Abstract: A reformer exercise apparatus comprises a telescopic rectangular frame, a movable carriage mounted on the frame for supporting a user, and an elongated elastic member extending between the frame and the movable carriage for biasing the carriage toward the one end of the frame. The telescopic rectangular frame has a first frame section and a second frame section that each includes two spaced apart parallel tubular rail members. One set of rail members is telescopically received in the other set of rail members so that the frame is selectively movable between a first storage position and an extended operating position.

Abstract: An electronic data storage device is described that is capable of being worn, such as, as a piece of jewelry. The device includes a memory card, a modifiable directory structure for organizing electronic files stored in the memory card, modifiable electronic files containing bearer information stored in the directory structure, and may have a container enclosing the card and/or covering card contacts. The device may include labeling on one of an exterior surface of the memory card and/or the container indicating a name of the bearer to whom the information pertains; and unique data identifying the bearer retrievably stored on said memory card. The memory card may be inserted in an adapter and information retrieved and read via a personal or laptop computer.

Abstract: A movable load/unload parking apparatus for a disc drive has an elongated parking member pivotally supported adjacent a data storage disc or stack of discs in the drive. The parking member is operable to move between a first position during drive shutdown and a second position during drive operation. In the first position, a pickup portion of the parking member extends over a peripheral portion of the disc to receive and carry the transducer or transducers beyond the outer diameter of the disc when the actuator rotates the actuator arm outward to a park position. At the same time a crash stop portion of the parking member is repositioned away from the actuator arm to permit the outward rotation. In the second position, the pickup portion of the parking member is positioned beyond the outer diameter of the disc and the crash stop portion is positioned to prevent movement of the actuator arm beyond the outer diameter of the disc.

Abstract: A system for testing the read/write head elements of a head stack assembly (“HSA”). A completed HSA is placed in the test apparatus. Test probes are aligned and placed in electrical contact with the electrical leads coming from each head element, between the head elements and the preamplifier. The HSA is then placed in a changing magnetic field. A low frequency magnetic field can be applied to test the head elements. The changing magnetic field induces electrical signals within the head elements. By analyzing these electrical signals, the condition and characteristics of the each head element can be determined.

Abstract: A disc drive is disclosed which has a means for drawing a vacuum within the head disc assembly to reduce windage drag and reduce drive motor power consumption. The drive preferably has an internal air pump which includes an impeller disc fastened to the drive motor spindle within the head disc assembly and a stationary seal plate over the impeller disc which is fastened to the base plate and which prevents short cycling of the air. The base plate has a passage therethrough that communicates with an area adjacent a peripheral portion of the impeller disc. The impeller draws air from within the head disc assembly to the area adjacent the peripheral portion of the impeller disc and through the passage out of the head disc assembly to maintain a vacuum around the data storage disc within the head disc assembly during drive operation.

Abstract: A method of measuring the vibration of an actuator assembly in a disc drive in the plane of rotation of the actuator assembly and determining the resonance behavior of the actuator assembly from the measured vibrations is disclosed. The method involves use of a laser to measure the vibrational behavior of the actuator assembly in the rotational plane. A method is described for adjusting the resonance behavior of the actuator assembly during the manufacturing process without the use of glue or extra parts. The resonance behavior is determined and the preload on the bearings in the actuator assembly is adjusted until a desired resonance behavior is achieved.

