 in FIG. 4-3, 72/74 in FIGS.
5-1 and 5-2) having four corners, an arrangement of air bearing
surfaces (38 in FIG. 4-3, 38/68 in FIG. 5-1, 66/68 in FIG. 5-2)
formed on said disc facing surface at a first height (height from
surface 58 to surface 38 in FIG. 4-3, and height from surfaces
72/74 to surfaces 38/68 in FIG. 5-1) spaced from said disc facing
surface, and at least four landing pads (62/64 in FIGS. 5-1 and
5-2) formed on said disc-facing surface, at least one each near a
respective one of said four corners, to a second height (height
from surface 58 to lower surface of element 52b in FIG. 4-3,
and height from surfaces 72/74 to lower surface of elements 62/64
in FIG. 5-1) greater than the first height, wherein the ratio of
the difference between the first and second heights to the first
height is approximately 1:10 (as shown by the figures, and as
explicitly noted in the specification at page 10, lines 16-20).
We will accept this description as identification of the
structure corresponding to the claimed “stiction reduction means
for reducing stiction...” and hold that such corresponding
structure and “equivalents thereof” must include what is shown in
instant Figures 4-3, 5-1 and 5-2, including the four landing pads
-7–
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007