Patents Examined by Carlos E Garcia
  • Distributed logical track layout in optical storage tape
    Patent number: 9430366
    Abstract: An optical data storage tape includes more than one segment, with each segment divided into multiple zones, which include multiple data tracks. The layout of the logical zones in one segment is in a different order than those of another segment. In an example, the tape includes at least N physical segments, at least M physical zones in each segment, at least M logical zones assigned to the M physical zones, and wherein logical zones of adjacent physical segments are in a different order than an adjacent physical segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventor: Faramarz Mahnad
  • Comb structure for a disk drive suspension piezoelectric microactuator operating in the D33 mode, and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9431041
    Abstract: A microactuator assembly is formed by depositing PZT material over electrode gaps, the electrode gaps being defined by the spaces between interleaved fingers of metal that define alternating plus and minus electrodes. The PZT material is hardened and poled. The PZT material may be deposited and poled either as isolated islands of PZT material across respective electrode gaps, or as a continuous sheet of PZT material with localized areas of that material being poled and then activated. The individual PZT elements are arranged such that successive PZT elements extend in the same direction as across the electrode gaps. The resulting microactuator assembly acts in the d33 direction of the PZT elements. The electrodes have raised or recessed features such as ribs or castellations, with the PZT material mating with those features, thus anchoring the PZT material to the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNECOMP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher Schreiber, Christopher Dunn, Peter Hahn, Kuen Chee Ee
  • Slider having shock and particle resistance
    Patent number: 9431044
    Abstract: A slider for a hard disk includes a leading structure having a first air bearing surface portion, a trailing structure having a second air bearing surface portion, and a cavity between the leading structure and the trailing structure. The leading structure has one or more interior walls defining a pit therein. A hard disk drive includes a rotatable magnetic recording disk and the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Biao Sun, Eric T. Sladek
  • Near field transducer anneal for heat assisted magnetic recording
    Patent number: 9424865
    Abstract: A method for annealing a metal antenna of a near field optical transducer of a magnetic write element without inadvertently heat damaging the read element. A heating element is placed within a write head build in a cerf region outside of the active area of the read and write heads. A layer of thermally conductive, electrically insulating material is formed over the heating element to separate the heating element from the antenna. The thermally conductive, electrically insulating layer is preferably in contact with the antenna. A current can be applied to the heating element to heat the antenna to a temperature that is at or above the operating temperature of the optical transducer. After annealing, the heater element can be removed by the lapping process that is used to define the media facing surface of the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shen Ren, Erhard Schreck, Matteo Staffaroni, Barry C. Stipe
  • Suspension board with circuit
    Patent number: 9418687
    Abstract: A suspension board with circuit includes a slider mounting region configured to mount a slider thereon, a pedestal portion provided in the slider mounting region and configured to support the slider, and a dam portion provided in the slider mounting region and configured to prevent an adhesive fixing the slider from flowing out of the slider mounting region. The thickness of the pedestal portion is thicker than that of the dam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohiro Terada, Yoshito Fujimura, Hiroyuki Tanabe, Saori Kanezaki, Yuu Sugimoto
  • Slider with aluminum compound fill
    Patent number: 9406323
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a magnetic device. The magnetic head of the magnetic device includes structure for protecting the media facing surface (MFS). The protective structure, which may be referred to as an air bearing surface overcoat (ABSOC) structure, includes an aluminum containing compound that is disposed on the slider and head. The ABSOC also includes a silicon containing compound and a carbon layer disposed thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Mineaki Kodama, Reimar Azupardo, Hannah Rillera
  • Thin film configured to preserve alumina height in a magnetic recording head and methods of making the same
    Patent number: 9406324
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic head slider includes: a leading edge, and a trailing edge; a media facing side (MFS) extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge; a first region located near the trailing edge, and a second region located between the first region and the leading edge; a center rail comprising: a forward segment protruding from the first region of the slider, and a posterior segment protruding from the second region of the slider; a rear rail protruding from the second region of the slider; and a secondary protective film deposited on one or more portions of the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Vincent Cullano, Estela Paguio, Mary Agnes G. Perez
  • Gate structure and electronic device using the same
    Patent number: 9390746
