Patents Examined by Christopher R Beacham
  • Patent number: 6618348
    Abstract: A data storage system comprises a plurality of cartridge receiving devices provided within the data storage system. A cartridge engaging apparatus having a cartridge access side and a back side is mounted within the data storage system so that the cartridge engaging apparatus moves along a displacement path. The arrangement of the plurality of cartridge receiving devices and the displacement path is such that at least one of the plurality of cartridge receiving devices is located opposite the back side of the cartridge engaging apparatus. An information reader mounted to the cartridge engaging apparatus reads cartridge information provided on a data cartridge located adjacent the back side of the cartridge engaging apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul C. Coffin, Richard Gardner
  • Patent number: 6618341
    Abstract: A disk loading device includes a slot into which a disk-like recording medium is inserted, a retaining member that retains the disk-like recording medium inserted from the slot, a moving member that moves the retaining member so as to retract the disk-like recording medium in a disk insert direction during insertion and expel the disk-like recording medium in a disk eject direction during ejection, and a drive mechanism that, after the disk-like recording medium has moved to an eject position, drives the moving member from the eject position further in the eject direction so as to bring the retaining member adjacent to the slot as the disk-like recording medium is withdrawn from the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Yamashita, Mitsunobu Sato, Ryou Yoshitomi
  • Patent number: 6618226
    Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly has a locally deformable internal sleeve that is equipped with two small deformable zones where the sleeve makes contact with the actuator comb bore. The zones can be in the shape of two rings with a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The material may include zinc, magnesium, copper, or aluminum, or their alloys. These materials are relatively soft and have a relatively low stiffness compared to the comb bore. The thickness of the rings may range from approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm, and they may be attached via shrink fit or adhesive bonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Walter Lloyd Prater
  • Patent number: 6618340
    Abstract: In a tray loading type storage medium drive apparatus, a plurality of circular recesses for accommodating a plurality of kinds of circular storage media having different diameters to each other are coaxially formed on a tray. A plurality of movable claw pieces are provided along an outer periphery of an outermost one of the circular recesses. The movable claw pieces are capable of partly protruding over each of the circular recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Sawada
  • Patent number: 6611403
    Abstract: Disclosed is a disc drive voice coil magnet and spacer arrangement. Voice coil magnets and/or pole pieces are spaced from one another by spacers. On of the spacers is located beyond the coil end of the actuator. This allows the actuator to be lowered into the drive deck in an off-disc position without colliding with the spacer, thereby facilitating in-deck merging of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: David Douglas Koester, Michael David Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6597533
    Abstract: A recording medium loading device includes a holder into which a cartridge containing a disk-like recording medium is inserted from a predetermined side, a cartridge retraction mechanism that retracts the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted to an insertion detection position inside the holder, and a prevent mechanism, the prevent mechanism being moved in a direction of insertion of the cartridge by the cartridge retraction mechanism when the cartridge is inserted from the predetermined side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventor: Takao Tanishima
  • Patent number: 6597651
    Abstract: A disc player including a drive switching mechanism having an oscillating member provided so as to be capable of oscillating about the same axial position as a transmission gear of the rotation driving source; a switching gear provided on the tip end side of the oscillating member, to be transmissibly connected with the transmission gear; oscillation preventing means for preventing the oscillating member from oscillating during operation of the disc transporting means or the pickup transporting means; an intermediating member for assisting oscillation of the oscillating member while being engaged with the switching gear during the period when the oscillating member lies in its oscillation tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Kage, Yasunari Toyama
  • Patent number: 6594112
    Abstract: A recording head for use with magnetic recording media includes a structure having a precisely defined throat height. The throat height of a typical recording head is defined by a photoresist structure formed through a hard bake process. It is difficult to control the thickness of the photoresist during the spinning and hard bake process, resulting in magnetically inefficient structure at the tip of the recording head's main write pole. The use of an NiPd plating results in a more accurately defined throat height, and resulting magnetically efficient structure. A method of manufacturing the recording head of the present invention is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Billy Wayne Crue, Robert Earl Rottmayer
