Abstract: An etching and fluorinating treatment is disclosed for modifying the surface properties of magnetic data storage media and sliders for magnetic data transducing heads. Media enclosed within a plasma chamber is first exposed to an argon plasma for cleaning, then exposed to a plasma mixture including argon with either fluorine or carbon tetrafluoride, maintained at a pressure of approximately half of atmospheric pressure, at a temperature of about 100.degree. C. An electrical field is generated for forming argon, carbon and fluorine ions. The argon ions etch the carbon overcoat of the disc, while the carbon and fluorine ions combine with the carbon to form extended chain fluoropolymers, and also penetrate the carbon layer. Sliders are treated in a plasma mixture of argon and CF.sub.4. During such treatment, carbon and fluorine ions penetrate exposed surface areas of the slider, and form a reaction product of solid lubricant film.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media are controllably textured, particularly over areas designated for contact with data transducing heads. In connection with rigid media, the process includes polishing an aluminum nickel-phosphorous substrate to a specular finish, then rotating the disc while directing pulsed laser energy over a limited portion of the radius, thus forming an annular head contact band while leaving the remainder of the surface specular. The band is formed of multiple individual laser spots, each with a center depression surrounded by a substantially circular raised rim. The depth of the depressions and height of the rims are controlled primarily by laser power and firing pulse duration. The shape of individual laser spots can be altered by varying the laser beam inclination relative to the disc surface. On a larger scale, the frequency of firing the laser in combination with disc rotational speed controls the pattern or arrangement of laser spots.

Abstract: In connection with an information processing network in which multiple processing devices have individual cache memories and also share a main storage memory, a process is disclosed for allocating multiple data operations or tasks for subsequent execution by the processing devices. A plurality of task dispatching elements (TDE) forming a task dispatching queue are scanned in an order of descending priority, for either a specific affinity to a selected one of the processing devices, or a general affinity to all of the processing devices. TDEs with specific affinity are assigned immediately if the selected processor is available, while TDEs of general affinity are reserved. TDEs with a specific affinity are bypassed if the selected processor is not available, or reserved if a predetermined bypass threshold has been reached. Following the primary scan a secondary scan, in an order of ascending priority, assigns any reserved tasks to the processing devices still available, without regard to processor affinity.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a stationary frame and vertical spindle shaft, and a hub rotatable relative to the spindle shaft and supporting one or more magnetic discs. A motor for rotating the hub includes an annular stator integrally secured to the spindle shaft, and a rotor assembly integral with the hub. The rotor assembly includes an annular magnet and an annular back iron, with the magnet being spaced apart from the stator to define an air gap. The magnet includes four longitudinally disposed arcuate poles of equal size, separated from one another by flux gaps. Each of the poles has a medial region and first and second end regions on opposite sides of the medial region. The medial region is selectively magnetized to a level less than the level to which the end regions are magnetized, creating a flux gap and torque profile for the magnet particularly effective in reducing torque ripple.

Abstract: A redundant, fault-tolerant connection is provided from a local processing station to a plurality of remote processing stations, each including an I/O bus and an associated I/O bus interface logic circuit. Two of the bus interface logic circuits are connected directly to the processor interface circuit, via separate direct links. Intermediate bus interface circuits of and I/O busses of intermediate remote stations are connected between the two selected bus interface circuits, in a series arrangement including alternate link segments and bus interface circuits. Each of the bus interface circuits has pass-through capability for transmitting data in either direction, and the links and link sections also are bidirectional, enabling transmission of data in either direction and on either path between the processor interface circuit and any of the remote stations, through any intervening stations. The processor interface circuit itself is intentionally configured without such pass-through capability.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for forming magnetic media, in which a protective overcoat of either partially stabilized zirconia or partially stabilized hafnia directly overlies a magnetic thin film recording layer. First, a chromium underlayer is sputter deposited onto a planar aluminum nickel phosphorous substrate. A crystalline magnetic recording layer is deposited onto the chromium underlayer, and substantially replicates the crystalline orientation of the underlayer. The substrate, underlayer and recording layer are passivated briefly in an oxygen atmosphere. Then, the hafnia or zirconia underlayer is applied by RF reactive sputtering in an atmosphere of argon and oxygen, with the argon partial pressure at least ten times the oxygen partial pressure.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump for left ventricle assist includes a pump housing forming an impeller chamber with inlet and outlet passages and enclosing an impeller rotatable to move blood or other fluids through the impeller chamber, and a rotor chamber enclosing a rotor integral with the impeller and rotatable to drive the impeller. A stator is mounted outside of a rotor casing forming the rotor chamber, concentric with, radially outward of and approximately axially aligned with the rotor. The stator includes a stator frame with an annular back iron and twenty-four teeth equally spaced apart and projected radially inwardly of the back iron. Three wires, one for each of three motor phases, are wound about the back iron, each including four symmetrically arranged active segments toroidally wound about the back iron, corresponding to four poles in a permanent magnet fixed to the rotor.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media are controllably textured, particularly over areas designated for contact with data transducing heads. In connection with rigid media, the process includes polishing an aluminum nickel-phosphorous substrate to a specular finish, then rotating the disc while directing pulsed laser energy over a limited portion of the radius, thus forming an annular head contact band while leaving the remainder of the surface specular. The band is formed of multiple individual laser spots, each with a center depression surrounded by a substantially circular raised rim. The depth of the depressions and height of the rims are controlled primarily by laser power and firing pulse duration. The shape of individual laser spots can be altered by varying the laser beam inclination relative to the disc surface. On a larger scale, the frequency of firing the laser in combination with disc rotational speed controls the pattern or arrangement of laser spots.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump for left ventricle assist includes a pump housing forming an impeller chamber with inlet and outlet passages and enclosing an impeller rotatable to move blood or other fluids through the impeller chamber, and a rotor chamber enclosing a rotor integral with the impeller and rotatable to drive the impeller. A stator is mounted outside of a rotor casing forming the rotor chamber, concentric with, radially outward of and approximately axially aligned with the rotor. The stator includes a stator frame with an annular back iron and twenty-four teeth equally spaced apart and projected radially inwardly of the back iron. Three wires, one for each of three motor phases, are wound about the back iron, each including four symmetrically arranged active segments toroidally wound about the back iron, corresponding to four poles in a permanent magnet fixed to the rotor.

