Abstract: Approaches for a testing apparatus for evaluating a cover of a hard-disk drive. The testing apparatus may detect whether the cover has a defect that prevents the cover from being sufficiently airtight. The testing apparatus includes a base structure that comprises a concave recess shaped to receive the cover to be tested. When the cover is disposed within the concave recess, the cover forms a first chamber in the concave recess between the cover and the base structure. The testing apparatus also includes a removable lid. When the removable lid covers the concave recess with the cover disposed therein, the removable lid forms a second chamber in the concave recess between the cover, the base structure, and the removable lid. The testing apparatus also includes a means for introducing helium gas to one of the chambers and a means for detecting how much helium gas leaks from that chamber.

Abstract: A system and associated methods are described for preparing a magnetic disk for installation within a disk drive system. For example, a polyfunctional lubricant may be mixed with a chemical agent to esterify the polyfunctional lubricant and cap hydroxyl groups of the polyfunctional lubricant. The magnetic disk may then be dip coated with the polyfunctional lubricant and chemical agent mixture. A polishing system then polishes the magnetic disk via an abrasive polishing tape after dip coating the magnetic disk. A portion of the chemical agent is then removed from the magnetic disk to bond a portion of the lubricant to the magnetic disk to prevent the lubricant from interfering with a read/write head when installed within a disk drive system.

Abstract: An information storage system including an enclosure, a rotating data storage medium including a surface, a slider including an ABS and an airborne oxidizable contaminant disposed in the enclosure. The system also includes an antioxidant absorbed onto the surface of the data storage medium. The antioxidant inhibits oxidation of the oxidizable contaminants at an interface between the ABS and the rotating data storage medium.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling out-gassing and humidity in a closed space-constrained environment. In particular, an environment control device is disclosed which is made using thermoforming techniques such that the walls of the device are much thinner than other conventional devices. This allows for the device to be used in space-constrained environment while still providing a sufficient amount of absorber material such as a desiccant. The apparatus includes a base made up of a thin flexible plastic film thermoformed to create a cavity having at least one wall, the cavity having an opening on one side. An absorber material, such as a desiccant, is placed inside the cavity, and a cover made up of a permeable layer sealed to the base opening to complete an enclosure for holding the absorber material.

Abstract: Approaches for a testing apparatus for evaluating a cover of a hard-disk drive. The testing apparatus may detect whether the cover has a defect that prevents the cover from being sufficiently airtight. The testing apparatus includes a base structure that comprises a concave recess shaped to receive the cover to be tested. When the cover is disposed within the concave recess, the cover forms a first chamber in the concave recess between the cover and the base structure. The testing apparatus also includes a removable lid. When the removable lid covers the concave recess with the cover disposed therein, the removable lid forms a second chamber in the concave recess between the cover, the base structure, and the removable lid. The testing apparatus also includes a means for introducing helium gas to one of the chambers and a means for detecting how much helium gas leaks from that chamber.

Abstract: An information storage system including an enclosure, a rotating data storage medium including a surface, a slider including an ABS and an airborne oxidizable contaminant disposed in the enclosure. The system also includes an antioxidant absorbed onto the surface of the data storage medium. The antioxidant inhibits oxidation of the oxidizable contaminants at an interface between the ABS and the rotating data storage medium.

Abstract: A desiccant device that emits no contamination and is therefore suitable for use in an electronic device such as a magnetic disk drive system. The desiccant device includes a pouch formed of a laminate layer. The laminate layer includes a thin, non-permeable monolithic membrane laminated to a porous media. The thin, non-permeable monolithic membrane is thin enough to allow a desired vapor to pass there-through by molecular diffusion, but does not include any voids, pores or holes that would allow gas, liquid or solid to permeate there-through. Since the permeable membrane only passes vapor by molecular diffusion, it prohibits any dust fibers or other contamination from emitting from the desiccant device and thereby prevents contamination of the electronic device such as the disk drive.

