Abstract: A balance clip in a hard disk drive spindle motor facilitates improved disk pack balance correction. The balance clip has one end that is offset from the semi-circular shape of the body of the balance clip. The offset end is located opposite the precise bent tab that provides tooling engagement in the balance clip. The offset end of the balance clip is offset at a radius that is less than the radius of the balance clip, or at a pre-determined, lesser radial offset from the original circular shape. Consequently, the cross-sectional edge of the clip at the offset end does not make contact with the surface of the groove in which the balance clip is seated. This design eliminates scratching between the offset end and motor hub, and thereby greatly reduces friction and particle generation during clip adjustment in the disk pack balancing process.

Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has first and second modular component sections, each of the sections having an outer housing and an inner shaft member. A coupling sleeve having a bore is disposed between the modular component sections and receives the shaft member of each of the component sections. The bore of the coupling sleeve and the shaft members having mating radial load transmitting shoulders for transmitting torque. An axial load transmitting shoulder is affixed to the shaft member of the first modular component section and located in the bore of the coupling sleeve. A locking element is carried by the shaft member of the second modular section and engages the axial load transmitting shoulder to secure the shaft members to one another for transferring axial tension from one of the shaft members to the other.

Abstract: The microwaviness (i.e., surface waviness for wavelengths on the order of the length of the transducing head) of a recording disk surface is measured during manufacture as a quality control process. Preferably, the disk is measured using an actuator-mounted thermal sensor, comprising an electrical resistance element driven with a constant current. At small distances, the disk surface acts as a heat sink and variation in this distance will be detected as a change in resistance of the sensor. Preferably the sensor is initially used to characterize the gross waviness of the surface, and the actuator then follows this gross waviness to measure surface variations in the microwaviness range.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: A preform for structural joints has a three-dimensional weave architecture with fill fibers woven to provide layer-to-layer interlocking of layers of warp fiber as well as interlocking of fibers within each layer. At least two legs extend from a base, the base and legs each having at least two layers of warp fibers. The legs are connected at a symmetrical, distributed-column intersection, with an odd number of columns of warp fibers being located being the legs. The outer ends of the base and legs preferably have tapers formed from terminating layers of warp fibers in a stepped pattern. Tracer fibers that include a colored strand and an x-ray opaque strand are woven into the preform at selected locations as a warp fiber. The tracer fibers allow for identification of a selected location or a selected portion of the preform through visual inspection or by x-ray image.

Abstract: A disk clamp for securing disks to the hub of a spindle motor in a disk drive has symmetrically spaced apart countersunk apertures in the top surface of the disk clamp. The apertures enable the disk clamp to maintain a proper orientation before the fasteners are attached. This design overcomes issues related to rotation and displacement of the clamp while it is being fastened to the hub, and reduces the complexity of the tooling and fixtures required to complete the assembly. Less tooling complexity also allows multi-fastener driver systems to be employed so that all of the fasteners required to complete the assembly may be simultaneously attached arid driven into the disk clamp. The countersunk apertures on the disk clamp are designed to couple with tapered sleeves on the installation tool to quickly and precisely center the fasteners in the disk clamp while providing anti-rotation torque for the disk clamp.

Abstract: A wellhead assembly has an inner wellhead that lands in an outer wellhead, the inner wellhead having first and second internal passages. Each passage has an upper opening at the outer surface of the inner housing and a lower opening at the inner surface. An external shoulder of a casing hanger lands on an internal shoulder of the inner housing, the lower opening of the first passage being below the internal shoulder, the lower opening of the second passage being above the internal shoulder. The casing hanger has a substantially-vertical passage located in its sidewall, an upper port registering with the lower opening of the second passage, a lower port being located below the external shoulder for communicating with the annulus. Valve assemblies at the upper openings control the flow of heavy fluid injected into a casing annulus through the second passage and of cuttings injected into the annulus through the first passage.

Abstract: A submersible pump assembly has a pump section, a seal section and a motor section. Within each section are shafts. The adjacent shaft sections are matingly engaged with one another, and are connected by fasteners. The fasteners consist of a key and a screw that fits within the key. The fasteners secure the adjacent shaft sections to one another to transmit torque from one shaft to the other, and to transmit thrust in axial tension from one shaft to the other.

Abstract: A marine buoy for the offshore support of subsea production and drilling activities that has a closed-bottomed base section with a solid ballast and variable ballast chambers, a chamber in the base section for storing equipment and supplies, and an upper section with a smaller cross-sectional area than the base section having an elevator shaft leading from the top of the upper section to the chamber in the base section. The upper section supports a deck for housing process equipment for operations that the marine buoy is supporting.

