Patents Examined by A. J. Heinz
  • Patent number: 7907368
    Abstract: In a balanced head gimbal assembly for improved seeking performance, a slider having a magnetic head with a set of read elements to read data and a set of write elements to write data, an air-bearing surface, and a non-air-bearing surface is coupled to a suspension. The suspension includes a loadbeam, a flexure, and a balancing weight. The loadbeam is coupled to an actuator arm. The flexure, coupled to the loadbeam, has a window through which a dimple, coupled to the loadbeam, contacts a dimple contact point. The balancing weight, coupled to the flexure, has a configuration which permits alignment of a center of mass of the head gimbal assembly with the dimple contact point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (HK) Ltd.
    Inventors: Qinghua Zeng, Yen Fu, Li-Yan Zhu, Chao-Hui Yang, Ellis T. Cha
  • Patent number: 7889456
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording write head having a flux shaping layer located on the write pole which has an end located substantially at the surface of the head carrier that faces the recording medium. The write head includes a main pole, on which the write pole is formed, that has an end recessed from the write pole end, and at least one flux return pole. In one implementation a first flux shaping layer is located between the main pole and the write pole. A second flux shaping layer may be located on the write pole with both shaping layers having an end recessed from the write pole end. The first and second flux shaping layers may also be tapered in the direction of the recording medium and cover the sides of the write pole in the cross-track direction to substantially surrounded the write pole with flux shaping material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ming Jiang, Changqing Shi
  • Patent number: 7889461
    Abstract: An internal support interface which provides vibration and acoustic isolation. A stationary shaft has a medial portion about which a rotatable member rotates. An end portion of the shaft has an annular base surface surrounding a stub shaft projection. A substantially planar housing member has a support post which extends from an annular interior surface in adjacent, non-contacting proximity to the stub shaft projection to form a gap therebetween. An annular damping member mutually contactingly surrounds the stub shaft projection and the support post while being compressed between the base surface of the shaft and the interior surface of the housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Stasiewicz, Rick Tufty, Gary Holland
  • Patent number: 7889455
    Abstract: A computer program product for operating an automated data storage library with storage shelves, data storage drive(s), a bus bar; and a robot accessor with a drive system for moving the robot accessor, an accessor communication interface, a bus bar relay configured to engage and disengage the bus bar; a robot control configured to operate the drive system to move the robot accessor, to operate the picker, to operate the bus bar relay to engage the bus bar when the robot accessor is stationary; and a power storage system configured to receive power via the bus bar relay when the bus bar relay engages the bus bar, to store the received power, and to deliver the stored power to the robot accessor at least when the bus bar relay is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mark Delorman Schultz
  • Patent number: 7885042
    Abstract: A giant magneto-resistive effect device having a CPP structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetization layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with the spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each made of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer formed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type oxide semiconductor. When the first and second nonmagnetic metal layers are formed in order, the first nonmagnetic metal layer is formed prior to the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and an anti-oxidizing layer is formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The anti-oxidizing layer is formed of a material incapable of producing a Schottky barrier upon joining to the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shimazawa, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Tomohito Mizuno, Kei Hirata
  • Patent number: 7885039
    Abstract: A magnetic-head supporting mechanism includes a slider having a chamfered bleed portion, a mounting portion on which the slider is mounted, a flexible finger portion extending in a longitudinal direction and supporting the mounting portion, a load beam extending in the longitudinal direction that connects at an end to a positioning mechanism, and that applies a load to the slider, and a regulating member extending from the load beam in the longitudinal direction for preventing change of an attitude of the slider when an angular attitude of the slider exceeds a predetermined angle. The regulating member extends over and above the flexible finger portion and over and above the slider and has an end in the longitudinal direction at a position approximately equal to an end of the flexible finger portion in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan, LTd.
