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: Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use of alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head/disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.

Abstract: Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use to alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.

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: Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use of alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head/disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.

Abstract: Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use to alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.

Abstract: Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use to alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.

Abstract: A magnetic tape head tilting mechanism for adjusting the zenith of the magnetic head. The zenith adjustment mechanism eliminates the cumulative tolerances inherent in the components of mechanisms of prior art. The zenith adjustment mechanism utilizes a single adjustment screw to align the magnetic head such that the face is in parallel alignment relative to the tape path, along the transverse direction.

Abstract: A magnetic tape head tilting mechanism for tilting the magnetic head to a desired azimuth angle. The azimuth tilting mechanism uses a worm gear and worm, driven by a stepper motor, which automatically adjusts the position of the magnetic head during recording of the signal onto the tape by the write head gap to maintain the strongest signal that is received by the read head gap. The fine angular resolution enables writing very high track densities and providing strong read signals.

Abstract: An improved magnetic read/write head actuator assembly for use within a storage disk system that provides reduced average access time. The actuator assembly includes an actuator arm mounted on a pivotal E-block structure. A read/write head is supported at a distal end of the actuator arm such that the head is positioned in close proximity to a rotating magnetic storage disk. An actuator motor cooperates with the E-block structure to provide pivotal motion to the actuator arm about a central pivot axis. The actuator motor includes a pair of rotor windings connected to the E-block structure at an end opposite the actuator arm and stator magnet structure that is statically mounted in close proximity to the rotor windings. The actuator motor further includes a flux conductive member for forming a closed magnetic flux path through the windings and the stator magnets. The pair of rotor winding are oriented in a plane normal to the plane defined by the pivotal angular motion of the actuator assembly.

Abstract: A disk drive having forced convection cooling is provided herein. The disk drive includes a drive housing, a disk assembly, an actuator assembly, a fluid passageway and a fluid source. The drive housing defines a housing internal chamber which contains the disk assembly and the actuator assembly. The fluid passageway extends through the housing internal chamber near the disk assembly and the actuator assembly. The fluid source provides fluid flow through the fluid passageway to cool the housing internal chamber. This allows the disk drive to operate at cooler temperatures. As a result thereof, the disk drive is less affected by thermal expansion and the operational life of the components of the disk drive are increased.

Abstract: An improved magnetic read/write head actuator assembly for use within a storage disk system that reduces average access time. The actuator assembly includes an actuator arm mounted on pivotal hub. A read/write head is supported at a distal end of the actuator arm such that the head is positioned in close proximity to a rotating magnetic storage disk. An actuator motor cooperates with the actuator arm to provide pivotal motion to the actuator arm about a central pivot axis. The actuator motor includes an asymmetric rotor winding connected to the actuator arm at an end opposite the distal end and an asymmetrical stator magnet structure that is statically mounted in close proximity to the asymmetric rotor winding. The actuator motor, further includes a flux conductive member that forms a closed flux path through the rotor winding and the asymmetrical stator magnet structure.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for controlled, uniform stacking of tape thereon during read/write operations in tape drives to reduce lateral tape motion during read/write operations. The invention comprises a hub and two flanges that are located on opposite sides of the hub. The flanges have surfaces facing each other extending outwardly from the hub in diverging relationship with each other. The separation between the facing surfaces of the flanges increases from a minimum at a location adjacent to the hub to a maximum at the outer circumferential edge of the flanges in a radial direction extending outwardly from the axis of rotation. Further, the separation between the facing surfaces also increases from a minimum to a maximum along any path of equal distance around the axis of rotation, the location of minimum separation is generally opposite to the location of maximum separation.

Abstract: A magnetic tape head actuator comprising an actuator motor having a threaded output shaft and a bracket for holding a magnetic tape head. The bracket includes two spaced apart supports that have aligned passageways. The output shaft extends through the passageways. The diameter of the output shaft and the passageways are matched for stabilized sliding movement to allow the actuator bracket guided movement back and forth along the output shaft. The actuator further including a nut with a threaded passageway attached to the actuator bracket. The output shaft extends through the passageway of the nut and is in threaded engagement therewith so that rotation of the output shaft moves the actuator bracket along its length. The nut has a slot that extends axially of the threaded passageway and that is in communication therewith. An elastic member encircles the nut in resilient inwardly pressing relationship intermediate the ends of the slot.