Abstract: In a disk device, having disks 2 and a hub 4 for holding thereof, to be attached onto a shaft 5 of a spindle motor, for rotary drive thereof, a groove 42 is formed on a bottom surface of a flange portion 41 of the hub 4, for receiving therein. A balance weight 8 to be received in this groove 42 has elasticity and an outer configuration of about “C”, and further, in a portion thereof is attached at least one (1) piece of an auxiliary weight or more, thereby achieving unbalance correction at high accuracy with an aid of the balance weight. After being attached with one (1) piece or more of the “U” shaped auxiliary weight(s) directing it/them from an inner periphery to an outer periphery thereof, the “C” shaped balance weight is inserted or fitted into, while being suppressed a little bit in an inside thereof. Therefore, a disk device and the unbalance correcting method for that, can be obtained, in which spaces necessary for attaching and detaching are less, but enabling the balance correction at high accuracy.

Abstract: A combined stripe of a magnetoresistive (MR) film and domain control stripe layers can be formed below a photoresist film on the surface of a substratum. An insulating base layer is then formed to extend over the surface of the substratum. The insulating base layer is allowed to cover over the photoresist film, the magnetoresistive film and the domain control stripe layers on the substratum. When the photoresist film is removed, the insulating base layer remains on the substratum. The insulating base layer keeps contacting the side surface of the magnetoresistive film. The magnetoresistive film can be kept covered with the insulating base layer at the side surface during a subsequent etching process. Any chemical reaction can be avoided between the magnetoresistive film and the etching gas employed in the etching process. The resulting magnetoresistive head element is allowed to exhibit an ideal characteristic in the magnetoresistive effect.

Abstract: A head support mechanism includes a slider for carrying a head at least for performing reproduction of data from a disk, and a holding portion for holding the slider. The holding portion includes: a first portion including a first piezoelectric element; a second portion including a second piezoelectric element; a third portion connected to the first and second portions, the slider being provided on the third portion; and a fixing portion for fixing the first and second portions. At least one of the first and second piezoelectric elements is contracted and expanded in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the disk, in the presence of an applied voltage so that the slider provided on the third portion is rotated around a predetermined center of rotation.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive includes a magnetoresistive layer which converts magnetic signals to electric signals and a pair of electrodes for allowing an electrically sensing current to flow across the magnetoresistive layer is made between an upper shield and an under shield with upper gap layer and under gap layer intervening between the magnetoresistive layer and the shields. By using a multi-layered varistor film or films of a material such as ZnO, SiC, SrTiO, Si etc. in combination with an insulating material SiO2, A1203, etc. to connect the magnetoresistive element to the shields and interconnect both electrodes, a magnetoresistive head which withstands breakdown even if the insulating gap layers are made thinner is provided.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus includes a guide post for pulling out a tape-shaped recording medium from a cassette and wrapping the tape-shaped recording medium around a rotary drum, a guide base which supports the guide post, the guide base being movable between a first position in which the cassette can be loaded and a second position in which a recording or reproducing action can be performed with the tape-shaped recording medium wrapped around the rotary drum at a predetermined angle, and an elastic member for, after the guide base moves from the first position to the second position, urging the guide base toward the second position to position the guide base at the second position. The elastic member is disposed on an upper surface of the guide base.

Abstract: A method for making a tunnel valve head with a flux guide, a tunnel valve sensor having an isolated flux guide, and a magnetic storage system using a tunnel valve sensor having an isolated flux guide is disclosed. The tunnel valve sensors is created by forming a tunnel valve at a first shield layer, the tunnel valve comprising a free layer distal to the first shield layer, depositing a first insulation layer over the first shield layer and around the tunnel valve, depositing a flux guide over the first insulation layer and coupling to the tunnel valve at the free layer, covering the flux guide with a second insulation layer and forming a second shield layer over the second insulation, wherein the flux guide and the free layer are physically isolated by the first and second insulation layers to prevent current shunts therefrom. The structure achieves physical connection between the flux guide and the free layer and insulates the flux guide from the shields.

