Appeal 2007-3546
Application 10/418,180
recording medium (Answer 5). Tanahashi teaches that the domain control
layer controls the soft magnetic under layer domains and suppresses spike
noises (Tanahashi, col. 1, l. 65 - col. 2, l. 54). The Examiner asserts that it
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
invention to add the above-noted layers taught by Tanahashi with their
functions to the perpendicular magnetic recording medium of Ozaki to
obtain the expected benefit (suppressing spike noises) of providing such
additional layers to a perpendicular magnetic recording medium as taught by
Tanahashi.
Appellants’ argument concerning the labeling of the three layers of
Tanahashi as domain control layers whereas representative claim 5 labels the
layers as under coating layer(s) and a separate domain control layer is
singularly unpersuasive absent any argumentation as to a difference in the
makeup of the layers other than the names or terminology employed to
identify the layers. For example, Appellants disclose that a Mn alloy can be
used for the domain control layer (Specification ¶ 0022). Likewise,
Tanahashi discloses the use of a Mn-containing anti-ferromagnetic layer
(col. 2, ll. 33-54). On this record, we do not find the additional arguments
presented with respect to this rejection persuasive of reversible error in the
Examiner’s rejection. It follows that we shall affirm the Examiner’s second
stated § 103(a) rejection.
In rejecting claim 8 as obvious within the meaning of § 103(a), the
Examiner relies on Sakawaki in addition to Ozaki and Sekiya. Claim 8 is
drawn to a method of manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording
medium wherein the magnetic recording layer is formed under a gas
9
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013