  • Patent number: 6590739
    Abstract: A disc clamp made from a shape memory alloy is configured for tight fit between an upper ledge of a spindle hub and the upper surface of a disc when the disc clamp is in an austenitic phase. In a martensitic phase, the disc clamp is configured for easy assembly over the spindle hub. The disc of the present invention provides for uniform distribution of clamping forces on the disc, and avoids the need for threaded holes in the spindle hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Quock Ying Ng, Xiong Liu, Choonkiat Lim
  • Patent number: 6577585
    Abstract: The hard disk apparatus has first and second skew adjust members 21 and 22 for adjusting inclinations or an inclination of a main guide shaft 16 and/or a sub-guide shaft 17. The first and second skew adjust members comprise: bearing parts 41 or a bearing part 41 provided such that the centers or center of shaft holes 43 or a shaft hole 43 in which ends or an end of a main guide shaft 16 and/or a sub-guide shaft 17 is inserted and supported is deviated from the centers or center of end surfaces or an end surface of the main guide shaft 16 and/or a sub-guide shaft 17, the end surfaces or end surface being substantially perpendicular to the axial directions or axial direction of the main guide shaft 16 and/or the sub-guide shaft 17; and first, second, and third contact surfaces A, B, and C that are brought into contact with a support base 8, the first, second, and third contact surfaces forming a substantially rectangular outer circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Aoyama, Hitoshi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 6574186
    Abstract: A conventional plain bearing, in which dynamic pressure is generated by means of lubricating oil, has been assembled in such a way that the whole bearing device is assembled and then the lubricating oil is poured in the interior. As a result, residual air bubbles are produced to cause lowering of the dynamic pressure. The present invention uses magnetic fluid as lubricating oil, and adopts, for enclosing the fluid, a method in which at the time of assembling a spindle motor, a permanent magnet is used, magnetic fluid of a specified amount is previously held in a bearing unit by the magnetic attraction force, and after the insertion of a shaft, the magnetic fluid is supplied into a narrow space of a bearing part by a capillary attraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Powdered Metals co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Nii, Toshikazu Takehana, Motohiro Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 6570841
    Abstract: The invention provides a disk cartridge according to a new standard by making a minimized modification in the design of a conventional disk cartridge which comprises a cartridge body having an erroneous insertion preventing groove formed in its front end face and having a predetermined depth. The disk cartridge (7) of the new standard comprises a cartridge body (70) identical with the body of the conventional cartridge in external dimensions. The cartridge body (70) is formed with an erroneous insertion preventing groove (71) opened at the same position as the preventing groove of the conventional cartridge and smaller than this groove in depth along the direction A of insertion of the cartridge, and a cartridge identification groove (72) of predetermined depth not existing in the conventional cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 6556392
    Abstract: A spin valve head according to the present invention includes a spin valve stack having a free layer, a first spacer layer, a pinned layer and a pinning layer. The spin valve head includes a first shield and a second shield coupled to opposing sides of the spin valve stack. The first shield has a concave shape and substantially surrounds the free layer. The spin valve head also includes a second spacer layer and a layer of antiferromagnetic material. The second spacer layer is formed on the free layer. The layer of antiferromagnetic material is formed on the second spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Sining Mao, Zheng Gao, Anuja Goyal
  • Patent number: 6556528
    Abstract: The present invention provides a device for fixing a data storage device, such as hard disk or CD-ROM drive, to a case of computer. The device includes at least a positioning pin formed on a vertical surface located aside a space to hold the data storage device; a base, horizontally extended from the vertical surface, for carrying the data storage device; and a vertical plate, parallel to the vertical surface and fixed on the base, for seizing the data storage device between the vertical surface and the vertical plate. The vertical plate is also formed with at least a positioning pin to pass through at least a screw hole of the data storage device and hold the data storage device in place. A screw can further be used on the vertical plate to fasten the data storage device. Or, the vertical plate and the data storage device can be pressed and fixed by a computer case or another adjacent element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventor: Yen Kuang
