Appeal No. 2005-0661
Application No. 09/894,480
engagement the lower surface of the recess 12 in the
arm 9. The two abutments 18 engage respective
abutments 5 on the pillar 4.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring 21 shaped
similar to a letter C contacts a radiused surface 22 of
the arm 9 and a similar radiused surface 23 of pillar
4. The spring is formed to exert an inward force on
the arm 9 keeping the rolling member 17 held closely in
abutment with both the pillar 4 and the base of the
recess 12 in the arm. FIG. 2 shows that the spring 21
is formed with small flats 24 which are parallel when
in contact with the radiused surfaces 22 and 23. When
the angle of the arm 9 is such that the flexible plate
7 is in its unstressed flat form, the position of the
radiused surfaces 22 and 23 are such that the line of
action 25 exerted by the spring 21 passes directly
through the points of abutment between the rocker
member 17 both at its abutments 18 and its rolling
surface 19.
The provision of the rocking member 17 with its
rolling surface 19 engaging the arm 9 as well as the
rolling contact with the abutments 5 avoids any slip
between the abutting surfaces as the pivot arm rotates
and flexes the plate 7.
. . .
In use, the arm assembly will rotate through a
limited angular displacement as the abutments 18 roll
around the abutments 5 on the pillar 4 thereby
permitting the head 10 to move across the disk 2.
During this movement the flexure plate 7 will deflect
as shown in FIG. 3 but due to the rolling contact of
surface 19 on the arm 9 . . . the flexing of the plate
7 is accommodated without causing any slipping between
the abutting surfaces of the arm 9, pillar 4 and
intermediate member 17. It is preferred that the
curvature and dimensions of the intermediate member 17
are such as to permit pivoting or rolling movement
between the member 17 and the arm 9 at approximately
the centre of curvature of the rolling engagement
between the member 17 and the pillar 4 [column 5, line
12, through column 6, line 13].
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Last modified: November 3, 2007