Abstract: A magnetic head having a spin valve sensor that is fabricated utilizing an Al2O3, NiMnO, NiFeCr seed layer upon which a typical PtMn spin valve sensor layer structure is subsequently fabricated. The preferred embodiment fabrication process of the NiFeCr layer includes the overdeposition of the layer to a first thickness of from 15 ? to 45 ? followed by the etching back of the seed layer of approximately 5 ? to approximately 15 ? to its desired final thickness of approximately 10 ? to 40 ?. The Cr at. % composition in the NiFeCr layer is preferably from approximately 35 at. % to approximately 46 at. %. The crystal structure of the surface of the etched back NiFeCr layer results in an improved crystal structure to the subsequently fabricated spin valve sensor layers, such that the fabricated spin valve exhibits increased ?R/R and reduced coercivity.

Abstract: An optical pickup transferring apparatus including a slider having a base, a floating portion elastically coupled to the base, the floating portion having on one side thereof at least one protuberance inserted into the external thread of a lead screw, and an elastic element located on the top of the base and the floating portion. The elastic element includes a first elastic portion to push the floating portion toward the lead screw so that the protuberance is inserted into the external thread, and a second elastic portion to push the floating portion toward the screw groove to thereby prevent the protuberance from escaping from the external thread when the floating portion is transformed elastically.

Abstract: A cooling device is used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus is used for writing and/or reading data from the surface of an optical media. The cooling device comprises a grapple and a blower. The grapple is used for holding the optical media. The blower agitates airflow when the grapple rotated. Whereby, the cooling device can decrease the temperature of the air within the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: An optical disc drive includes: a tray to mount a cartridge including a disc and having a positioning hole; a chassis for supporting the tray to move in a first direction; a spindle motor; an optical head; a traverse base, which is supported on the chassis so as to rotate around an axis defined in a second direction near one end of the chassis in the first direction and which mounts the spindle motor and the optical head thereon, the second direction being parallel to the disc and perpendicular to the first direction; a traverse holder coupled to the traverse base; a positioning pin provided for the traverse holder and fitting in with the positioning hole, thereby positioning the cartridge; and an elevating portion for moving a portion of the traverse holder in a third direction perpendicularly to the disc.

Abstract: A tray for transporting a recording medium toward or away from a connector is provided with an auxiliary tray coupled thereto, and the auxiliary tray has a pusher for pressing the recording medium as placed on the tray against the connector. A chassis is provided with a pressure fitting mechanism for moving the auxiliary tray toward the connector, with the recording medium transported by the tray to a position opposed to the connector, and the pressure fitting mechanism causes the pusher to press the recording medium into the connector. The chassis is also provided with a guide mechanism for causing the auxiliary tray to escape downward from the path of movement of the tray, with no recording medium inserted in the tray.

Abstract: A data recording/reproduction apparatus is provided, which apparatus includes a spindle motor which is held by a base body and rotates an optical disk, an optical pickup which projects a laser beam into a spot on the optical disk for data recording/reproduction, first and second support mechanisms provided on the base body, and a seek mechanism which is held by the first and second support mechanisms so as to be freely tilted with respect to the base body and actuates the optical pickup in radial directions of the optical disk. The first support mechanism is vertically movable in directions of a thickness of the optical disk so that a tilt of the optical pickup with respect to the optical disk is adjusted.

Abstract: In formation of an upper shield of a magnetic thin film head by electroplating, a current density of electroplating is regulated stepwise with time. Thus, in the upper shield formation, a film composition and magnetic characteristic with respect to the direction of film thickness can be controlled precisely, making it possible to provide a magnetic thin film head featuring significantly reduced noise-after-write and output fluctuation.

Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a spacer having at least a nonmagnetic metal layer inserted between the upper shield layer and the longitudinal bias layers or between the upper shield layer and the longitudinal bias layers plus the magnetoresistive film, the shortest distance between the longitudinal bias layers and the free layer of the magnetoresistive film is set smaller than the shortest distance between the longitudinal bias layers and the upper shield layer, and this arrangement ensures that the amount of magnetic flux entering the magnetoresistive film from the longitudinal bias layers is larger than that absorbed by the upper shield layer, thus realizing a magnetic sensor whose Barkhausen noise is suppressed.

Abstract: An exemplary magnetic head assembly for use with magnetic recording media is provided. In one example, a head includes a data island associated with at least one data transducer, the data island having a width along a direction of media transport and a radius of curvature. The magnetic head further includes a mini-outrigger placed adjacent to the data island and separated by a void, wherein a width of the mini-outrigger along the direction of media transport is less than the width of the data island. Additionally, in one example, the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger is less than the radius of curvature of the data island. The wrap angle of magnetic storage tape to the data island may be less than 3 degrees. Further, the radius of curvature of the mini-outrigger may be less than one-half the radius of curvature of the data island.

Abstract: A magnetic head including first and a second magnetic poles with a write gap layer disposed therebetween. In a first embodiment the write gap layer includes a non-magnetic, non-conductive first sublayer which is preferably comprised of Ta or Ti which is deposited upon the first magnetic pole to act as an adhesion layer. The write gap layer then includes a second sublayer which is formed of a non-magnetic, electrically conductive material which is preferably comprised of Rh or Ru. A P2 pole tip is electroplated upon the second sublayer, where the electrically conductive second sublayer is utilized to conduct electroplating current. In an alternative embodiment the write gap layer includes a third sublayer that is etchable in a reactive ion etch (RIE) process, and formed between the first and second sublayers. The third sublayer is preferably comprised of Ta or Ti.

