Abstract: Method and apparatus (thermal controller) for controlling a thermoelectric device to affect the temperature of an internal thermal zone in a hard disk drive to enable a first heat transfer from an internal heat transfer interface included in a thermal interface to an exterior heat transfer interface thermally coupling to the exterior of said hard disk drive, and applying to enable a second heat transfer from the exterior heat transfer interface to the internal heat transfer interface. The thermoelectric device may include the thermal controller. An external cover may include the thermal controller. The hard disk drive includes the thermal controller directing the thermoelectric device. Systems including at least one of the hard disk drives. Manufacturing these apparatus and these apparatus as products of these processes are part of the invention.

Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor-actuator, including a piezoelectric sensor bonded through non-conductive adhesive to a piezoelectric actuator to determine the pressure and/or temperature near the coupled slider. The piezoelectric actuator contributes to slider positioning. The piezoelectric sensor determines the experienced stress-strain. The hard disk drive uses the piezoelectric sensor-actuator creates a stress-strain measurement, a sensor spectrum, deriving the temperature estimate and/or the pressure estimate from said sensor spectrum, and operating at least one positioning control group member based upon the temperature estimate and/or pressure estimate. The micro-actuator containing at least one of the piezoelectric sensor-actuators, flexure finger, head gimbal assembly, head stack assembly, an actuator assembly, an embedded circuit, and the hard disk drive.

Abstract: A catheter system is described for performing protected angioplasty and stenting of a patient's carotid bifurcation. A self-expanding stent is deployed across a stenosis in the patient's carotid artery. A catheter system that includes a rapid exchange angioplasty catheter with an occlusion balloon catheter positioned through the guidewire lumen is advanced through the guiding catheter to the distal end of the stent. A releasable linking device holds the catheter system together as a unit. The occlusion balloon is inflated within the stent to occlude the carotid artery and to prevent any embolic debris from traveling downstream from the treatment site. The angioplasty balloon is inflated to dilate the stenosis and to complete the expansion of the stent. The angioplasty catheter is withdrawn and any potential embolic debris is aspirated out through the lumen of the guiding catheter. The occlusion balloon is deflated and the catheter system is withdrawn.

Abstract: A catheter system and method are described for stenting a vessel at a bifurcation or sidebranch of the vessel. The catheter system includes a first balloon catheter, a second balloon catheter and a releasable linking device for holding the first and second balloon catheters arranged in a side-by-side configuration and aligned with one another along a longitudinal axis. The linking device allows the catheter system to be advanced as a unit and helps prevent premature or inadvertent dislodgement of the stent from the catheters, yet is releasable so that one or both of the balloon catheters can be released from the linking device and maneuvered separately from the rest of the catheter system when desired. The method utilizes the described catheter system for stenting bifurcated vessels using a modified “kissing balloons” technique.

Abstract: A grooming tool which includes a number of latex surgical tubing pieces generally arranged in parallel to one another, and anchored together at corresponding opposite ends. A handle provides for a user to draw the plurality of latex surgical tubing pieces across an animal for grooming.

Abstract: The present invention includes a data processing system and method for managing the origination of a mortgage loan by a loan originator in coordination with a loan broker for a loan customer. The loan originator is not the loan broker. The loan originator provides services necessary for the origination of the mortgage loan and not duplicative of services provided by the loan broker.

Abstract: A region of flexure layer, including slider mounting face coupled to offset mounting face for at least one piezoelectric device. The offset mounting face for piezoelectric device provides asymmetry between first contact region and second contact region. This is cost effective, reliable support for piezoelectric devices used for micro-actuation in hard disk drives. The slider moves based upon asymmetry of the offset mounting face coupled to the piezoelectric device twisting the slider mounting face. The invention includes flexure containing the region of the flexure layer. The invention includes head gimbal assembly including flexure, actuator arm including head gimbal assembly, and actuator assembly including actuator arm, and hard disk drive including actuator assembly. The invention includes manufacturing the region, the flexure, the head gimbal assembly, the actuator arm, the actuator assembly and the hard disk drive, as well as these products of the manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A portable painting tent comprises a tall tripod frame with telescoping legs over which is draped a tent to control paint spray. Inside at the apex of the tripod, a swivel allows a standard house door, or other large items, to be hung from its top edge. A special bracket attaches to the top of the item, where it can be left unpainted, and the whole clips into a slot in the swivel. Both sides and edges of the item can be spray painted, and special handles are used to pick the wet item off the swivel and put it somewhere for drying. The whole tent can be folded up and carried away by collapsing the telescoping legs and folding them together in a tight bundle.