Abstract: A near-field optical head has a minute structure formed in the support member for interacting with a recording medium via near-field light. An optical waveguide is provided on the support member for guiding light between a light source and the minute structure. The optical waveguide has a core, a clad and a reflective surface, the core having an end face facing the reflective surface and being spaced therefrom so that light traveling through the optical waveguide is projected from the end face of the core onto the reflective surface and is reflected by the reflective surface toward the minute structure. Information is recorded to and/or read from the recording medium based on the scattering of near-field light between the recording medium and the minute structure while the near-field optical head is positioned over the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: A disk drive apparatus includes a turntable having a boss at its one side surface and a rotation center hole, and a rotary shaft inserted and fixed in the hole, an inner circumferential surface of the hole being configured to have a fitting portion near to another side surface of the turntable, a cylindrical clearance near to the one side surface opening in an end of the boss, and a large diametrical portion expanded outward in a radial direction of the hole from the clearance and opening in the end and/or an outer circumferential surface of the boss, the shaft inserted in the hole being fixed to the fitting portion by press fitting and to the clearance and large diametrical portion by adhesive filled in the clearance and large diametrical portion.

Abstract: An optical disk device performing data reproducing and/or data recording of a disk with the disk being clamped and rotated. The disk device has a simple structure in which light emitted from an optical pickup can be securely made incident on the disk at right angles. The disk device includes the optical pickup for reproducing or recording on the disk clamped by a clamping mechanism, and an optical pickup driving mechanism. The optical pickup includes a guided part. The optical pickup driving mechanism includes a guide shaft for guiding the movement of the optical pickup via the guided part of the optical pickup. The center axis of the guided part is shifted from the direction perpendicular to the direction of light emitted from the optical pickup so that the direction of light emitted from the optical disk can make an approximately right angle with the disk surface.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a magnetoresistive sensor is disclosed. The method and system include providing a first pinned layer, providing a free layer having a length, and providing a first spacer layer disposed between the first pinned layer and the free layer. The first spacer layer has a first interface with the first pinned layer. The method and system also include providing a second pinned layer and providing a second spacer layer disposed between the free layer and the second pinned layer. The second spacer layer has a second interface with the second pinned layer. A direction of a current passed through the magnetoresistive sensor is through the first interface, through the second interface, and along at least a portion of the length of the free layer.

Abstract: A disk drive system having a disk-shaped disk storage medium and a disk drive for accessing the disk storage medium including a media cartridge of the same shape as that of the disk storage medium to which not less than one small-sized storage medium is attachable, and an access unit provided in the disk drive for accessing the small-sized storage medium attached to the media cartridge.

Abstract: A head support mechanism includes a slider for carrying a head at least for performing reproduction of date from a disk, and a holding portion for holding the slider. The holding portion includes; a first portion including a first piezoelectric element; a second portion including a second piezoelectric element; a third portion connected to the first and second portions, the slider being provided on the third portion; and a fixing portion for fixing the first and second portions. At least one of the first and second piezoelectric elements is contracted and expanded in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the disk, in the presence of an applied voltage so that the slider provided on the third portion is rotated around a predetermined center of rotation.

Abstract: A slider for a disk drive has an air bearing surface that opposes a rotatable disk of recordable media. The air bearing surface includes one or more interior cavities to reduce van der Waals and electrostatic forces that attract the slider to the disk.

Abstract: A tray guide mechanism for an optical disc drive guides a backward and forward movement of a tray installed to slide into and out of a housing made of a lower case and an upper case. The tray guide mechanism includes guide rails installed to slide into and out of both sides of the upper case, a guide rail supporting unit installed at both sides of the lower case, to prevent the guide rails from deviating from a backward and forward moving path, and rail combiners formed at both sides of the tray in a moving path of the tray, and combined with the guide rails to slide into the guide rails. The tray guide mechanism also includes a forward moving distance limiting unit to limit a moving distance of the tray and the guide rails in a direction to which the tray and the guide rails project to prevent the tray from detaching from the housing. The tray guide mechanism also includes vertical and horizontal restrainers to prevent vertical and horizontal movement of the tray.