    Inventors: Mikio Tokuyama, Yukio Katou, Jyousei Shimizu, Yasuo Kojima, Hiroshi Nishida, Kouki Uefune
  • Patent number: 7885035
    Abstract: A computer program product for operating an automated data storage library with storage shelves, data storage drive(s), a bus bar; and a robot accessor with a drive system for moving the robot accessor, an accessor communication interface, a bus bar relay configured to engage and disengage the bus bar; and a robot control configured to operate the drive system to move the robot accessor, to operate a picker, and to operate the bus bar relay to engage the bus bar when the robot accessor is stationary, to provide communication capability with a library communication interface via the bus bar relay and the bus bar when the bus bar relay engages the bus bar. Additionally, a second communication system may be provided between the robot accessor and the automated data storage library, which is operable at least when the robot accessor is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Gerard Goodman, Glen Alan Jaquette, Leonard George Jesionowski, Mark Delorman Schultz
  • Patent number: 7881025
    Abstract: The invention provides a CPP-GMR device comprising a spacer layer. The spacer layer comprises a first nonmagnetic metal layer and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor layer interposed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, and further comprises a work function control layer formed between the first nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer and/or between the second nonmagnetic metal layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is an n-type semiconductor, and the work function control layer is made of a material having a work function smaller than that of said first nonmagnetic metal layer, and said second nonmagnetic metal layer. It is thus possible to obtain by far more improved advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Shimazawa, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Tomohito Mizuno, Kei Hirata
  • Patent number: 7881017
    Abstract: A fly height control apparatus for supporting a magnetic recording transducer comprises a trifurcated slider. A piezoelectric transducer is coupled to a surface of the central trifurcation of the trifurcated slider. The surface is opposite and parallel to an air bearing surface of the trifurcated slider. An electrical coupling means couples the piezoelectric transducer to a suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Charanjit Bhatia, Yoshiki Midori
  • Patent number: 7881020
    Abstract: An extraordinary magnetoresistive sensor (EMR sensor) having reduced size and increased resolution is described. The sensor includes a plurality of electrically conductive leads contacting a magnetically active layer and also includes an electrically conductive shunt structure. The electrically conductive leads of the sensor and the shunt structure can be formed in a common photolithographic masking and etching process so that they are self aligned with one another. This avoids the need to align multiple photolithographic processing steps, thereby allowing greatly increased resolution and reduced lead spacing. The EMR sensor can be formed with a magnetically active layer that can be close to or at the air bearing surface (ABS) for improved magnetic spacing with an adjacent magnetic medium of a data recording system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas Dudley Boone, Jr., Liesl Folks, Bruce Alvin Gurney, Jordan Asher Katine, Ernesto E. Marinero, Neil Smith
  • Patent number: 7881021
    Abstract: A magnetoresistive device with CPP structure, comprising a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a first ferromagnetic layer and a second ferromagnetic layer stacked and formed with said nonmagnetic intermediate layer interposed between them, wherein each of said first and second ferromagnetic layers comprises a sensor area joining to the nonmagnetic intermediate layer and a magnetization direction control area that extends further rearward from the position of the rear end of said nonmagnetic intermediate layer; a magnetization direction control multilayer arrangement is interposed at an area where the magnetization direction control area for said first ferromagnetic layer is opposite to the magnetization direction control area for said second ferromagnetic layer to produce magnetizations of the said first and second ferromagnetic layers which are antiparallel with each other; and said sensor area is provided at both width direction ends with biasing layers working such that the mutually antiparallel magnetiza
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Chou, Yoshihiro Tsuchiya, Daisuke Miyauchi, Takahiko Machita, Shinji Hara, Tomohito Mizuno, Hironobu Matsuzawa, Toshiyuki Ayukawa, Koji Shimazawa, Kiyoshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7876536
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provides sufficiently high exchange coupling with a magnetic layer and improve the yield and reliability of a magnetoresistive head. By using a tilted growth crystalline structured antiferromagnetic film manufactured by an oblique incident deposition method, a high exchange coupling field with a ferromagnetic film can be obtained. As a result, excellent reliability and high output can be obtained in a magnetoresistive head utilizing features in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Katsumi Hoshino, Hiroyuki Hoshiya, Kenichi Meguro, Yo Sato
  • Patent number: 7876525
    Abstract: An expandable storage library for storing digital storage media, such as storage tapes or disks is provided. The library includes a base unit and robotic system to which additional expansion units may be added. Several expansion units may be installed in the library with the base unit so that the robotic system can access media storage racks in any of the expansion units or in the base unit. Doors on the base unit and expansion unit may be interlocked together to function as a single door. A Z pole guide on the base unit may be extended by adding expansion guide poles that guide the movement of the robotic system through the library.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley A. Wilkin, Daniel J. Plutt, Joseph P. Manes, Donald R. Manes
