DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-4 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449).
Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) teach a suspension assembly (10A, see FIG. 1, for instance) comprising a load beam (11) including a proximal end terminating in a hinge (33); a gimbal assembly (15) mounted to the load beam; a base plate (13) including a distal end (22) connected to the hinge and including a first opening (upper-most 23, for instance); and a first PZT actuator (includes upper-most 40, for instance) disposed in the first opening and including first (52) and second (53) opposing ends that are mounted to first and second opposing ends of the first opening (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance) [as per claim 1]; wherein the suspension assembly further comprises the distal end of the base plate including a second opening (lower-most 23, for instance); and a second PZT actuator (includes lower-most 40, for instance) disposed in the second opening and including first (52) and second (53) opposing ends that are mounted to first and second opposing ends of the second opening (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance) [as per claims 2-4 and 7-9]; wherein the first opening is not fully enclosed by the base plate (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance); and the second opening is not fully enclosed by the base plate (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance) [as per claim 6].
Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605), however, remains silent as to “wherein the first PZT actuator comprises: an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator” as per claim 1, “wherein the second PZT actuator comprises: an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 2, “wherein: the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 3, “wherein: the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 4, “wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators: the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode” as per claim 7, “wherein each of the first and second PZT actuators comprises: a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material as per claim 8, and “wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators: no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region” as per claim 9.
Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) teach that a first PZT actuator (4000, see FIG. 37, for instance) comprising an active region (adjacent 4042) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), an inactive region (adjacent 4046 in FIG. 37, and adjacent 4047 in FIG. 40, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance) and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of a suspension (4150) than the active region (as shown in FIG. 40, for instance), PZT material (4040) disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance), and a first electrode (4032) and a second electrode (4042) configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator (by the electrode arrangement shown in FIGS. 37 and 40, for instance) [as per claim 1]; a second PZT actuator (another 4000, as shown in FIG. 40, for instance) comprising an active region (adjacent 4042 in FIG. 37, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), an inactive region (adjacent 4046 in FIG. 37, and adjacent 4047 in FIG. 40, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), PZT material (4040) disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance), and a first electrode (4032) and a second electrode (4042) configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (by the electrode arrangement shown in FIGS. 37 and 40, for instance) [as per claim 2]; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (as shown in alternative embodiment of FIG. 51, for instance) [as per claim 3]; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance) [as per claim 4]; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance) [as per claim 7]; wherein each of the first and second PZT actuators (see FIGS. 31-32, for instance) comprises a middle layer (3130) of the PZT material; a top layer (3140) of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer (3120) of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion (3142) disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion (3126) disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion (3132) disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion (3124) under the bottom layer of the PZT material [as per claim 8]; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region (as shown in alternative embodiment of FIG. 51, for instance) [as per claim 9], is a notoriously old and well known PZT actuator configuration in the suspension assembly art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have had the first PZT actuator of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; the second PZT actuator of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; each of the first and second PZT actuators of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprising a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region, as taught/suggested by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449). The rationale is as follows:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the first PZT actuator of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; the second PZT actuator of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; each of the first and second PZT actuators of Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) comprising a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region, as taught/suggested by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), since such is a notoriously old and well known PZT actuator configuration in the suspension assembly art as shown by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), and selecting a known PZT actuator configuration on the basis of its suitability for the intended use is considered to be within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Claims 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449).
Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) teach a suspension assembly (20B, see FIG. 6, for instance) comprising a load beam (61) including a proximal end terminating in a hinge (76); a gimbal assembly (31) mounted to the load beam; a base plate (60) including a distal end connected to the hinge and including a first opening (71); and a first PZT actuator (includes lower-most 30, for instance) disposed in the first opening and including first (30a) and second (30b) opposing ends that are mounted to first and second opposing ends of the first opening (as shown in FIG. 6, for instance) [as per claim 1]; wherein the suspension assembly further comprises the distal end of the base plate including a second opening (opposite 71); and a second PZT actuator (includes upper-most 30, for instance) disposed in the second opening and including first (30a) and second (30b) opposing ends that are mounted to first and second opposing ends of the second opening (as shown in FIG. 1, for instance) [as per claims 2-4 and 7-9]; wherein the first opening is fully enclosed (by lower-most 70) by the base plate (as shown in FIG. 6, for instance); and the second opening is fully enclosed (by upper-most 70) by the base plate (as shown in FIG. 6, for instance) [as per claim 5].
Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472), however, remains silent as to “wherein the first PZT actuator comprises: an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator” as per claim 1, “wherein the second PZT actuator comprises: an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 2, “wherein: the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 3, “wherein: the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator” as per claim 4, “wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators: the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode” as per claim 7, “wherein each of the first and second PZT actuators comprises: a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material as per claim 8, and “wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators: no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region” as per claim 9.
Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) teach that a first PZT actuator (4000, see FIG. 37, for instance) comprising an active region (adjacent 4042) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), an inactive region (adjacent 4046 in FIG. 37, and adjacent 4047 in FIG. 40, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance) and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of a suspension (4150) than the active region (as shown in FIG. 40, for instance), PZT material (4040) disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance), and a first electrode (4032) and a second electrode (4042) configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator (by the electrode arrangement shown in FIGS. 37 and 40, for instance) [as per claim 1]; a second PZT actuator (another 4000, as shown in FIG. 40, for instance) comprising an active region (adjacent 4042 in FIG. 37, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), an inactive region (adjacent 4046 in FIG. 37, and adjacent 4047 in FIG. 40, for instance) extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator (see FIG. 40, for instance), PZT material (4040) disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance), and a first electrode (4032) and a second electrode (4042) configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (by the electrode arrangement shown in FIGS. 37 and 40, for instance) [as per claim 2]; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (as shown in alternative embodiment of FIG. 51, for instance) [as per claim 3]; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance) [as per claim 4]; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode (as shown in FIG. 37, for instance) [as per claim 7]; wherein each of the first and second PZT actuators (see FIGS. 31-32, for instance) comprises a middle layer (3130) of the PZT material; a top layer (3140) of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer (3120) of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion (3142) disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion (3126) disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion (3132) disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion (3124) under the bottom layer of the PZT material [as per claim 8]; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region (as shown in alternative embodiment of FIG. 51, for instance) [as per claim 9], is a notoriously old and well known PZT actuator configuration in the suspension assembly art.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have had the first PZT actuator of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; the second PZT actuator of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; each of the first and second PZT actuators of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprising a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region, as taught/suggested by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449). The rationale is as follows:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have had the first PZT actuator of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the first PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the first PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; the second PZT actuator of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprise an active region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the second PZT actuator, PZT material disposed in the active region and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator, and a first electrode and a second electrode configured to cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the active region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator, and configured to not cause active expansion and contraction of the PZT material in the inactive region of the second PZT actuator in response to voltage differentials applied to the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein the inactive region of the first PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the first PZT actuator; and the inactive region of the second PZT actuator lacks at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode of the second PZT actuator; wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, the PZT material in the active region is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and the PZT material in the inactive region is not disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; each of the first and second PZT actuators of Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) comprising a middle layer of the PZT material; a top layer of the PZT material disposed over the middle layer of PZT material; a bottom layer of the PZT material disposed under the middle layer of PZT material; wherein in the active region, the first electrode has a first portion disposed over the top layer of PZT material, and a second portion disposed between the middle layer of the PZT material and the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein in the active region, the second electrode has a first portion disposed between the top layer of the PZT material and the middle layer of the PZT material and a second portion under the bottom layer of the PZT material; and wherein for each of the first and second PZT actuators, no portion of the first electrode is disposed in the inactive region; and no portion of the second electrode is disposed in the inactive region, as taught/suggested by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), since such is a notoriously old and well known PZT actuator configuration in the suspension assembly art as shown by Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), and selecting a known PZT actuator configuration on the basis of its suitability for the intended use is considered to be within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06 November 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the rejection of claims 1-4 and 6-9 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), the applicant argues that Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) do not teach nor suggest “an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region.”
This argument, however, in not found to be persuasive as Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) teach an embodiment (see FIG. 40, for instance) where an inactive region (4047) extends between first and second opposing ends of a first PZT actuator (4000) and is disposed in closer proximity to a first side of a suspension (4150) than an active region (adjacent 4042). When incorporating the teaching(s) of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) into Nishida et al. (US 2002/0075605), a person of ordinary skill would necessarily dispose the inactive region in closer proximity to a first side of the suspension than the active region, and thereby also dispose the inactive region in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region.
With respect to the rejection of claims 1-5 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449), the applicant argues that Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472) in view of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) do not teach nor suggest “an inactive region extending between the first and second opposing ends of the first PZT actuator and disposed in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region.”
This argument, however, in not found to be persuasive as Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) teach an embodiment (see FIG. 40, for instance) where an inactive region (4047) extends between first and second opposing ends of a first PZT actuator (4000) and is disposed in closer proximity to a first side of a suspension (4150) than an active region (adjacent 4042). When incorporating the teaching(s) of Glaess et al. (US 11,205,449) into Okamoto et al. (US 6,731,472), a person of ordinary skill would necessarily dispose the inactive region in closer proximity to a first side of the suspension than the active region, and thereby also dispose the inactive region in closer proximity to a first side of the base plate than the active region.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Craig A. Renner whose telephone number is (571) 272-7580. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM - 7:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached at (571) 270-1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CRAIG A. RENNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688