Abstract: A magnetooptical recording apparatus that records information by applying a magnetic field from a magnetic head while irradiating a light beam onto a magnetooptical disk from an optical pickup. The apparatus includes an optical pickup, a magnetic head having a slider that moves in a radial direction of the magnetooptical disk together with the optical pickup and is abutted against a recording surface of the magnetooptical disk and first and second elastic members that support the magnetic head.

Abstract: A hermetically sealed housing such as for use in a data storage device. The housing is formed from a pair of opposing, substantially planar first and second housing members. A gasket seal is compressed between the housing members to form a hermetic seal. A compression limit spacer limits the compression of the gasket seal to a predetermined compression level. Preferably, the gasket seal is nested within and is contactingly supported by the compression limit spacer. A plurality of fasteners secure the first and second housing members and apply a compressive force to the gasket seal. The compression limit spacer preferably comprises a plurality of discrete, spaced apart bosses through which the plurality of fasteners extend. The gasket seal preferably has a hexagonal or a c-shaped cross-sectional shape. An inert fluidic atmosphere is preferably retained within the housing.

Abstract: In high-speed high-density recording, heat generation becomes a problem as high-frequency modulation and a strong magnetic field of a magnetic head are realized. A transducer supporting structure is provided including a thermally coupling contact portion extended from a part of a suspension and brought into contact with a magnetic core. Heat generated in a coil is dissipated to the suspension via the magnetic core and the thermally coupling contact portion.

Abstract: A method of attenuating airflow disturbances in a hard disk drive utilizes a completely circumferential shroud around the motor hub flange of a hard disk drive spindle motor. The shroud is continuous, smooth, and uniform, and formed at the same axial height as the flange to reduce airflow disturbances that are generated by the rotating motor hub flange. Unlike prior art designs that provide openings to accommodate the actuator, the present design has no openings or irregular shapes that can cause airflow disturbance. Airflow disturbance, especially when near the actuator arms or head suspensions, can impact track misregistration. In addition, the probability of circulating contamination particles inside the motor out into the disk drive enclosure is also reduced due to less irregular airflow patterns.

Abstract: Nano-oxide based current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) magnetoresistive (MR) sensor stacks are provided, together with methods for forming such stacks. Such stacks have increased resistance and enhanced magnetoresistive properties relative to CPP stacks made entirely of metallic layers. Said enhanced properties are provided by the insertion of magnetic nano-oxide layers between ferromagnetic layers and non-magnetic spacer layers, whereby said nano-oxide layers increase resistance and exhibit spin filtering properties. CPP sensor stacks of various types are provided, all having nano-oxide layers formed therein, including the spin-valve type and the synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer spin-valve type. Said stacks can also be formed upon each other to provide laminated stacks of different types.

Abstract: A picking tool for an automated library of disk drive carriers has a body with a large guide pin, and a pair of electromagnets. The guide pin has an optical service interface at its tip. A disk drive is mounted to a carrier having a front bezel with a tapered hole that is complementary to the guide pin. The hole provides access to an optical service interface linked to the disk drive. The bezel also has a pair of embedded magnets located adjacent to its front surface. The carrier is located in and interconnected with a slot in an automated disk drive library. The guide pin is inserted into the hole so that the interfaces interconnect. The carrier is removed from the slot by activating the electromagnets on the picking tool to attract the magnets in the bezel. The tool picker then pulls the carrier out of the slot while supporting the weight of the carrier on the guide pin. The carrier is released from the picking tool by reversing the current through the electromagnets to repel the magnets in the carrier.