Patents Represented by Attorney Kunzler Needham Massay & Thorpe
  • Patent number: 7692888
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for fly height detection. The apparatus includes an actuator configured to induce vibrations in a glide head that is configured to detect physical asperities on a disk surface. The apparatus may also include a second end of the suspension arm coupled with the glide head and a sensor module that is configured to communicate with a control module in response to the glide head coming in contact with at least one physical asperity. The system includes the apparatus, a disk having a surface comprising physical asperities, and a head gimbal assembly configured to calibrate a fly height margin for the disk. The method includes inducing vibrations in a glide head, detecting physical asperities on a disk surface, and communicating with a control module in response to the glide head coming in contact with at least one physical asperity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shanlin Duan, Jizhong He, John Stephen Hopkins