Sumitomo Corp. of America v. United States

18 Ct. Int'l Trade 501, 855 F. Supp. 1283, 18 C.I.T. 501, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1715, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 103
CourtUnited States Court of International Trade
DecidedJune 2, 1994
DocketCourt No. 92-03-00165
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 18 Ct. Int'l Trade 501 (Sumitomo Corp. of America v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of International Trade primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sumitomo Corp. of America v. United States, 18 Ct. Int'l Trade 501, 855 F. Supp. 1283, 18 C.I.T. 501, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1715, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 103 (cit 1994).

Opinion

Opinion

Carman, Judge:

Plaintiff, Sumitomo Corporation of America, challenges the classification and liquidation of its imported merchandise pursuant to section 515 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, 19 U.S.C. § 1515(a) (1988). This Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) (1988) and, for the reasons which follow, enters judgment for plaintiff.

I. Background

A. The Merchandise:

The merchandise at issue in this case consists of voice coil positioning devices (VCPDs) manufactured for use in computer hard magnetic disk drives. A VCPD is a component of a computer disk memory unit. Aff. of Marlon Feiger (Feiger Aff.) at ¶ 7. Such units use “a combination of mechanical and electronic components to permit fast access to large quantities of data by the central processing unit.” Id.

Among the components found in a computer disk memory unit are read/write heads, which write data onto and retrieve data from mag[502]*502netic memory media, such as computer disks. Id,.; Aff. of Ashok K. Desai (Desai Aff.) at ¶ 6. The read/write heads function in conjunction with actuators,1 which in turn are part of a positioning system that moves the heads to precise locations in order to access a particular track on the computer disk. Feiger Aff. at ¶ 7; Desai Aff. at ¶ 6. The disk itself sits “mounted on a precision spindle and rotates at high speed.” Feiger Aff. at ¶ 7.

VCPDs are one type of actuator used in the read/write head positioning system. Id. a^8;DesaiAff.a^6. “VCPDs are linear or rotary actuators that are driven by voice coil motors * * * in conjunction with servo systems which sense position information from the disks.” Desai Aff. at ¶ 7. The voice coil motor within the VCPD “consists of a frame in which sit a copper covered core, magnets on either side, and a wire-wound coil and arm attached to a fixed fulcrum.” Decl. of Paul Doemeny (Doemeny Decl.) at ¶ 7. The copper core and magnets create a magnetic field around the core in which lies the coil. Desai Aff. at ¶ 14. Varying the electricity supplied to the coil exerts force on the coil, causing it to move back and forth. See Id. at ¶¶ 7,14; Feiger Aff. at ¶ 9. The coil’s motion, in turn, causes the VCPD’s arm to pivot on the fulcrum, thereby setting in motion a carriage arm to which the read/write heads are attached. See Desai Aff. at ¶ 15; Feiger Aff. at ¶¶ 16-18. The motion of the carriage arm thus prompts the read/write heads to interact with the magnetic memory media used in the computer. See Desai Aff. at ¶ 15.

B. Statutory Provisions:

Plaintiff relies on the following provisions of the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS):

1. Schedule 6 Part 4, Subpart G (1987):
Item 676.30 Office machines not specially provided for * * *
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Parts of the foregoing:
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Item 676.54.55 Parts of automatic data-processing machines and units thereof, other than parts incorporating a cathode ray tube * * *.
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Other:
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Other * * *.
[503]*5032. General Headnotes and Rules of Interpretation (1986 & 1987):
10. General Interpretative Rules: For the purposes of these schedules—
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(ij) aprovision for “parts” of an article covers a product solely or chiefly used as a part of such article, but does not prevail over a specific provision for such part.2
Defendant relies on the following TSUS provision:
Schedule 6, Part 5 (1986 & 1987):
Generators, motors, motor-generators, converters (rotary or static), transformers, rectifiers and rectifying apparatus, and inductors; all the foregoing which are electrical goods, and parts thereof:
Hi H* H* H« H* H*
Motors:
Of under 1/40 horsepower:
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Item 682.25 Other * * *.
* Hi Hi Hi H* H« Hi
Other * * *.
In addition, the following TSUS provision is relevant to the Court’s discussion:
Schedule 6, Part 4, Subpart G (1986):
Item 676.30 Office machines not specially provided for Hi Hi Hi
Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi
Parts of the foregoing:
Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi
Item 676.52 Other * * *.
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Parts of computers and automatic data-processing machines and units thereof:
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Other * * *.3

C. Customs’ Classification:

The United States Customs Service (Customs) classified the subject merchandise under item 682.25, TSUS. Item 682.25 applies to “[g]ener-[504]*504ators, motors, motor-generators, converters (rotary or static), transformers, rectifiers and rectifying apparatus, and inductors; all the foregoing which are electrical goods, and parts thereof: * * *. Motors: Of under 1/40 horsepower: * * *. Other* * *. Other* * Pursuant to this item, Customs imposed duties totalling 7.3% or 6.6% ad valorem, depending on date of entry.

Plaintiff filed timely protests pursuant to 19 U.S.C. § 1514(a) (1988) to contest Customs’ classification. Customs subsequently denied the protests under 19 U.S.C. § 1515 (1988) and, after having paid all liquidated duties, plaintiff commenced this action within the time allowedby law. This Court has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1581(a) (1988).

II. Contentions of the Parties

A. Plaintiff:

Plaintiff advances several arguments in support of its position. First, plaintiff contends the parties’ dispute only raises questions of law that the Court may resolve by summary judgment. Pl.’s Br. at 5-6. Specifically, plaintiff claims the Court need only assess the scope of the tariff item under which Customs classified the subject merchandise and the applicability of the item upon which plaintiff relies. Id. at 6.

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18 Ct. Int'l Trade 501, 855 F. Supp. 1283, 18 C.I.T. 501, 16 I.T.R.D. (BNA) 1715, 1994 Ct. Intl. Trade LEXIS 103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sumitomo-corp-of-america-v-united-states-cit-1994.