Abstract: A medication management system which includes three components to assist a patient control, monitor and manage administration of prescribed medications. The system comprises a patient component having a retrievable patient database of patient medical history, prior prescribed medications and current prescribed medications, and it includes a data transfer interface, e.g., a hardwired interface, such as an RS232 interface or infrared data transfer port. The system also includes a physician component having a retrievable physician's database of medication information and an input/output device enabling a prescribing physician to enter prescription information into the physician component. The physician's database is capable of receiving and storing patient data transferred from the patient component through said data transfer interface. The system finally also includes a pharmacist component resident on a pharmacist's computer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing audible noise in disc drives during idle periods uses a low-noise velocity profile and/or low noise position profile to govern the movement of a seeking actuator assembly. The low-noise velocity profile is selected to govern all actuator movement and seeking during idle periods, i.e., during internal drive housekeeping operations. The noise level associated with each actuator position in the drive is preferably determined through actual tests and/or modeling and is utilized to determine the low noise profiles. The relative amount of time the actuator assembly spends in the relatively noisier actuator assembly positions may also be optimally reduced thus reducing the overall amount of noise generated by an idle disc drive.

Abstract: A veterinary medication management system which includes two or three separate components to assist a handler/owner control, monitor and manage administration of prescribed medications to an animal patient. The system comprises a handler/owner component having a retrievable animal and handler/owner database of animal medical history, prior prescribed medications and current prescribed medications, and it includes a data transfer interface, e.g., a hardwired interface, such as an RS232 interface or infrared data transfer port. The system also includes a veterinarian component having a retrievable veterinarian's database of medication information and an input/output device enabling a prescribing veterinarian to enter prescription information into the veterinarian component. The veterinarian's database is capable of receiving and storing handler/owner data transferred from the handler/owner component through said data transfer interface.

Abstract: A disc drive having reduced mechanical vibration is disclosed. An annular viscoelastic damper is sandwiched beneath the head disc assembly cover against the bearing assembly of the actuator to dampen mechanical vibrations transmitted by the cover to the actuator assembly. The damper is an annular disc made of a composite of a layer of viscoelastic polymer and a backing stiffening layer.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus comprises a generally rectangular extruded aluminum frame having a head end and a foot end and including a pair of spaced apart parallel track members wherein the head end, the foot end, and the track or rail members are each formed from the same metal extrusion material and have the same cross sectional shape. The extruded shape comprises a closed middle portion, an outer T shaped slot portion, and an inner C shaped support channel portion and may include one or more screw races in the closed middle portion for forming a solid mitered connection at the comers of the frame. The apparatus includes a movable carriage mounted on the frame for movement along the rail members between the head and foot ends against one or more resistance members connected between the carriage and the foot end of the frame. The exercise apparatus may include a foot bar assembly that permits a foot bar to be rotated between various positions via a quick release arrangement.

Abstract: Head disc assembly serial number information is encoded in the servo bursts recorded during servo track writing. Specifically, the HDA serial number information is written to the disc during disk manufacture as part of the Servo Track Writing process in between the normal servo frames. The serial number is preferably written on preexisting unique system (non-user) tracks in-between normal servo frames. The encoded serial number can be retrieved by increasing the sampling interval of the servo information, i.e., by over-sampling the servo information. More specifically, by writing the serial number in a servo burst exactly in the middle of two normal servo frames, the information can be retrieved by 2× over-sampling routines called by system diagnostic routines or disc drive certification routines. In addition, a disc drive apparatus having a retrievable encoded head disc assembly serial number is provided.

Abstract: An integrated circuit for particular use in a disc drive has a core logic module connected to a core voltage, an input/output buffer module connected to an input/output voltage and having input/output buffer control lines connected to the core logic module, and a mode switch input on the I/O buffer module that is operable to prevent output operation of the I/O buffer module whenever core voltage is below a safe operating level. One embodiment has the core logic module determining when the safe operating level is met and providing an appropriate signal to the I/O buffer. Another embodiment has a separate level detect module operably connected to the core voltage and the input/output voltage determining when the safe operating level is met, and having an output connected to the mode switch input on the I/O buffer module.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing the operative force on an air vane latch apparatus in a disc drive includes an air gate having an elongated rib extending parallel to the air vane immediately downstream of the air vane for reducing pressure behind the air vane during disc drive operation to reduce the disc speed at which the latch apparatus moves from a latched position to an unlatched position. The air gate is preferably a rib extending along an underside surface of the head disc assembly cover positioned parallel to the air vane and immediately downstream.