Abstract: A hard disk drive including an electrical property meter sensing a spindle control signal to create an electrical property reading. Spindle control signal stimulates spindle motor to rotate at least one disk, creating rotating disk surface accessed by slider. Control circuit receives electrical property reading to create contact indication of slider contacting rotating disk surface, which may further include determining contact indication as spike in electrical property history of the readings. The electrical property meter may include ammeter and/or voltmeter. The control circuit, printed circuit board assembly, and/or motor control interface may include the electrical property meter. The control circuit may also include processor receiving electrical property reading to create contact indication. The hard disk drive may update contact log when contact indicated and may further update access parameter list for the slider accessing the rotating disk surface based upon the contact log.

Abstract: Improved head gimbal assemblies reducing TMR (Track Mis-Registration) in a hard disk drive are provided. These head gimbal assemblies are as mechanically simple as contemporary head gimbal assemblies, support parallel flying sliders over flat disk surfaces, and reduce TMR induced by disk vibration. They are easier to build, more reliable, and cost less to make, than other known approaches at comparable track densities and rotational rates. The improved head gimbal assemblies include three sets of mechanisms for moving the slider parallel the disk surface, when the disk surface is flat, and radially moving the slider toward the track, when the disk surface is bent. The first and third mechanisms as well as the second and third mechanisms can be used together in a head gimbal assembly. An improved and distinctive servo-controller scheme resulting in an overall improvement in PES performance, particularly when applied to hard disk drives employing the invention's TMR reduction mechanisms.

Abstract: Devices and methods provide for ablation of cardiac tissue for treating cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Although the devices and methods are often be used to ablate epicardial tissue in the vicinity of at least one pulmonary vein, various embodiments may be used to ablate other cardiac tissues in other locations on a heart. Devices generally include at least one tissue contacting member for contacting epicardial tissue and securing the ablation device to the epicardial tissue, and at least one ablation member for ablating the tissue. Various embodiments include features, such as suction apertures, which enable the device to attach to the epicardial surface with sufficient strength to allow the tissue to be stabilized via the device. For example, some embodiments may be used to stabilize a beating heart to enable a beating heart ablation procedure. Many of the devices may be introduced into a patient via minimally invasive introducer devices and the like.

Abstract: A magnetic head follows a track in a hard disk drive as positioned by micro-actuator and voice coil motor. Embodiments operate two control paths. The micro-actuator control path generates a version of micro-actuator control signal stimulating the micro-actuator. The voice coil motor control path generates a version of voice coil control signal, amplified based upon tuning gain to stimulate voice coil motor. A decoupling feedback filter decouples these control paths, using the micro-actuator control signal version. Either control path may include a notch filter. A track following command, with PES removed, directs the micro-actuator control. The servo-controller may digitally support the invention, which may include the servo-controller program system. An implementation may be optimized within a hard disk drive, possibly as part of the manufacturing process. The hard disk drive is a product of that process.

Abstract: A system includes at least one hard disk drive (HDD) controlling the temperature of an internal thermal zone. The HDD preferably includes a thermal controller directing a thermoelectric device based upon a temperature measure of internal thermal zone. The thermoelectric device thermal-couples via thermal interface to internal thermal zone and to air exterior to HDD, providing a first heat transfer to remove heat from the internal thermal zone and providing a second heat transfer to add heat to the internal thermal zone. The thermal controller directs the thermoelectric device to provide the first heat transfer, when the temperature measure is above a top operating temperature, and directs the thermoelectric device to provide the second heat transfer, when the temperature measure is below a bottom operating temperature. The system may be a RAID, server computer, desktop computer, and notebook computer. Manufacturing these systems. The systems as manufacturing products.