    Abstract: An electronic and a gate structure including a first door-leaf, a second door-leaf, and a latch are provided. The first door-leaf having three first locking portions is movably assembled to an entrance of an object. The second door-leaf having two second locking portions is movably disposed at the first door-leaf, such that the first door-leaf closes or opens the entrance. The latch having a third locking portion and a fourth locking portion is movably disposed on the first door-leaf and between the first and the second door-leaves. The first locking portions are located on a moving path of the third locking portion. The second door-leaf is locked to the object and the third locking portion is located at the middle one of the three first locking portions, the fourth locking portion is blocked with one second locking portion and the first door-leaf covers the entrance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: GETAC TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kun-Cheng Lee
  • Piezoelectric microactuator with restraining layer for control of bending
    Patent number: 9390739
    Abstract: A PZT microactuator such as for use in a hard disk drive has a restraining layer bonded on its side that is opposite the side on which the PZT will be mounted. The restraining layer comprises a stiff and resilient material such as stainless steel. The restraining layer can cover all of the top of the PZT, or most of the top of the PZT with an electrical connection being made to the PZT where it is not covered by the restraining layer. The restraining layer reduces bending of the PZT as mounted and hence increases effective stroke length, or reverses the sign of the bending which increases the effective stroke length of the PZT even further.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNECOMP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Long Zhang, Peter Hahn, Kuen Chee Ee
  • Slim profile, rear docking tape drive canister
    Patent number: 9390763
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an automated tape library includes an array of tape drive canister bays, each tape drive canister bay being configured for insertion of a tape drive canister therein, each tape drive canister supporting a tape drive. The library also includes a power system, a communications system, and a robotic accessor configured to access tape cartridges in tape drives in the array of tape drive canister bays. Each tape drive canister bay includes a latching mechanism configured to secure a tape drive canister into the tape drive canister bay. A library docking connector is configured to connect a docking connector of the tape drive canister to the power system and the communications system when the latching mechanism is in the latched close position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michael P. McIntosh, Shawn M. Nave
  • Negative select access mechanism
    Patent number: 9373353
    Abstract: A technique for storage and retrieval of objects is provided. A holding structure is configured to hold the objects, and the objects are stored in the holding structure such that the objects can slide in and out of the holding structure. An elastic mechanism is at the back of the holding structure, and the elastic mechanism pushes the objects toward the front of the holding structure such that the objects are accessible at the front of the holding structure. A selector mechanism is positionable to push the objects that are adjacent to a selected object to be retrieved toward the back of the holding structure, and the selector mechanism exposes a portion of the selected object so that the selected object can be engaged at the exposed portion. A gripper is configured to engage the exposed portion of the selected object and pull the selected object from the holding structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John S. Best, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Asperity and head-media contact detection using multi-stage temperature coefficient of resistance sensor
    Patent number: 9373361
    Abstract: A multi-stage sensor is situated on the head transducer and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium. A first sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor has a temperature coefficient of resistance. A second sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor is coupled to the first sensor and has a temperature coefficient of resistance. The first sensor stage is configured to preferentially sense asperities of the media relative to the second sensor stage, and the second sensor stage configured to preferentially sense proximity to, and contact with, a surface of the media relative to the first sensor stage. The first and second sensor stages may be connected in series or in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Gary Joseph Kunkel, John L. Brand
  • Disk drive suspension having dual vibration damper
    Patent number: 9368129
    Abstract: A vibration damper for a suspension has two different viscoelastic layers and two different constraint layers. The two viscoelastic layers can be tailored to have different properties, including different viscosities and/or peak vibration frequency damping at different frequencies. The vibration damper exhibits improved vibration damping as compared to a single layer damper having the same overall thickness at critical frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: MAGNECOMP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter Hahn, Steve Misuta
  • Disk drive suspension
    Patent number: 9368138