  • Patent number: 7876526
    Abstract: A fill-port sealing assembly for sealing a housing, such as a hermetically sealed housing of a data storage device. A fill port body extends through an opening in a substrate and has a central bore communicating between a first side and a second side of the substrate. A compression member threadingly engages the central bore to compress an annular seal member and seal against passage of a low density gas through the central bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Cruz Calderon, Guo Jin Yue, Michael J. Rogers
  • Patent number: 7869164
    Abstract: A flexible printed circuit board has a flexible dynamic region, and relatively rigid static regions between which the dynamic region extends. Portions of a base layer, a patterned conductive layer extending on the base layer, and a cover layer covering the conductive layer make up the dynamic region. Extensions of the base layer, the conductive layer, and the cover layer, and portions of a metal layer to which the base layer is attached make up each of the static regions. The metal layer enhances the rigidity of the flexible printed circuit board at the static regions. The metal layer also has rounded corners at sides of each of the boundaries between the dynamic region and each of the static regions to minimize stress concentrations at the boundaries. The conductive layer is made up of real traces through which electrical signals are transmitted, and dummy traces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-chul Shin
  • Patent number: 7859791
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording head includes a nonmagnetic insulating layer and a main magnetic pole layer disposed on the nonmagnetic insulating layer. The main magnetic pole layer includes a pole straight part exposed in an opposing surface opposite a recording medium and a flared part that extends from the pole straight part in a height direction. The flared part broadens in a track width direction as the flared part extends in the height direction. The pole straight part of the main magnetic pole layer as viewed from the opposing surface has a trapezoidal shape over its entire length, the trapezoidal shape being narrowed at the nonmagnetic insulating layer-side. The flared part as viewed from the opposing surface has a trapezoidal shape at least at a junction with the pole straight part, the trapezoidal shape being narrowed at the nonmagnetic insulating layer-side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Toma, Hiroshi Kameda, Eiji Ozaki
  • Patent number: 7859792
    Abstract: A recording element supported by a slider includes a non-magnetic film and a magnetic pole film. The non-magnetic film has a depression whose inner surface is provided with an amorphous electrode film used as a plating seed film. Above the electrode film, the magnetic pole film is grown by plating. The magnetic pole film may be either an electroplated film grown on the electrode film to have a maximum crystal grain size of 20 nm or less or an electroless plated film. This decreases coercive force of the magnetic pole film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Miyata, Atsushi Yamaguchi, Masashi Sano, Kiyoshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 7848056
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a main magnetic pole layer conducting a magnetic flux to the recording medium so that the recording medium an be magnetized in a direction orthogonal to a surface thereof; a return yoke layer disposed on a trailing side of the main magnetic pole layer; an intermediate protective layer partially disposed on a magnetic shield layer; and a thermal expansion suppressing layer having an edge located on the intermediate protective layer and being in contact with the return yoke layer in an area where the intermediate protective layer is not formed. If the thin film magnetic head is affected by ambient temperature environment, the thermal expansion suppressing layer suppresses the shift of the main magnetic pole layer and the return yoke layer toward the air bearing surface. This suppresses thermal protrusion from occurring on the thin film magnetic head due to ambient temperature environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamitsu Sakamoto, Naoto Matono, Noriaki Kasahara, Shin Narushima, Hiromichi Umehara
  • Patent number: 7830640
    Abstract: Magnetoresistive device comprising a spin valve formed from a stack of layers including at least two magnetic layers for which a relative orientation of their magnetisation directions are capable varying under influence of a magnetic field; at least one discontinuous dielectric or semiconducting layer with electrically conducting bridges at least partially passing through a thickness of the dielectric or semiconducting layer, the bridges configured to locally concentrate current that passes transversely through the stack; and means for circulating a current in the spin valve transverse to the plane of the layers, characterised in that the dielectric or semiconducting layer with electrically conducting bridges is arranged inside one of the magnetic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Commissariat A L'Energie Atomique
    Inventors: Bernard Dieny, Bernard Rodmacq, Franck Ernult
  • Patent number: 7830636
    Abstract: A disk drive spoiler for reducing particle accumulation in a hard disk drive is provided. The spoiler includes a body portion for directing airflow generated by a rotating disk, the rotating disk comprising a middle diameter and an outer diameter wherein the body portion directs airflow away from the outer diameter of the disk. The spoiler also includes an end portion for directing airflow away from the middle diameter of the disk towards the outer diameter of the disk wherein the body portion comprises a perforation through the body for reducing suction of particles onto the disk surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Kor S. Ang, Feng Gao, Shaoyong Liu, Yi Z. Yao