Abstract: Method of estimating the stroke sensitivity of micro-actuator coupled with slider and its read-write head. Micro-actuator stimulus signal used to drive micro-actuator, inducing noise into lateral positioning of read-write head near track by voice coil motor to create PES. Lateral position noise derived from Position Error Signal. Stroke sensitivity estimated from lateral position noise and micro-actuator stimulus signal. Apparatus supporting method estimating stroke sensitivity: servo controller, embedded circuit including servo-controller, and hard disk drive may include servo-controller and/or embedded circuit. Method making servo-controller, embedded circuit, and/or hard disk drive. Servo-controller, embedded circuit, and hard disk drive are products of these processes.

Abstract: A slider, flexure finger, head suspension assembly, head gimbal assembly, main flex circuit, actuator assembly, spindle motor, embedded circuit, and hard disk drive using and/or supporting method of estimating flying height of read-write head near rotating disk surface. Method senses leakage current between slider and spindle motor to create potential difference measurement, and converts potential difference measurement to create estimate of flying height. Method controlling flying height using method for estimating by adjusting vertical actuation signal to micro-actuator assembly. The invention includes methods of manufacturing and their products.

Abstract: Hard disk drive housing including at least one inlet, at least one outlet. The inlet is situated near spindle and above disk in hard disk drive. The outlet is situated near outside diameter of disk. When disk rotates, air pressure near the inlet is lower than air pressure near the outlet, causing a flow of air through the hard disk drive from the inlet to the outlet, tending to cool the hard disk drive. The inlet may include inlet filter. Outlet may include outlet filter. Manufacturing the housing by providing the inlet and the outlet. The disk cover as manufacturing product. Operating the hard disk drive containing the housing. The hard disk drive containing the housing, and manufacturing the hard disk drive. The hard disk drive as manufacturing product. A system containing at least one of the hard disk drives. Manufacturing the system, and the system as a manufacturing product.

Abstract: A slider cradle for lateral positioning slider near rotating disk surface in hard disk drive, consisting essentially of piezoelectric micro-actuator coupling to slider cradle blank, further including piezoelectric micro-actuator coupling to first slider mount arm near slider mount and near slider mount base. A head gimbal assembly including slider cradle coupling to slider, flexure finger, and flexure finger electrically coupling to piezoelectric contacts. An actuator arm coupling to at least one head gimbal assembly. An actuator assembly, comprising voice coil coupling to at least one actuator arm. A hard disk drive containing actuator assembly. The invention includes a method of making slider cradle blank and slider cradle. The products of this process. Making head gimbal assembly, actuator assembly and hard disk drive using the invention's components. The head gimbal assembly, the actuator assembly, and the hard disk drive are products of these processes.

Abstract: An improved electric clothes iron comprises a water tank, chassis, handle, electrically heated soleplate, and steam chamber. The improvement, in one instance, includes heel and toe lifting pistons which are embedded in the soleplate and driven by an electric motor. A grip sensor in the handle triggers the lift piston motor to operate when the user is no longer gripping the handle. The lifting pistons are quickly retracted if the user grabs the handle again. The heated soleplate can be automatically turned off if the iron is left idle too long.

Abstract: Method and apparatus determining the water absorption gradient and controlling the irrigation system based upon the water absorption gradient. The means for determining uses at least a first electrical coupling and a second electrical coupling, which electrically couple with a first probe and a second probe, placed in the soil near the at least one plant.

Abstract: Devices and methods provide for ablation of cardiac tissue for treating cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. Although the devices and methods are often to be used to ablate epicardial tissue in the vicinity of at least one pulmonary vein, various embodiments may be used to ablate other cardiac tissues in other locations on a heart. Devices generally include at least one tissue contacting member for contacting epicardial tissue and securing the ablation device to the epicardial tissue, and at least one ablation member for ablating the tissue. Various embodiments include features, such as suction apertures, which enable the device to attach to the epicardial surface with sufficient strength to allow the tissue to be stabilized via the device. For example, some embodiments may be used to stabilize a beating heart to enable a beating heart ablation procedure.