Abstract: A system for apportioning serially supplied data among eight contending memory banks tends to equalize usage among the banks despite their arrangement in a predetermined, sequential priority. Each bank has a data hold register, an OR logic gate to generate a request signal whenever its register contains data, and a negative AND gate for enabling the bank for clearing data from its register. All except the lowest priority bank further include a blocking latch and an enabling NOR gate. Each blocking latch is set when its associated bank is enabled, and then inhibits its associated AND gate and each higher priority AND gate, while enabling each lower priority NOR gate. Each enabled NOR gate provides an enabling signal to all lower priority AND gates. When the lowest priority AND gate is enabled by the NOR gates and its request signal, all blocking latches are cleared. The banks thus are utilized in a sequence that is maintained even if one or more banks are bypassed on occasion.

Abstract: Data messages are transmitted between host data processors and a communications processor. Data messages from a communications processor are transformed for the host processor to which the message is assigned. Data messages from a host processor are transformed for the communications processor. Protocol is established between (a) untransformed data messages from the communications processor and transformed data messages for the communications processor, and (b) untransformed data messages from each host processor and transformed data messages for each host processor. A device interface connects a plurality of host processors to a plurality of buses, each bus being connected to one communications processor. The device interface handles the protocol, transformation and control function in parallel so that messages between a given host processor and terminal connected to a communications processor are processed through a device interface.

Abstract: A control system for a laser catheter device wherein the control system is provided with means for determining the intensity of laser beam energy at two points, one of which is at the distal tip end thereof, and with the other being interposed along a transmitting column remote from both the source of laser beam energy and the distal tip. A beam splitter means(dichroic filter) is provided for diverting a first portion of the laser beam energy onto a first detector means. Energy passing through the beam splitter is ultimately directed onto a fluorescent member or device disposed adjacent the distal tip, with the fluorescent member or means being capable of emitting or generating radiant energy at a wavelength significantly different from that of the incident laser beam energy. The radiant energy generated by the fluorescent means is directed onto a second surface of the beam splitter means, and ultimately onto a second detector means.

Abstract: A magnetic disc drive includes a rigid housing, a plurality of data storage discs rotatably mounted in the housing, and a carriage for supporting and placing transducing heads in selected dispositions with respect to the rotating discs. An actuator or voice coil motor drives the carriage, and is fixed in the vertical direction to the housing by three posts extended upwardly of a deck portion of the housing and engaging the bottom of the actuator. A metallic plate mounted integrally to the actuator and a viscoelastic polymeric layer are interposed between the actuator and the deck adjacent the posts. The posts are sufficiently flexible to permit a limited horizontal displacement of the actuator with respect to the housing, responsive to movement of the carriage. The displacement causes shear strain in the viscoelastic layer whereby the layer tends to absorb and dissipate most of the energy of vibration.

Abstract: An outboard motor for a marine craft which incorporates a surface drive heretofore only found with inboard motors. A specially designed constant velocity universal joint is used to pivotally couple the propeller shaft and propeller shaft extension housing to the outboard's lower unit whereby propeller thrust forces are transmitted directly through the propeller shaft to the transmission's output shaft. Furthermore, provision is made for routing engine cooling water and exhaust through the prop shaft extension housing and the propeller hub, thereby reducing the engine noise.

Abstract: A method for fusion bonding a pair of articles consisting of a high melting point thermoplastic material which includes the steps of bringing each surface to be bonded into engagement with the contact surface portion of a heated platen, maintaining the engagement until the surface becomes fused, and thereafter bringing the fused surfaces together in face-to-face relationship until the fused surfaces become solidified. The method further includes the step, in each operative cycle, of abrading the contact surfaces of the platen to renew and expose the metallic surface thereof for engagement with the surface of the next thermoplastic article to be treated.

Abstract: An improved surface drive for a marine craft having an inboard engine in which propeller generated thrust forces are transferred directly and co-linearly from the propeller shaft, through a constant velocity U-joint to the engine or transmission shaft to thereby reduce the overall dimensions of the surface drive unit.

Abstract: A product for inhibiting corrosion of corrodible items within closed containers which comprises a powdered solid composition capable of producing and releasing a vapor phase corrosion inhibiting compound. The powdered composition is enclosed within a sealed envelope which is formed of a sheet material impermeable to the powdered composition, but which is porous to the released vapor phase corrosion inhibiting compound released from the powdered composition. The vapor phase corrosion inhibiting compound produced and released by the powdered composition migrates through the sheet material and permeates the environment of a closed container of corrodible items.