  • Patent number: 6542333
    Abstract: The second inner wall 30b and the fourth inner wall 30d of the hole 5 of the slider 4 comprises the second and the fourth projections 31b and 31d, and the first inner wall 30a is not provided with a projection and is inclined to the vertical surface 50 at an angle &thgr;. The raising portions of the second projection 31b and the fourth projection 31d is made in the radius curvature portion 51. Since, at the time of insertion of the front core 8 into the hole 5, side portion 8e of the front core 8 abuts to the first inner wall 30a at one line, the front core 8 is positioned precisely by the pushing force of the front core 8 in the A direction, and by application of a provisional adhesive to near B portion and near fourth projection 31d.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akinobu Sano, Masayuki Iwakura
  • Patent number: 6532205
    Abstract: A disk centering apparatus includes a disk table member and a movable member. An inner circumferential portion of the disk table member is secured to an upper portion of a motor shaft. An outer circumferential portion of a greater diameter is disposed lower than an upper surface of and concentrically with the inner circumferential portion and has an upper surface for receiving a disk thereon. Connecting portions extend radially outwardly from the inner circumferential portion. The movable member includes a supported shaft portion mounted for sliding movement on the motor shaft and disposed lower than the disk table member. A guiding portion is provided adjacent an outer surface side of the supported shaft portion and includes a guiding inclined portion formed at an upper portion thereof and a diameter greater than the inner circumference portion. The movable member is biased upwardly in a direction of the motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sato, Yutaka Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 6525907
    Abstract: A magnetic tape cartridge includes a magnetic tape wound around a single reel and a cartridge casing in which the reel is housed for rotation. The cartridge casing is provided on its side surface with a locator portion having an abutment surface which is adapted to abut against a locator member of a recording and reproducing apparatus to locate the magnetic tape cartridge in place with respect to the recording and reproducing apparatus. The abutment surface of the locator portion is provided with a draft angle for facilitating ejection of the cartridge casing from a mold smaller than the draft angle for the other part of the side surface of the cartridge casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Takahashi, Hideaki Shiga, Kiyoo Morita, Yusuke Ishihara
  • Patent number: 6507462
    Abstract: A disc drive having a base plate and an information storage disc supported for rotation by a drive motor on the base plate. The disc drive further includes a rotary actuator assembly mounted on the base plate adjacent the information storage disc. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm carrying a transducer at a distal end thereof and a voice coil motor operably attached to the actuator arm for movement of the transducer over the disc. The voice coil motor has a vertically extending shroud flange positioned adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the disc, whereby the shroud flange directs air-flow along the peripheral edge of the disc during drive operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell Gibbs, Aaron Steve Macpherson
  • Patent number: 6501619
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic read/write head which has a return pole and a read/write pole adjacent to the return pole. The return pole has a vertical sidewall which has a predetermined height and is perpendicular to a substrate. An insulating layer is disposed on the sidewall between the return pole and read/write pole. The insulating layer thus defines a gap spacing between the return pole and read/write pole. The read/write pole comprises a magnetic material layer which is perpendicular to the substrate and adhered to the insulating layer. The thickness of the magnetic material layer determines the thickness of the read/write pole. The return pole and read/write pole have top surfaces which are coplanar. The plane defined by the top return pole surface is perpendicular to the magnetic material layer and parallel to the substrate. The read/write pole is magnetically coupled to a core layer which is magnetically coupled to a solenoidal winding of conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: David W. Sherrer, Noel Heiks, Dan Steinberg
  • Patent number: 6480457
    Abstract: A cartridge receiving apparatus comprises a receiving unit for receiving at least one cartridge; at least one support unit for supporting the cartridge received; and a detection device for detecting a position of the support unit. A decision as whether receipt of the cartridge is completed or not is made in accordance with detection results obtained by the detection device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Onodera, Hideo Ito