Abstract: A support assembly (12) for an exposure apparatus (10) is provided herein. The support assembly (12) supports the components of the exposure apparatus (10) above a mounting base (32). The exposure apparatus (10) includes noisy components (42) and quiet components (44). The support assembly (12) includes an outer frame (34) and an inner frame (36). As provided herein, the outer frame (34) supports some of the components of the exposure apparatus (10) and the inner frame (36) supports some of the components of the exposure apparatus (10). Preferably, the outer frame (34) is used to support the quiet components (44) while the inner frame (36) is used to support the noisy components (42). Uniquely, a portion of the inner frame (36) is positioned within a portion of the outer frame (34). As a result of this design, both frames (34) (36) can effectively be mounted at the same mounting locations 37 of the mounting base (32). Further, the overall space taken up by the frames (34) (36) is minimized.

Abstract: A cooling system (27) for use with a storage system (10) having a storage device (18) includes a drive rail (22), a rail channel (24) that is adjacent to and at least partly bounded by the drive rail (22), and a fluid source (20) that provides a fluid to remove heat from the storage system (10). The storage device (18) is coupled to the drive rail (22). As the storage device (18) operates it generates heat. At least a portion of the fluid from the fluid source (20) is moved through the rail channel (24) to remove the heat from the storage system (10).

Abstract: A stage assembly (10) for moving and positioning a device (26) is provided herein. The stage assembly (10) includes a stage base (12), a stage (14), a stage mover assembly (16), and a reaction assembly (18). The stage mover assembly (16) moves the stage (14) along an X axis and along a Y axis relative to the stage base (12). The reaction assembly (18) is coupled to the stage mover assembly (16). Uniquely, the reaction assembly (18) reduces the reaction forces created by the stage mover assembly (16) in three degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base (12). As provided herein, the reaction assembly (18) includes a first reaction mass (88) and a second reaction mass (90) that move independently along the X axis, along the Y axis and about a Z axis. With this design, stage mover assembly (16) has less influence upon the position of the stage base (12). These features allow for more accurate positioning of the device (26) by the stage assembly (10) and better performance of the stage assembly (10).

Abstract: A disk drive includes a storage disk, a head stack assembly and a fluid deflector. The head stack assembly includes a transducer assembly. The fluid deflector includes a deflector finger that deflects turbulent fluid flow away from the transducer assembly. The fluid deflector can include one or more landing pads that inhibit the slider from landing on the storage disk. The deflector finger can include a side that remains in close proximity to the slider during operation of the disk drive.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a read/write head/slider assembly adjacent to a rotating storage disk with dynamically adjustable flying height for use within a hard disk drive is provided. The suspension assembly includes a generally elongated loadbeam that has a baseplate defined at a first end thereof and a gimbaled flexure portion defined at a second end thereof. The flexure portion includes a pair of flexure legs and a flexure tongue. The pair of flexure legs extend from the flexure tongue and each leg attaches to an opposite side of the loadbeam. The flexure tongue generally provides a mounting surface for the read/write head/slider assembly. Strips of thermal-expansion material are attached to the flexure portion. These strips are connected to a power source via a power conductor. When the strips are energized, they expand and deform a portion of the flexure portion.

Abstract: A stage assembly (10) for moving and positioning a device (26) is provided herein. The stage assembly (10) includes a stage base (12), a stage (14), a stage mover assembly (16), and a reaction assembly (18). The stage mover assembly (16) moves the stage (14) along an X axis and along a Y axis relative to the stage base (12). The reaction assembly (18) is coupled to the stage mover assembly (16). Uniquely, the reaction assembly (18) counteracts and reduces the reaction forces created by the stage mover assembly (16) in two degrees of freedom that are transferred to a reaction base (102). With this design, stage mover assembly (16) has less influence upon the position of the stage base (12). These features allow for more accurate positioning of the device (26) by the stage assembly (10) and better performance of the stage assembly (10).

