Abstract: A disk drive having a drive housing, a storage disk that is rotatably coupled to the drive housing, and a slider assembly that includes a head and a slider mover. The head reads data from the storage disk during a read operation and writes data to the storage disk during a write operation. The slider mover maintains the head at a read HtD spacing during the read operation, at a pre-write HtD spacing during the read operation prior to the write operation, at a write HtD spacing during the write operation, and at an idle HtD spacing when the drive is not performing the read operation or the write operation. The disk drive includes a drive circuitry that directs a read power level to the slider mover to maintain the head at the read HtD spacing, a pre-write power level to maintain the head at the pre-write HtD spacing, a write power level to maintain the head at the write HtD spacing, and a idle power level to maintains the head at the idle HtD spacing.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to the writing of first servo data to a medium, detecting a velocity integrated position of said first servo data, and writing second servo data in relation to the detected position of the first servo data.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to detecting a fixed mechanical reference adjacent a storage medium using a v-shaped pattern written to the medium.

Abstract: Methods and structures for a general purpose, discrete time sample, interval accumulating filter for measuring any of a plurality of parameters associated with operation of a digital read channel. The general purpose interval accumulating features and aspects hereof permit flexible configuration for measuring a variety of operational characteristics and parameters of a digital, discrete time sample, read channel. The interval accumulating filter may sense harmonic frequencies associated with mechanical and electrical noise in the read channel operation. Other features and aspects hereof permit monitoring of multiple signal frequencies of a read channel in a disk drive, error recovery of a bad sector in a disk drive, and measurement of numerous other operational aspects of a discrete time digital sample read channel.

Abstract: A disk drive measures the radial misposition of tracks and repositions the tracks at regularly spaced intervals. Written in runout (WRO) in servo bursts is determined to calculate track spacing and squeeze among adjacent tracks. Tracks with improper spacing are repositioned by adding a squeeze correction term to the servo wedges. Thereafter, when the disk drive operates to store data, the servo bursts are used to calculate a position error signal (PES), and the squeeze correction term is combined with the PES to position the head at a proper track radius.

Abstract: An internal support interface which provides vibration and acoustic isolation. A stationary shaft has a medial portion about which a rotatable member rotates. An end portion of the shaft has an annular base surface surrounding a stub shaft projection. A substantially planar housing member has a support post which extends from an annular interior surface in adjacent, non-contacting proximity to the stub shaft projection to form a gap therebetween. An annular damping member mutually contactingly surrounds the stub shaft projection and the support post while being compressed between the base surface of the shaft and the interior surface of the housing member.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a rotatable data storage disk, an interface, a transducer, a write buffer, an actuator, and a controller. The transducer is configured to read and write data on the disk. The interface is configured to receive data with associated write commands and a park signal. The write buffer is configured to temporarily store the data and associated write commands while the data waits to be written on the disk via the transducer. The actuator is configured to move the transducer between a parked position and tracks on a disk where data is read and written. The controller is configured to execute the buffered write commands by positioning the transducer relative to tracks on the disk while writing data from the write buffer to the disk, and is configured to respond to the park signal, which is indicative of an imminent transducer to disk contact condition, by moving the transducer to the park position without completing execution of the buffered write commands.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a drive housing, a storage disk, a slider and a drive circuitry. The slider magnetically interacts with the storage disk, and includes a read/write head that is positioned to have an actual head-to-disk spacing greater than zero nanometers during rotation of the storage disk. The drive circuitry can determine and/or monitor the actual head-to-disk spacing at any time during the operation of the disk drive based on an amplitude or a change in the amplitude of a signal such as a variable gain amplifier signal. In one embodiment, the slider includes a slider mover that receives current via the drive circuitry and causes a deformation of a portion of the slider to change the head-to-disk spacing based on the amplitude of the signal.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a drive housing, a storage disk, a slider and a drive circuitry. The storage disk has an inner and an outer diameter. The slider includes a read/write head and a slider mover that receives power from the drive circuitry to position the read/write head at a predetermined head-to-disk spacing during radial movement of the slider relative to the storage disk. The drive circuitry can direct a varying level of power to the slider mover during radial movement of the slider. In addition, the drive circuitry can increase the power to the slider mover as the read/write head nears a target track in order to decrease the head-to-disk spacing at the appropriate time. The drive circuitry can adjust the power to the slider mover so that the head-to-disk spacing remains within a predetermined range as the slider moves radially relative to the storage disk.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for improving disk pack balancing are provided including methods for centering disk clamps. One method to center a clamp is to modify the construction of the disk clamp to incorporate a centering flange located on the inner diameter and near an upper surface of the clamp. The hub assembly may also be modified to include an upper chamfer and an annular groove or notch to reduce the amount of potential surface contact between the centering flange of the disk and the outer diameter of the hub, thereby minimizing contamination caused by contact between the disk clamp and hub. Another method for improving disk pack balancing as well as general disk pack robustness is use of a modified hub assembly construction wherein an over-molded section includes a plurality of centering tabs that precisely align spacers and data storage disks within the disk pack.

