Appeal No. 2003-0599
Application 09/362,149
single web of material (e.g., metal) and includes a proximal end
(14) having attachment structure (16) including a hole (36) in
which the actuator spindle (18) is received in fixed relation
(specification, page 7).
Appellants’ specification indicates, on several occasions,
that an objective of the invention is to provide a novel disk
drive suspension of simplified assembly including an actuator
arm-free mountable load beam that attaches directly to the
actuator spindle at its proximal end, supports a flexure formed
of a flexible conductive laminate adjacent its distal end, and
provides a flexure limiter and lift cam integrated with the load
beam at its distal end. By contrast, and contrary to the
examiner’s determination (answer, page 6), the actuator arm (26)
of McIlvanie is a two-piece structure having an arm portion (40)
and a suspension member (44) attached to the arm portion (40) via
spot welds (45). See particularly, column 2, lines 51-58, of
McIlvanie. Like appellants, we view the arm portion (40) of
McIlvanie as being an actuator arm analogous to the actuator arm
(34) of Simmons connected to the rotary actuator and the
suspension member (44) as being the “load beam” associated with
the slider or read/write head of the disk drive and providing a
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