Abstract: A bottom pole is divided into a bottom pole tip and a bottom pole layer, and the bottom pole tip is formed on the flat surface of the bottom pole layer. An insulating layer is formed in a concave region adjacent to the bottom pole tip, and the throat height is determined by the end of the insulating layer on the bottom pole tip side. The film thickness of the second layer of thin film coil is thicker than that of the first layer of thin film coil. The film thickness of the first thin film coil is determined by the film thickness of the bottom pole tip. The whole coil resistance of the first and the second thin film coils is decreased by making the second thin film coil thicker than the first thin film coil. Thereby, the first thin film coil can be formed as thin as possible without increasing the coil resistance and the read write distance (RWD) can be shortened while the recording and reproducing capacity can be increased.

Abstract: A magazine for a plurality of removable disk drives. The magazine provides physical and electrical support for the disk drives, and includes a magazine backplane for electrically connecting to the disk drives, and a module connector for electrically connecting to a host computer, preferably at a backplane of the library. Preferably, the magazine also supports a connecting circuit for implementing a fibre channel arbitration loop and intelligent hub for reconfiguring the fibre channel arbitration loop if one or more of the disk drives fails.

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.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a read/write head/slider assembly adjacent to a rotating storage disk with dynamically adjustable flying height for use within a hard disk drive is provided. The suspension assembly includes a generally elongated loadbeam that has a baseplate defined at a first end thereof and a gimbaled flexure portion defined at a second end thereof. The flexure portion includes a pair of flexure legs and a flexure tongue. The pair of flexure legs extend from the flexure tongue and each leg attaches to an opposite side of the loadbeam. The flexure tongue generally provides a mounting surface for the read/write head/slider assembly. Strips of thermal-expansion material are attached to the flexure portion. These strips are connected to a power source via a power conductor. When the strips are energized, they expand and deform a portion of the flexure portion.

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.

Abstract: An overcoat overcoat for a head and/or media surface is made of a hard, dense and durable silicon-carbide (SiC) layer. The SiC layer does not require an interlayer to promote adhesion to underlying magnetic or ceramic layers, thus reducing head-media spacing and increasing areal storage density and resolution. The SiC is formed in a manner that creates an overcoat with density, hardness, durability and corrosion resistance similar to DLC. The SiC overcoat formation process also penetrates less into underlying magnetic layers than is conventional, reducing further the spacing of active elements by inactive coatings. In an alternative embodiment, SiC may be formed by this process as an interlayer for a carbon overcoat such as DLC or ta-C. This allows the overcoat to be made thinner, since the interlayer is hard and dense, while retaining the chemical and other surface properties of the carbon overcoat.

Abstract: A high data-rate stitched pole magnetic read/write-head combining sputtered and plated high magnetic moment materials and a method for fabricating same. The plating and stitching aspects of this fabrication allow the formation of a very narrow write-head, while the sputtering permits the use of high magnetic moment materials having high resistivity and low coercivity.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing material made from a mixture of solid particles and viscous elastic material is arranged at the periphery of an information storage and retrieval device. When an external shock is applied to the device, the shock-absorbing material is greatly deformed and dissipates the shock energy by inner friction sufficiently to prevent damage to the inner mechanism of the device. The deformed shock-absorbing material can be restored to the original shape so that it is repeatedly usable. Furthermore, by comparing the deformed shape and the quick reference table provided with the device, the amount shock acceleration can be roughly determined. The device conforms to one of a series of dimensional standards for information storage and retrieval devices.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus to provide controlled horizontal and vertical movements of a disk shuttle inside a disk drive, and also to open/close an access door on the shuttle for accessing one or more recording media inside the shuttle.

Abstract: A longitudinal bias structure for use in a GMR device is described. Improved magnetic properties of the bias structure are achieved by inserting an extra layer between the seed layer and the bias layer. This layer has lattice constants that are intermediate between those of the seed and bias layers thereby improving the crystallinity of the latter. Specifically, a layer of chromium-cobalt-tantalum is inserted between a seed layer of chromium, or chromium-titanium, and a hard magnetic (bias) layer of cobalt-chromium-platinum or cobalt-platinum. About 20 Angstroms is optimum for the thickness of this layer. Data is presented showing that significant improvements in coercivity and hysteresis loop squareness are obtained.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a tape head subassembly is disclosed. The method and system include providing a device, a left head block segment and a right head block segment. The device is for writing to a media. The left head block segment includes an integrated outrigger rail and has a first space. The right head block segment includes a first wear bar and a second wear bar and has a second space therein. The first and second wear bars are integrated as part of the right head block segment. The second space separating the first wear bar from the second wear bar and is configured to fit the device. The tape head subassembly is formed by bonding the device, the right head block segment and the left head block segment such that the device fits into the first space and the second space.