Abstract: The circuit in accordance with the present invention monitors current signals between the preamplifier and the transducer in a data storage device such as a disc drive utilizing magnetoresistive transducers and/or giant magnetoresistive transducers. The detector circuit includes an amplitude section, a duration section, a frequency section, and an alarm section. The amplitude section has a comparator for detecting when a signal exceeds a predetermined voltage level. The duration section measures the time period that the comparator has an output signal. The frequency section measures the frequency of occurrence of comparator output signals. Each of the sections provides an input to the alarm section which provides an alarm signal condition if the amplitude section magnitude is too high, or the duration times amplitude is too high, or the frequency of occurrences of events is too high.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus comprises a generally rectangular frame having a head end and a foot end and including a pair of spaced apart parallel track members, a movable carriage mounted on the frame for movement along the track members between said head and foot ends against one or more springs connected between the carriage and the foot end of the frame. The carriage has a generally flat upper surface for supporting a user's body. The upper surfaces has a pair of spaced shoulder stops and ahead rest extending from the carriage toward the head end. The foot end includes an elastic member anchor bar and carriage stop assembly to adjustably position the carriage and elastic members on the tracks to accommodate a wide range of user heights. The foot end also includes a pair of upright foot rest bar support brackets fastened to the frame. Each upright foot rest bar support bracket has a plurality of slanted slots therein operably positioned to receive a central bar portion of a foot rest support bar.

Abstract: An apparatus for subjecting a disc drive to rotational vibration test profiles includes a mounting base, a disc drive mounting plate, and a rotary vibration motor assembly mounted between the mounting plate and the base in which the disc drive mounting plate may be vibrationally rotated about an axis through the base and plate. The motor assembly preferably includes a plurality of voice coil motors mounted and radially spaced about a tubular shaft supporting the disc drive mounting plate. The voice coil motors are connected and driven in series to impart the rotational vibrational profile to the disc drive mounted on the mounting plate. The method involves providing a support structure, a rotatable shaft carried by the support structure, a voice coil motor connected to the shaft for reciprocally rotating the shaft, mounting a device to be tested on the shaft, and applying a current to the voice coil motor to reciprocally rotate the shaft to vibrate the device.

Abstract: An inertial latch apparatus for maintaining an actuator arm in a disc drive in a predetermined position has an elongated inertial beam member pivotally mounted in the disc drive for rotation in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the actuator arm and a latch member pivotally mounted in the disc drive for rotation between a disengaged position permitting movement of the actuator arm when the latch member is in the disengaged position and an engaged position in interference relation to a portion of the actuator arm to prevent movement of the actuator arm when the drive is subjected to an external shock load. The latch member rotates in only one direction in response to rotation of the beam member in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction from a neutral position.

Abstract: The shock absorber apparatus for a disc drive is a molded polymeric enclosure adapted to receive and retain a disc drive. One preferred embodiment of the present invention has a shock absorbing material of a first thickness adjacent a critical region of the drive and a second thickness of shock absorbing material adjacent a non-critical region of the disc drive. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness in order to absorb a greater shock load to protect the critical region of the disc drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for minimizing corrosion product build-up within a disc drive incorporates a non-corrosive gas hermetically sealed within the disc drive and a diaphragm chamber that allows the constrained non-corrosive gas to respond to changes in pressure and temperature. The diaphragm chamber includes a diaphragm that partitions the diaphragm chamber into a top and bottom chambers. The top chamber has an aperture for communicating with the external environment and the bottom chamber has an aperture for communicating with the internally constrained non-corrosive gas. The diaphragm is non-permeable and made of an elastic material that responds to changes in air volume or mass on either side of the partition so that the pressure inside the hermetically sealed disc drive is constant throughout the life of the device. The diaphragm chamber can be located inside or outside the disc drive and can be integrally formed within the top cover of the disc drive.