Abstract: The invention is generally directed to a slider that is particularly suited for dynamic load/unload disk drive designs. This slider desirably addresses potential disk damage associated with contact between sharp edges of the slider of the disk drive and the data storage surface of a corresponding disk. Any appropriate type/configuration of a disk drive may benefit from performing read/write operations utilizing the slider of the present invention. Generally, this slider includes at least one air bearing surface which enables the slider to “fly” above the read/write surface of the disk, and at least one self-blending contact pad disposed on the lower surface of the slider to reduce the potential for contact between any portion of the slider other than the self-blending contact pad(s) and the corresponding read/write surface of the disk.

Abstract: In one aspect, an exemplary method of manufacturing a magnetic head assembly is provided. In one example, the method includes forming islands in a magnetic head structure to define a pair of mini-outriggers adjacent a data island, where the data island is separated from each mini-outrigger by a void, and a width of the data island along a direction of tape transport is greater than a width of the mini-outrigger. The method further includes lapping the head structure to remove a portion of the mini-outrigger, thereby creating a wrap angle between the tape and the surface of the data island. In one example, the lapping process reduces the mini-outrigger height relative to the data island in an adaptive manner, where the final contour and height of the mini-outrigger is influenced by the data island surface, e.g., by the width, radius of curvature, and the like.

Abstract: A head slider with a precise positioning actuator includes a thin plane shaped head section provided with a first surface that is substantially perpendicular to an ABS of the head slider, a second surface opposite to the first surface and at least one head element formed on the first surface, and an actuator section located at a side of the second surface of the head section and integrally fixed to the head section, for precisely positioning the at least one head element.

Abstract: An actuator latch system of a disk drive to lock an actuator having a swing arm installed at a base member, a voice coil motor coil joined to an end portion of the swing arm, and a magnet facing the voice coil motor coil, including a first and a second latch portion provided at the end portion of the swing arm; a latch lever provided at the base member, the latch lever having a first end portion engaged with the first latch portion when the latch lever pivots a first direction, and a second end portion engaged with the second latch portion when the latch lever pivots a second direction; a projection projecting from an edge of the magnet; and a magnetic latch pin provided at an end portion of the swing arm so that a magnetic force operates between the latch pin and the projection.

Abstract: A magnetic sensing element includes a composite film, a lower shield layer, and a lower electrode layer and an upper electrode layer for supplying a current perpendicular to the composite film. The composite film has an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic layer, and a free magnetic layer. The composite film has a top face and two side faces in a track width direction. Each of the two side faces has a bent position. The angle defined by the side face below the bent position and the top face is larger than the angle defined by the side face above the bent position and the top face. The bent portion preferably lies on the lower electrode layer or the lower shield layer.

Abstract: Light from a light source is led to a condensing lens by a light leading unit and is condensed onto an optical recording medium by the condensing lens. Light reflected from the optical recording medium is led to a light sensing device through a spot adjustment lens facing the light sensing device. Between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device, a cylindrical dustproof member is provided. The full periphery of an optical path extending between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device is covered with the dustproof member. It can prevent intrusion of a foreign matter such as dusts into the optical path extending between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device.

Abstract: Light from a light source is led to a condensing lens by a light leading unit and is condensed onto an optical recording medium by the condensing lens. Light reflected from the optical recording medium is led to a light sensing device through a spot adjustment lens facing the light sensing device. Between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device, a cylindrical dustproof member is provided. The full periphery of an optical path extending between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device is covered with the dustproof member. It can prevent intrusion of a foreign matter such as dusts into the optical path extending between the spot adjustment lens and the light sensing device.

Abstract: When a soft magnetic layer for a double layer type perpendicular magnetic recording medium is formed by a plating method, there is the problem of the occurrence of an isolated pulse noise called spike noise so that signal reproduction characteristics are lost. In order to solve this problem, provided are a surface-treated substrate for a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate having a diameter of not more than 90 mm, and a soft magnetic plating layer comprising an alloy of at least two metals selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni and Fe, which is provided above the substrate, wherein the soft magnetic layer has a coercivity of less than 20 oersted (Oe) in a direction that is parallel to a substrate surface, and wherein a ratio of saturation magnetization to residual magnetization in a direction that is parallel to a surface of the substrate is from 4:1 to 4:3; and a magnetic recording medium comprising the magnetic recording medium substrate.

Abstract: A write element includes a first pole pedestal and a second pole pedestal opposing the first pole pedestal and defining a write gap between the first and second pole pedestals. A first layer of CoFeON is film positioned between the first pole pedestal and the write gap. A second layer of CoFeON film is positioned between the second pole pedestal and the write gap.

Abstract: Electronics are fitted in vehicles, such as boats, ships, trains, buses, lorries, normal cars etc. The electronic items are exposed to jolts and other non-uniform actions. Particularly with regard to jolts, electronic items or apparatuses in which there are also mechanical components are particularly exposed. This is particularly the case with CD players, CD-ROM players, hard disks and similar apparatuses, which besides very sensitive electronics also have very sensitive mechanics. To operate these installations optimally, dampening vibration transmission from the vehicle/ship/train/bus/car to the electro-mechanical component is achieved with a vibration damper having two springs arranged in two mutually perpendicular planes. One plane is parallel with the base. A first spring is fastened to the base. A second spring is fastened to the vibration sensitive item. The two springs are mutually connected.

Abstract: A motor bell alarm comprises an electric motor and a linkage by which the rotational motion generated by an electric motor is translated to a longitudinal oscillating motion so as to cause a plunger coupled to the linkage to cyclically strike a shell, thereby creating a ringing sound. The volume and clarity of the ringing sound are enhanced by minimizing the time in which the plunger is in contact with the shell and by minimizing the rest mass that is in contact with the shell as it is struck by interposing a lost-motion connection between the plunger and the linkage to the electric motor, whereby upon and after striking the shell the plunger is mechanically uncoupled from the lever.