Patents by Inventor Andrew William Atkins

Andrew William Atkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8873200
    Abstract: There is disclosed a spinstand for testing a head gimbal assembly. The spinstand includes a gripper operable to grip the head gimbal assembly and a load pick device operable to hold a head gimbal assembly and to move the head gimbal assembly into an exchange position where it can be gripped by the gripper. In the exchange position part of the load pick device registers with the gripper and another part of the load pick device is spaced from the gripper so as to form a space between, in which space at least part of the head gimbal assembly is located in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Ian Stanley Warn, Andrew William Atkins
  • Publication number: 20120200287
    Abstract: There is disclosed a spinstand for testing a head gimbal assembly. The spinstand includes a gripper operable to grip the head gimbal assembly and a load pick device operable to hold a head gimbal assembly and to move the head gimbal assembly into an exchange position where it can be gripped by the gripper. In the exchange position part of the load pick device registers with the gripper and another part of the load pick device is spaced from the gripper so as to form a space between, in which space at least part of the head gimbal assembly is located in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Ian Stanley Warn, Andrew William Atkins
  • Patent number: 7729107
    Abstract: A disk drive test apparatus has a plurality of bays each for receiving a respective disk drive to be tested. A plurality of card slots are provided each for receiving a test card via which a disk drive can be tested. Each of the test cards is either an environment test card or an interface test card. The card slots and the test cards are arranged such that each card slot (6) can selectively receive an environment test card or an interface test card. Other arrangements for disk drive test apparatus or disk drive mounting apparatus are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Andrew William Atkins, Steve Andrew Bailey, David Ronald Bain Farquhar, David John Orriss, Kevin Richardson
  • Patent number: 7729112
    Abstract: A mounting for a disk drive unit includes a carrier for carrying a disk drive unit during required movement of the disk drive unit. The carrier defines a space into which the disk drive unit can be inserted, and the carrier is adapted to be inserted with the disk drive unit into a receiving frame for operational use. At lease two resilient devices are mounted on the carrier for securing the disk drive unit in the receiving frame when the carrier is inserted into the frame, at least one resilient device being mounted on each side of the carrier. Each resilient device is movably mounted on the carrier to allow movement of the device as a whole relative to the carrier, and the resilient device is arranged to secure the disk drive unit in the receiving frame by acting between disk drive unit and the receiving frame. A method of handling the disk drive unit comprises placing the disk drive unit into the carrier engaging a robotic device with a coupling structure projecting from the front of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventor: Andrew William Atkins
  • Patent number: 7612996
    Abstract: The invention provides a temperature control device for a disk drive unit, the temperature control device includes a housing for connection to a carrier for a disk drive unit; an air flow generator arranged in the housing for providing a flow of air to a disk drive unit in a connected carrier; and, an air flow control device arranged at the side of the air flow generator and selectively configurable to control the air flow path whereby the temperature of air flowing to the disk drive unit can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Xyratex Technology Limited
    Inventors: Andrew William Atkins, David Ronald Bain Farquhar