Abstract: A tape drive (10) and cartridge (22) combination is provided herein. The tape drive (10) and cartridge (22) include an improved buckle (30) that securely couples a drive leader (32) of the tape drive (10) to a cartridge leader (28) of the cartridge (22) and inhibits half-ear situations. As provided herein, the buckle (30) includes a first buckle component (54) and a second buckle component (56) that securely couple the leaders (28) (32). More specifically, the first buckle component (54) includes a receiver (60) and the second buckle component (56) includes a tab (58) that engages the receiver (60) to securely couple the leaders (28) (32). The tab (58) has a nose (62) and a neck (64). The nose (62) includes a pair of opposed proximal edges (69) that cantilever away from the neck (64) and engage the receiver (60) to couple buckle components (54) (56). Importantly, the opposed proximal edges (69) of the nose (62) are curved.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a tape library (10) and a cartridge magazine (22) for transferring cartridges (24) to and from a tape library (10), without interrupting the operation of the tape library (10). The cartridge magazine (22) is sized and shaped to selectively fit within a load port (20) of the tape library (10). Further, the cartridge magazine (22) selectively retains at least two cartridges (24) simultaneously. With this design, the cartridge magazine (22) allows for the bulk transfer of cartridges (24) into and out of a tape library (10) without interrupting the operation of the tape library (10). Further, the cartridge magazine (22) provides temporary or permanent storage of a set of cartridges (24) containing a particular data set.

Abstract: A drive housing (24) including a housing cover wall (56), a housing base wall (53) having at least one wall aperture (32), and one or more housing side walls (54) that secure the housing base wall (53) to the housing cover wall (56). The drive housing (24) also includes at least one connector (28) that carries electrical signals through the drive housing (24). Each connector (28) extends through a corresponding wall aperture (32). The drive housing (24) also includes a sealer (30) that seals each connector (28) to the housing base wall (53). The housing base wall (53) has a wall coefficient of thermal expansion, and the sealer (30) has a sealer coefficient of thermal expansion. Preferably, the wall coefficient of thermal expansion is substantially similar to the sealer coefficient of thermal expansion. As a consequence, leakage of gas through the drive housing (24) of the disk drive (10) is significantly reduced.

Abstract: An improved E-block for positioning one or more transducer assemblies proximate one or more rotating storage disks of a disk drive is provided herein. The E-block includes an actuator hub and one or more actuator arms which cantilever away from the actuator hub for holding the transducer assemblies proximate the rotating storage disks. As provided herein, at least one of the actuator arms is a depopulated actuator arm which retains less than two transducer assemblies. Each depopulated actuator arm includes at least one, weighted segment integrally formed into the depopulated actuator arm. Further, each depopulated actuator arm has an arm thickness which is less than an arm thickness for a double head actuator arm. The weighted segment and the reduced arm thickness allow the depopulated actuator arm(s) to vibrate similar to a populated actuator arm(s). This allows the disk drive to be designed and tuned to improve fragility and resonance characteristics of the E-block.

Abstract: A support assembly (12) for an exposure apparatus (10) includes a frame assembly (34), an elevator assembly (36) and a pivot assembly (38) for supporting at least one subassembly above an isolation base (32). The elevator assembly (36) selectively lifts the frame assembly (34) and the subassembly relative to the isolation base (32). Further, the pivot assembly (38) allows a portion of the frame assembly (34) and the subassembly to be rotated relative to the isolation base (32). As a result of this design, the subassemblies of the exposure apparatus (10) can be removed relatively easily for service and adjustment.

Abstract: A optical assembly (10) for directing and/or focusing a beam of light energy (11) for an exposure apparatus (28) is provided herein. The optical assembly (10) includes one or more optical sections (12) which are assembled together. At least one of the optical sections (12) includes an optical housing (14) having an inner wall (15) which defines a optical chamber (16). One or more optical elements (18) can be secured to the optical housing (14) of each optical section (12). Additionally, each optical section (12) can include a plurality of outlet ports (20) and a plurality of inlet ports (22) for purging the optical chamber (16). The inlet ports (22) and the outlet ports (20) are uniquely positioned to minimize the time required to purge the optical assembly (10) and the amount of replacement fluid (24) used to purge the optical assembly (10).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disk drive (10) including determining and implementing skew values for each head (12a-12d) of the disk drive (10) during a production test phase is provided herein. The method for each head (12a-12d) includes initiating a head switch test series, measuring a head switch time, computing an average head switch time, computing a standard deviation of the head switch times, and computing a head skew based on the average and the standard deviation of the head switch times. The method for each head (12a-12d) further includes initiating a single-cylinder seek test, measuring a single-cylinder seek time, computing an average single-cylinder seek time, computing a standard deviation of the single-cylinder seek times, and computing a cylinder skew based on the average and the standard deviation of the single cylinder seek times.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a storage system (10) including at least two tape libraries (11) and a transport mechanism (22) for transferring cartridges (20) between the tape libraries (11). The transport mechanism (22) includes a frame (64), a transporter (68) and a mover (66). The transporter (68) is sized and shaped to retain the cartridge (20). The mover (66) moves the transporter (68) along the frame (64). Additionally, the mover (66) pivots at least a portion of the transporter (68) between a first, almost horizontal, load/unload position (70A), a transport position (72) and a second, almost horizontal load/unload position (70B) during movement between the tape libraries (11). Further, the transport mechanism (22) includes a latch (140) that selectively retains the cartridge (20) in the transporter (68) during movement between the tape libraries (11).