Abstract: A cartridge having a sensor hole to be opened/closed and a method and an apparatus for driving the same. To improve a problem that a cartridge receiving a DVD-RAM disc which has been once withdrawn therefrom performs the recording process under the same conditions as a bare disc, the disclosed cartridge has a unit for flexibly opening/closing the sensor hole in accordance with a result of a defect check, so that information processing process is greatly accelerated.

Abstract: A compressive limit stop for limiting travel of an actuator assembly of a data storage device is disclosed. The compressive limit stop separates a first pole piece from a second pole piece of the data storage device, each pole piece adjacent the actuator assembly, the compressive limit stop includes a rigid body with a top flange adjacent the second pole piece and a bottom flange adjacent the first pole piece, an inner portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the top flange disposed between the top and bottom flanges forming a channel between the flanges and a compressive sleeve with an inner wall adjacent each flange while enclosing the channel to form a gap between the inner portion and the inner wall. The compressive sleeve deflects and compresses between the actuator assembly and the inner portion to decelerate movement of the actuator assembly, upon impact of the contact arm with the contact post.

Abstract: A magneto-optical memory device includes a first unit projecting a light beam onto a desired position on a recording medium, and a second unit applying a magnetic field to a position onto which the light beam is projected. The second unit applies, to the recording medium, a predetermined magnetic field within a magnetic field intensity range wherein a rate of change of a reproduced signal amplitude at the time of reproduction with respect to a magnetic field intensity becomes large. The relative positions of the second unit and the first unit are adjusted in accordance with a reproduced signal amplitude thus obtained.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for handling and storing a plurality of data storage discs includes a toroidal configuration of storage locations for the discs, a plurality of disc drives mounted above the storage locations in a generally annular arrangement, a means for moving any disc into and out of each selected drive on demand, and a control means for directing operation of the means for moving the discs and controlling selection of operation of the disc drives. The apparatus also has another plurality of data storage discs in a secondary module comprising another torodial configuration of storage locations for the discs mounted below the first plurality, a means for moving any disc between the two pluralities of storage locations, and a control means for directing the movement of the discs. The apparatus also has a supplies module mounted beneath the secondary module and houses the power supplies and environmental control equipment necessary for the system.

Abstract: An apparatus is described comprising a seed layer between a gap layer and an Iridium Manganese (IrMn) antiferromagnetic layer. The seed layer comprises an oxide layer next to a magnetic layer.

Abstract: An MD 107 is feed to a fixed position in a device by a case-stored recording medium disk loading mechanism having a slit mechanism 125, an MD holder feeding arm 108 and the like. The disk 107 is loaded onto a turntable 131. A drive plate 101 is provided which is driven in a coupled manner and refuges a non case-stored recording medium disk loading mechanism, which has a CD clamp 104 and a CD adapter 106, to a position which does not interfere with the loading of the MD 107 onto the turntable 131.

Abstract: A disk device is provided with a disk tray having a holding part that holds part of an outer circumference of an optical disk when the disk is inserted into a depression on the disk tray, the disk being held roughly parallel to the surface of the depression. The holding part prevents a disk mounted in a disk tray used in the vertical orientation from tilting with respect to the disk tray, which could interfere with insertion of the disk tray into the disk device.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base. The disk drive further includes at least one rotatable disk including a disk surface extending to an outer disk edge. The disk drive further includes a head stack assembly rotatably attached to the disk drive base in operable communication with the disk. The disk drive further includes an airflow suppressor comb coupled to the disk drive base and stationary relative to the disk drive base during operation of the disk drive. The comb includes a comb body disposed adjacent to the outer disk edge, and at least one tine extending from the comb body along the disk surface for mitigating disk rotation induced airflow upon the head stack assembly adjacent to the disk surface. The comb further includes a curved extension extending along the outer disk edge for mitigating turbulent airflow adjacent the outer disk edge.

Abstract: A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes: a loading mechanism for drawing a disk having been inserted through an opening portion into the apparatus or drawing the disk having been held in the apparatus out of the opening portion; and an opening/closing sheet having first and second opening/closing portions, the first and second opening/closing portions being deformed by the disk to thereby open/close the opening portion. At least one of the first and second opening/closing portions has at least one deforming portion for facilitating the deformation of the opening/closing portion when the opening/closing portion is deformed by the disk carried by the loading mechanism.