Patents by Inventor John D. McCrandall

John D. McCrandall 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: 7159299
    Abstract: A head stack assembly comb (154) for maintaining the heads (44) of a head stack assembly (26) in spaced relation is disclosed. The head stack assembly comb (154) includes a comb body (158) and a latch (218). The comb body (158) engages an upper surface of an uppermost actuator arm (30a) in the head stack assembly (26). The latch (218) engages a lower surface of this same actuator arm (30a). When installing the comb (154), the comb (154) is pivoted relative to the head stack assembly (26). This brings the latch (218) into engagement with the noted actuator arm (30a) and causes the latch (218) to pivot in a first direction against a spring (214), and then in the opposite direction by the action of the spring (214) on the latch (218) to engage the latch (218) with the lower surface of the noted actuator arm (30a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Tom E. McMunigal, John D. McCrandall
  • Patent number: 6648587
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. One aspect of this particular material delivery system is that movement of an elevator is automatically controlled (i.e., no operator input), and more preferably is accomplished by monitoring for the presence of containers at multiple vertical positions. Another aspect of this particular material delivery system is that its elevator may be installed on and removed from a main housing of the material delivery system without requiring any tools. Yet another aspect of this particular material delivery system is that containers need not be unloaded from the material delivery system prior to removing its elevator, such as for replacement/maintenance purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Tom E. McMunigal, Michael A. Finn, John D. McCrandall
  • Patent number: 6599077
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. In one embodiment, the material delivery system is disposed below a work area in a clean room-like environment to store parts to be used at the work area. In another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a material delivery elevator for transporting parts to a desired elevational level. In yet another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a cover which is detachably interconnected with a body to define an enclosed material storage area. An assembly is provided to lock the cover down onto the body with a gasket therebetween to appropriately seal this interconnection. This same assembly lifts the cover up and away from the body so as to not damage this gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: John D. McCrandall, Tom McMunigal, Richard E. Rupp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6471010
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. In one embodiment, the material delivery system is disposed below a work area in a clean room-like environment to store parts to be used at the work area. In another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a material delivery elevator for transporting parts to a desired elevational level. In yet another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a cover which is detachably interconnected with a body to define an enclosed material storage area An assembly is provided to lock the cover down onto the body with a gasket therebetween to appropriately seal this interconnection. This same assembly lifts the cover up and away from the body so as to not damage this gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: John D. McCrandall, Tom McMunigal, Richard E. Rupp, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20020074190
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. In one embodiment, the material delivery system is disposed below a work area in a clean room-like environment to store parts to be used at the work area. In another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a material delivery elevator for transporting parts to a desired elevational level. In yet another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a cover which is detachably interconnected with a body to define an enclosed material storage area. An assembly is provided to lock the cover down onto the body with a gasket therebetween to appropriately seal this interconnection. This same assembly lifts the cover up and away from the body so as to not damage this gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 20, 2002
    Inventors: John D. McCrandall, Tom McMunigal, Richard E. Rupp
  • Publication number: 20020007986
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. In one embodiment, the material delivery system is disposed below a work area in a clean room-like environment to store parts to be used at the work area. In another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a material delivery elevator for transporting parts to a desired elevational level. In yet another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a cover which is detachably interconnected with a body to define an enclosed material storage area. An assembly is provided to lock the cover down onto the body with a gasket therebetween to appropriately seal this interconnection. This same assembly lifts the cover up and away from the body so as to not damage this gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: John D. McCrandall, Tom McMunigal, Richard E. Rupp
  • Patent number: 6305500
    Abstract: A material delivery system is disclosed which is particularly useful for filtered environments, such as clean rooms, minienvironments, or the like. In one embodiment, the material delivery system is disposed below a work area in a clean room-like environment to store parts to be used at the work area. In another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a material delivery elevator for transporting parts to a desired elevational level. In yet another embodiment, the material delivery system includes a cover which is detachably interconnected with a body to define an enclosed material storage area. An assembly is provided to lock the cover down onto the body with a gasket therebetween to appropriately seal this interconnection. This same assembly lifts the cover up and away from the body so as to not damage this gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: John D. McCrandall, Tom McMunigal, Richard E. Rupp, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5623759
    Abstract: An improved arm for an electronic servo mechanism is described which includes a plurality of glue pockets formed within it for bonding a coil assembly to the arm. A method for bonding the coil assembly to the arm is described in which a predetermined amount of glue is placed into each of the glue pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1997
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Laurene J. Thorson, Richard E. Rupp, Jr., John D. McCrandall
  • Patent number: 5285948
    Abstract: In the assembly and testing of hard disk drive systems, a station having the capability of performing soldering and testing operations on a disk drive subassembly unit, such as a head gimbal assembly. The subassembly unit is placed onto a fixture. The fixture firmly holds the subassembly unit during both the soldering and testing operations. Wires are reflow soldered onto solder pads of a flex circuit. Afterwards, the subassembly unit is subjected to a variety electrical tests. The results of these tests are displayed to the operator. If these results indicate that there might be a problem with the wiring and/or soldering, the operator can readily "retouch" or resolder the wiring and repeat the testing procedure to verify that the remedial measures have corrected the problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Rick E. Rupp, John D. McCrandall, Dennis L. Zekoff