Abstract: A stage assembly (10) for moving and positioning a device (24) includes a stage base (12), a first stage frame (40), and a second stage frame (66). The stage assembly (10) also includes a pair of X movers (82) (84), and a first stage Y mover (86) that precisely move the first stage frame (40) relative to the stage base (12). Uniquely, the first stage frame (40) is guideless along the X axis, along the Y axis and about the Z axis. With this design, movers (82) (84) (86) can precisely control the position of the first stage frame (40) along the X axis, along the Y axis and about the Z axis. Further, current to the X movers (82) (84) is varied according to the position of the second stage frame (66) relative to the first stage frame (40). These features allow for more accurate positioning of the device (24) by the stage assembly (10) and better performance of the stage assembly (10).

Abstract: A tall-electrode trace interconnect array includes a dielectric support substrate for supporting least two tall-electrode trace conductors. A dielectric support structure on the support substrate supports outside longitudinal walls of the two tall-electrode trace conductors. The dielectric support structure is formed to be absent from a longitudinal space between the two tall-electrode trace conductors thereby defining an ambient air dielectric to reduce and control inter-electrode capacitance and increase resonant frequency and effective electrical bandwidth of the trace interconnect array. A method for forming the array is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for improving servo seek settling performance by selectively activating a gain enhancement control signal during settling. As an actuator approaches a target location, absolute position and velocity of the read/write transducer head are monitored. If the absolute position changes absolute values (positive to negative or vice-versa) or the velocity approaches zero, the gain enhancement control signal is activated and combined with a nominal actuator control signal to further urge the actuator towards the target location. The gain enhancement control signal decays exponentially so as not to excite mechanical resonance of the actuator arms.

Abstract: A cartridge adapter (16) that allows for a smaller form factor cartridge (14) to be used with a tape drive (12) is provided herein. The cartridge (14) includes a cartridge reel (18) and a reel lock (22). The reel lock (22) is movable between a locked position (26) and an unlocked position (24). The tape drive includes a receiver (34) and a release (28). The release (28) is movable relative to the receiver (34). The cartridge adapter (16) includes an adapter housing (100) and a transfer device (30). The adapter housing (100) fits within the receiver (34). The adapter housing (100) includes a cartridge slot (116) that receives the cartridge (14). As provided herein, the transfer device (30) includes a first device section (122) that engages the release (28) and a second device section (124) that engages the reel lock (22) so that movement of the release (28) results in movement of the reel lock (22).

Abstract: A positioning stage assembly having a coarse stage which includes a planar motor driveable in at least two degrees of freedom, and a fine stage positioned on the coarse stage which is driveable in at least three degrees of freedom with respect to the coarse stage. More preferably, the fine stage is driveable in six degrees of freedom and includes variable reluctance actuators for positioning in three degrees of freedom.

Abstract: A take-up reel for use in a tape drive for minimizing print through errors, or data transfer from one layer of tape on the take-up reel to an adjacent layer of tape on the take-up reel. The take-up reel is configured to allowing portions of the buckle, coupling the take-up leader to the supply leader, to recess into the take-up reel. The relatively even and concentric configuration of leaders tape and buckle when wound onto the take-up reel prevents the application of significant non-uniform pressure to the data tape wound thereover, which reduces print through sources of data error.