Abstract: A method is provided for using a three-dimensional, Pi-shaped, woven preform to assemble first and second composite components. The preform is infused with resin, and at least one surface of the preform is adhered to at least one surface of the first component using a film adhesive. The preform is cured while an oversized tool coated with non-stick material is located within a clevis formed by two legs of the preform. A removable peel ply is located between the tool and the clevis, and semi-rigid over-presses are used during curing. After curing, the tool, over-presses, and peel ply are removed, and adhesive is injected into the clevis. The second component is inserted into the clevis, the adhesive adhering to an inner surface of the clevis and to at least one surface of the second component for retaining the second component within the clevis, the second component having a smaller width than the tool.

Abstract: A riser assembly includes riser segments, each having threaded ends. A coupling nut is connected to the threaded end of the first riser segment. The threads of a second riser segment and a set of corresponding threads of the coupling nut are breech threads, which allow the second riser segment to stab into the coupling nut and engage the first riser segment. The coupling nut rotates a portion of a turn in order for the breech threads of the second riser segment and the first riser segment to engage each other. Castellations on the first and second riser segments engage each other to transmit torsional forces from one riser segment to the other instead of through the threads.

Abstract: A guide is provided for aligning a trailer hitch on a draft vehicle with a receiving socket on a towing load such as a trailer, for assisting a driver of the draft vehicle in connecting the trailer hitch to the receiving socket for towing. The guide comprises a support structure mountable to the draft vehicle, containing a reflective surface on a moveable structure supported at an inclination relative to the trailer hitch. The guide captures an image of the trailer hitch on the draft vehicle so that the driver may view the image of the trailer hitch from the driver's seat of the draft vehicle.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump has impellers for pumping low flow, high viscous materials. The impellers have high exit angles greater than 30 degrees and preferably greater than 50 degrees. The impellers and diffusers have specific geometry that varies with viscosity. The pump has zones of impellers and diffusers with the exit angles and geometry in the zones differing from the other zones. The exit angles decrease and geometry varies in a downstream direction to account for a lower viscosity occurring due to heat being generated in the pump. One design employs small diameter impellers and high rotational speeds.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a microseismic event includes detecting the event to produce a first signal dependent on the event. The first signal includes noise at a frequency of, for example 50 Hz. A first sample of the first signal is taken. Then a second sample of the first signal is taken, the second sample occurring n/f seconds after the first sample, where n is an integer (e.g. 1). Subtracting the first and second samples from each other produces a farther signal dependent on the event in which the noise has been at least partly compensated for.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly, which is a component of a hard disk drive, has a bending portion that has elasticity and is bent at a predetermined angle under an unloaded condition, and a slider is bonded to a holding portion thereof by mounting the head gimbal assembly on a bonding jig in a state in which the bending portion is stretched. When the head gimbal assembly is separated from the bonding jig after bonding, the bending portion is not restored freely, so that the head gimbal assembly is caught by the bonding jig during the separating process and a locked state is sometimes established.

Abstract: A composite panel waffle stiffener has fabric plies pre-cut to a selected pattern and laid on a tool having a waffle configuration. The plies overlap each other to maintain continuity of the structure. The resulting waffle stiffener is then bonded to a panel requiring stiffening. The stiffener is flexible and may be bonded to curved panels. Holes in the stiffener allow access to the volume between the stiffener and the panel for minimizing volume loss within, for example, a wing structure containing fuel and for ventilating air or moisture trapped in the volume.

Abstract: A system and method for forming structural assemblies with 3-D woven joint pre-forms. The method of the present invention forms complex structural assemblies with pre-formed structures. Adhesive is applied between the preformed structures and uncured 3-D woven textile pre-forms. Then together the preformed structures and uncured resin impregnated 3-D woven textile are cured with heat and/or pressure to form the larger complex structural assemblies.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for clearing a playing surface are provided. The apparatus preferably includes a chassis or frame, a sensor connected to the chassis to sense a location of a line on a playing surface that needs to be cleaned, and a drive connected to the chassis to drive the chassis in a selected direction of travel. The apparatus also preferably includes a controller connected to the chassis, in communication with the drive, and responsive to the sensor to control the drive to thereby direct the chassis to move along the line that needs to be cleaned in the selected direction of travel and a cleaning device connected to the chassis to clean the line with the chassis is being driven along the line. Associated software is provided as well.