    Abstract: In a first terminal portion, a first conductor, a terminal element as a first protection, and a first gold-plating layer are provided. The first terminal element is thicker than a base nickel layer of a slider terminal portion. The first gold-plating layer is provided with a first roughening processed portion. An electrically conductive paste contacts the roughening processed portion. In a second terminal portion, a second conductor, a terminal element as a second protection, and a second gold-plating layer are provided. The second terminal element is thicker than the base nickel layer. The second gold-plating layer is provided with a second roughening processed portion. An electrically conductive paste contacts the second roughening processed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Inoue, Sei Kawao, Rintarou Niwa
  • Disc cartridge and disc device
    Patent number: 9368153
    Abstract: A disc device records or reproduces information in or from a disc stored in a disc cartridge. The disc cartridge includes a casing having a front face with an opening for receiving the disc; and a cover closing the opening of the casing. The cover includes a slider moving along a side face of the casing, a shutter closing the opening; and a hinge part rotatably coupling the shutter to the slider. The disc device includes a stopper contacting the slider when the disc cartridge is inserted into the disc device to restrict movement of the slider in an insertion direction, and a cam part separating the hinge part from a contact region between the shutter and the casing when or before the casing further moves with the stopper restricting movement of the slider and the shutter is pressed by the casing to rotate about the hinge part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Shiomi, Yukio Morioka, Yuji Ariyoshi, Masakazu Ishizuka, Yasuhisa Fukushima
  • Magnetic sensor with thin capping layer
    Patent number: 9361914
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor for use in a data storage device is described. The magnetic sensor includes a composite layer comprising a free layer portion and a bias layer portion each comprising a magnetic material, a shield layer comprising a magnetic material, and a continuous spacer layer comprising a non-magnetic material, the spacer layer separating the shield layer from the composite layer such that the magnetic coupling between the shield layer and the bias layer portion is stronger than the magnetic coupling between the shield layer and the free layer portion. A disk drive comprising a rotatable magnetic recording disk and the slider including the magnetic sensor arranged with the magnetic recording disk is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Christian Kaiser, Qunwen Leng
  • Disc conveying device and disc conveying method
    Patent number: 9361930
    Abstract: A disc conveying device includes a plurality of disc holding members stacked in a first direction which is a disc thickness direction, one of the plurality of disc holding members holding a disc such that the disc can slide to one side in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, a disc holding member moving mechanism separating the one of the plurality of disc holding members from an adjacent one of the plurality of disc holding members in the first direction, moving the one of the plurality of disc holding members to the one side in the second direction, and partially protruding the disc from other discs held by the plurality of disc holding members to the one side in the second direction, and a disc conveying mechanism holding a protruded part of the disc and conveying the disc to the one side in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Morioka, Kenji Shiomi, Yuji Ariyoshi, Masakazu Ishizuka, Yasuhisa Fukushima
  • Hard disk drive motor cup support
    Patent number: 9361947
    Abstract: A hard disk drive assembly having a hard disk drive positioned within an enclosure. A shock support is interposed between the hard disk drive and at least one wall of the enclosure so that external shocks on the enclosure are transmitted through the shock support. The shock support can be either a rigid support made of metal or a resilient support made of elastomeric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Baekho Heo, Cheng Jin, Sara Sahebjam-Atabaki, Jifang Tian, Zachary P. Hills
  • Controlling magnetic layer anisotropy field by oblique angle static deposition
    Patent number: 9349391
    Abstract: In one general embodiment, a system includes a magnetic layer having first and second magnetic sublayers. An anisotropy of the first magnetic sublayer is oriented in a different direction than an anisotropy of the second magnetic sublayer. In another general embodiment, a magnetic head includes a magnetic layer having first and second magnetic sublayers directly adjacent one another. A deposition thickness of the magnetic layer is less than 60 angstroms. An interface between the magnetic sublayers is oriented at an angle of greater than 2 degrees and less than 88 degrees relative to a plane of deposition thereof. The magnetic layer includes at least one material selected from a group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni, CoFe, CoFeB, CoHf and NiFe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: James M. Freitag, Zheng Gao
  • Data writer front shield with varying throat height
    Patent number: 9349388
    Abstract: A data storage device employing a data writer may configure the data writer with at least a write pole that is separated from a front shield on an air bearing surface. The front shield can be arranged to continuously extend from the air bearing surface a first throat height distal the write pole and a second throat height proximal the write pole with the first and second throat heights being different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Muhammad Asif Bashir, JianHua Xue, Beverley Rutherford McConnell, Shengzhou Liao, Wei Tian, Prim Gangmei, Swaraj Basu, Mark Anthony Gubbins