Abstract: An improved limit stop system for defining the extremes of the range of motion of the actuator of a disc drive. An elongated slot having inner and outer contact surfaces is provided in the bobbin inside the coil of the actuator voice coil motor. A pin member having a compliant portion is assembled through the elongated slot in the coil bobbin and into engagement with stationary components of the disc drive. When the intended extreme of the range of motion of the actuator is reached, either the inner or outer contact surface of the elongated slot contacts the compliant portion of the pin member preventing further motion of the actuator in that direction.

Abstract: A disk drive apparatus is disclosed for primary use with portable, laptop or other information storage systems. The disk drive apparatus includes one or more about 2.5 inch hard disks. The disk drive apparatus also has electronics, including hardware and software, for detecting a lapse of first and second predetermined time intervals since a last disk access. The disk drive apparatus also includes power conservation means which power down a first portion of disk drive components after a first predetermined time interval has elapsed and for powering down a second portion of disk drive components after a second predetermined time interval has elapsed.

Abstract: An actuator system for positioning a transducing head on an actuator arm over a selected track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks is disclosed. The actuator arm includes a motor responsive to an actuator signal and a bias signal to move the head with respect to the tracks. The actuator signal is applied to the motor to move the head between tracks on the disc. After the head has been moved between tracks, the bias signal is applied to the motor to center the head over the selected track. A lookup table is provided to store predicted bias values in locations addressable by seek direction, previous seek direction, seek length and head position. The bias signal is applied in response to a selectively accessed predicted bias value.

Abstract: A device for testing smoothness of a rotatable disc is disclosed. A slider body has a trailing edge surface and an air-bearing surface for gliding over a surface of the disc when the disc is rotating. A piezoelectric sensor is formed in the slider body, and a thermal asperity sensor is formed in the slider body and at least partially exposed to the air-bearing surface. A plurality of conductive vias extend from the trailing edge surface of the slider body into the slider body to contact the piezoelectric and thermal asperity sensors. A plurality of conductive bond pads are disposed on the trailing edge surface in contact with respective conductive vias.

Abstract: The invention is a miniature disc drive system. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a positioner for positioning a transducer includes an actuator arm having the transducer mounted at one end and a voice coil motor (VCM) mounted at the other end. A pivot is centrally located along the actuator arm, whereby the VCM, when activated, can rotate the transducer over a disc or discs having approximately 45 mm diameters. The VCM is preferably a moving voice coil-type having a voice coil attached to the actuator arm and two magnets positioned above and below the voice coil such that the voice coil can freely move between them. One magnet is mounted to a base portion of a housing which encloses the entire disc drive system. The other magnet is mounted to roof portion of the housing. Thus, the housing is integrated into the active components of the disc drive and permits a significant size reduction to be achieved.

Abstract: An air bearing slider (140) for use in a disc drive (10) is disclosed. The slider includes leading and trailing edges (44,46) and an air bearing surface (48) having a longitudinally extending center line (40). A first leg (102) protrudes from the leading edge end of the air bearing surface on a first side of the center line. The first leg extends longitudinally along a first axis (103) oriented such that it forms an angle relative to the center line which is substantially equal to the skew angle of the slider when the slider is positioned at the inner diameter (36) of the disc.

Abstract: An apparatus and processes for making and using the same, for holding tape media for use in compact computer tape drives. Tape media cartridges for use in compact computer tape drives have a single reel for holding the tape media, and include a leader block coupled to the tape media. When inserted into the tape drive, a leader block handling mechanism within the tape drive grips the leader block and threads the tape media on a take up reel in the tape drive. The apparatus permits the leader block handling mechanism to more easily grip the leader block, and promotes more compact designs for tape media cartridges and tape drives.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for detecting defective servo frames in a disc drive, the defective servo frames including anomalous position field patterns which generate burst signals of insufficient relative magnitude to facilitate proper servo control. Burst signals are generated from the position field patterns of a selected servo frame and a combination term is determined as a selected combination of the magnitudes of the burst signals. The combination term is compared to a predetermined threshold and the servo frame is identified as being defective when the combination term falls below the predetermined threshold. The combination term is preferably generated from the magnitudes of burst signals generated from three burst patterns: a first burst pattern extending from a first track boundary to a second, adjacent track boundary, a second burst pattern extending from a track centerline to the first track boundary and a third burst pattern extending from the track centerline to the second track boundary.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for collecting a large number of outgas samples at the same time. Specimens to be tested for outgassing are placed in throw-away widemouth bottles, and the bottles are placed in cups provide in a heating block. A custom made cap is fastened to each bottle using an O-ring. Each cap is provided with an outgassing sample collecting tube. A source of pure gas such as nitrogen or helium is connected by way of a pressure regulator and a hydrocarbon filter to a manifold. Each of the caps on each bottle is coupled to the manifold by way of a metering valve. An adsorbent is placed in each collecting tube. The gas pressure is set to between 10 and 15 psi. The flow through each collecting tube is set to a predetermined level by adjusting its metering valve and measuring the flow at the exit of the collecting tube using a flowmeter. The heating block is heated by means of a thermal tape used in conjunction with a power supply and a thermocouple inserted into a hole in the heating block.