Abstract: Baseline wander is compensated for by processing a read channel waveform to produce an estimated data decision signal, updating an estimated baseline wander signal by filtering the estimated data signal to produce an estimate of an associated pulse tail, combining that estimate with a prior estimated baseline wander signal to produce an updated estimated baseline wander signal, and combining the updated estimated baseline wander signal with the incoming signal at a next sample time. The operations continue recursively for next signal samples.

Abstract: A fill-port sealing assembly for sealing a housing, such as a hermetically sealed housing of a data storage device. A fill port body extends through an opening in a substrate and has a central bore communicating between a first side and a second side of the substrate. A compression member threadingly engages the central bore to compress an annular seal member and seal against passage of a low density gas through the central bore.

Abstract: A disk includes a perpendicular recording disk, a head having a read portion to read information recorded on the perpendicular recording disk, a sensor in the read portion, and a coil structure, coupled to the read portion, to provide bias flux to the sensor. The coil structure may include two coils.

Abstract: A component in a manufacturing process is provided. The manufacturing process makes use of laser position sensing devices to determine a position of components being manufactured. The component includes a body having an exterior surface including a plurality of angled surfaces. The component also includes a surface roughness formed on one of the plurality of angled surfaces of the exterior surface.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk, a head, an actuator, and a servo controller. The servo controller controls a movement of the actuator based on a super silent seek profile to cause the actuator to perform a super silent seek in which an acoustic output due to the movement of the actuator is imperceptible to human listeners. A maximum jerk of the super silent seek profile may be less than a maximum jerk of a silent seek profile divided by ten. A snap associated with the super silent seek profile may be always less than a particular snap level, such that any change in the jerk associated with the super silent seek profile is gradual. The disk drive may further include a main controller that is configured to receive a command from an operating system, a user, and the like to perform a seek in a super silent seek mode.

Abstract: A slider for use in a magnetic disk drive includes read pads for connecting to a flexible circuit that couples to a pre-amplifier circuit, a transducer, and a protector connected to the transducer and the read pads to protect the transducer against damage from electrostatic discharge (ESD). Examples of transducers that may be used include a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor and a tunneling magnetoresistive (TMR) sensor.

Abstract: A disk drive and related methods are provided for tuning the control of an actuator for position mode seeking of a head between tracks on a disk based on a measured open loop response of the actuator. The disk drive includes a rotatable data storage disk, a head, an actuator, and a servo controller. The actuator positions the head relative to the disk responsive to a current command signal. The servo controller carries out a position mode seek of the head between tracks on the disk by generating the current command signal which is varied in response to a current feedforward signal that defines a head position profile during the seek, varied in response to a position response signal that defines an expected actuator movement response of the head to the current feedforward signal, and varied in response to a current feedback signal.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a rotatable data storage disk, a transducer, an actuator, and a controller. The disk includes information and data tracks that are defined thereon. The transducer is configured to read the information from the disk. The actuator is configured to position the transducer relative to the data tracks. The controller is configured to measure timing between particular information on the disk, to estimate repeatable runout of the disk based on the measured timing, and to compensate for repeatable runout of the disk responsive to the estimated repeatable runout while positioning the transducer relative to a selected track.

Abstract: A disc clamp is provided for securing discs to a spindle motor. In particular, the clamp is useful in providing distributed forces to the discs. The clamp includes an annular body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner circumference and an outer circumference. A flange extends from the lower surface of the annular body and has an inner surface oriented towards the inner circumference of the annular body. A plurality of apertures are formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the annular body and are configured to receive fasteners. Further, a plurality of force distributing features are formed in the flange between the outer surface of the flange and the inner surface of the flange.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for applying thermal energy to a sealing member. Electrical current is applied to a heating assembly to generate thermal energy, and a heat conductor transfers the generated thermal energy to a seal member adjacent a housing. The heating assembly is configured to substantially prevent a magnetic field generated by the applied electrical current from extending to the housing.