Abstract: A magnetic disc drive storage system includes a magnetic storage disc and a proximate recording head. The proximate recording head is used for proximity reading and writing of information on the surface of the magnetic storage disc. An idle fly zone is provided on the surface of the magnetic storage disc. During idle periods, the proximity recording head is positioned over the landing fly zone. The landing fly zone provides a smooth surface to the proximity recording head whereby wear and particulate generate at the head/disc interface are reduced.

Abstract: An optical disc data storage system includes an optical disc having a data surface. An actuator arm having a distal end is selectively radially positionable adjacent the data surface. A transducing element is carried on a slider which is coupled to the distal end of the actuator arm. The slider includes an air bearing surface and the transducing element includes an optical mesa adjacent the air bearing surface. The optical mesa is spaced apart from the data surface whereby contact between the data surface and the mesa structure is prevented.

Abstract: A method and apparatus determining head position of a data transducer head relative to a selected one track of a multiplicity of concentric tracks within a magnetic/disc drive is provided. At least one prerecorded servo sector within a data track includes four time staggered servo bursts. The first pair and second pair of servo bursts are radially offset from each other by generally a burst width such that an edge from each of the pair are substantially co-linear in forming a track null. The first pair is radially offset from the second pair by one-half of the burst width. The first pair is read to determine a first relative amplitude therebetween, and the second pair is read to determine a second relative amplitude therebetween. Additionally, the radially offset and time staggered servo bursts prerecorded on the servo sector can be of varying width and numbered to create the plurality of track nulls within a data track about which the head can be positioned.

Abstract: A female connector system for engaging, a matching male 3-in-1 IDE connector has, in certain embodiments, three alternatively usable, different length female connectors formed for mating with all or selected portions of the male connector. These include a set of data pin-receptacles, a set of jumper pin-receptacles, and a set of power pin-receptacles. To provide swift and secure engagement of the female connector to a 3-in-1 male connector, the female connector has a number of surface features. These include two locating projections that aid in properly locating the female connector with respect to the 3-in-1 male connector. A fitting portion and a groove are provided in one of the planar surfaces of the female connector and further aid in proper location and mating.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprising a glass or glass-ceramic substrate is formed by sequentially depositing thereon a partially oxidized NiP seed layer, an underlayer and a magnetic layer. The partially oxidized NiP seed layer is formed by reactive sputtering in a gas mixture of argon and oxygen. The resulting magnetic recording medium exhibits low medium noise and high coercivity rendering it suitable for high density magnetic recording.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for burnishing a surface of a magnetic disc of a disc drive are disclosed. The disc drive has a data head and an actuator supporting the head as the head flies above the surface of the disc. A controller causes the disc to be rotated at rates of rotation which will result in burnishing head fly heights which are less than a normal operational fly height of the head. An actuator controller controls the actuator to repeatedly move the head across a region of the disc during a burnishing time period. The head flies above the surface of the disc at the burnishing fly heights during the burnishing time period to thereby reduce asperities on the disc.

Abstract: A soldering device for soldering lead wires from a disc head to a circuit of the disc drive includes a heat shield adapted to provide a protective barrier for a soldering tip during operation of a soldering instrument. During operation, the soldering tip is heated by a heating element for use. A heat shield is coupled with the soldering tip and designed to provide a temperature barrier along the length of the soldering tip and prevent damage to other wires in close proximity.

Abstract: A multiphoton photorefractive holographic recording material includes an electro-optic host material doped with at least one lanthanide.

Abstract: An actuator arm bumper for dampening contact between a surface of an actuator arm and a surface of a disc in a disc drive. The actuator arm bumper comprises a non-marring, non-particulating and durable material such as polycarbonate which extends through and beyond the cross-sectional thickness of the actuator arm. The actuator arm bumper is formed from a sphere or rod of polycarbonate material which is placed into an opening of the actuator arm and deformed using a heat staking or crimping operation. A ramp loading installation tool is also used to simultaneously form all of the actuator arm bumpers in the actuator arms of the disc drive.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling a hydrodynamic bearing with fluid. The apparatus includes a fill tube having first and second openings and a fluid reservoir having a reservoir opening. The first opening of the fill tube is aligned relative to a bearing channel opening for filling bearing channels. The second opening of the fill tube is selectively aligned relative to the fluid reservoir for filling bearing channels with fluid from the fluid reservoir via relative movement of the fill tube and fluid reservoir between a retracted position and a filling position. In the retracted position, the second opening of the fill tube is spaced from the reservoir and in the filling position, the second opening of the fill tube is immersed in the fluid reservoir to fill the bearing channels with fluid from the fluid reservoir.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium is formed with a laser textured glass, ceramic or glass-ceramic substrate. The use of a pulsed, focused laser light beam, such as a CO.sub.2 derived laser light beam, through an acoustic-optical modulator enables the use of a high pulse repetition rate and/or short pulses. The resulting laser textured substrate comprises a plurality of dome-like protrusions extending above the substrate.