Abstract: A system and associated methods are described for preparing a magnetic disk for installation within a disk drive system. For example, a polyfunctional lubricant may be mixed with a chemical agent to esterify the polyfunctional lubricant and cap hydroxyl groups of the polyfunctional lubricant. The magnetic disk may then be dip coated with the polyfunctional lubricant and chemical agent mixture. A polishing system then polishes the magnetic disk via an abrasive polishing tape after dip coating the magnetic disk. A portion of the chemical agent is then removed from the magnetic disk to bond a portion of the lubricant to the magnetic disk to prevent the lubricant from interfering with a read/write head when installed within a disk drive system.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for controlling out-gassing and humidity in a closed space-constrained environment. In particular, an environment control device is disclosed which is made using thermoforming techniques such that the walls of the device are much thinner than other conventional devices. This allows for the device to be used in space-constrained environment while still providing a sufficient amount of absorber material such as a desiccant. The apparatus includes a base made up of a thin flexible plastic film thermoformed to create a cavity having at least one wall, the cavity having an opening on one side. An absorber material, such as a desiccant, is placed inside the cavity, and a cover made up of a permeable layer sealed to the base opening to complete an enclosure for holding the absorber material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for regulating the concentration of a vapor within a hard drive are provided. In one embodiment, the method may include providing a source chemical of a vapor in a first cavity formed within a first object, providing an absorptive chemical which absorbs the vapor in a second cavity formed within the first object, and providing a third cavity formed by a hard drive housing of the hard drive. A first conductance path having a first conductance connects the first cavity to the third cavity, a second conductance path having a second conductance connects the second cavity to the third cavity, and the first conductance and the second conductance maintain a partial pressure level of the vapor within the third cavity.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has self-limiting wear contact type air-bearing sliders that support the read/write heads. The magnetic elements of the read/write head extend into and are surrounded by a wearable pad that protrudes beyond the air-bearing surface of the slider. The end of the protrusion pad and the ends of the magnetic elements are covered by a corrosion-resistant overcoat that protects the magnetic elements during slider fabrication and disk drive assembly. The overcoated protrusion pad sliders are assembled into the disk drive in a special environment, typically air with humidity controlled below a level above which corrosion of the magnetic elements would occur. The drive is then hermetically sealed and the drive is operated with the protrusion pads in contact with the disks until the overcoats and a portion of the pads are worn or burnished away.

Abstract: A chafer comprising a support frame, a food service pan, a cover, a cover pivoting assembly, a cover mounting assembly and a cover damper assembly. The cover has a peripheral edge and is pivotably mounted on the support frame by the cover pivoting assembly. The support frame supports the pan under the cover. The cover mounting assembly releasably mounts the cover to the cover pivoting assembly to enable the cover to be pivoted about a horizontal axis from a fully closed position to an intermediate, partially open position and to a fully open position, and vice versa. The cover is arranged to be automatically held in the fully closed, partially open or fully open positions by the mere movement of the cover to any of those positions.

Abstract: A magnetic recording disk drive has self-limiting wear contact type air-bearing sliders that support the read/write heads. The magnetic elements of the read/write head extend into and are surrounded by a wearable pad that protrudes beyond the air-bearing surface of the slider. The end of the protrusion pad and the ends of the magnetic elements are covered by a corrosion-resistant overcoat that protects the magnetic elements during slider fabrication and disk drive assembly. The overcoated protrusion pad sliders are assembled into the disk drive in a special environment, typically air with humidity controlled below a level above which corrosion of the magnetic elements would occur. The drive is then hermetically sealed and the drive is operated with the protrusion pads in contact with the disks until the overcoats and a portion of the pads are worn or burnished away.

Abstract: A chafer comprising a support frame, a food service pan, a cover, a cover pivoting assembly, a cover mounting assembly and a cover damper assembly. The cover has a peripheral edge and is pivotably mounted on the support frame by the cover pivoting assembly. The support frame supports the pan under the cover. The cover mounting assembly releasably mounts the cover to the cover pivoting assembly to enable the cover to be pivoted about a horizontal axis from a fully closed position to an intermediate, partially open position and to a fully open position, and vice versa. The cover is arranged to be automatically held in the fully closed, partially open or fully open positions by the mere movement of the cover to any of those positions.

Abstract: An application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) with a CPU module and a memory module connected to the CPU. The memory has a size selected from a set of alternative memory sizes. The CPU has a memory interface device having an output connected to the memory, and includes a memory test device connected to the memory. The memory test device has a size selector input that receives a memory size code, so that the memory test device is operable to test a memory module of any of the alternative memory sizes in response to alternative memory size codes received on the size selector input. The memory may be RAM or ROM, and the size codes may correspond to address size data stored in the memory test device.

Abstract: A griddle adapted for use in the food service industry. The griddle comprises a stainless steel griddle plate and a plurality of copper plates held against the underside of the griddle plate. High temperature grease is placed between the adjacent surfaces of the stainless steel plates and copper plates. The copper plates are held in place by leaf springs. Suitable heating devices, such as gas burners or electric heater bars, heat the griddle. When there is a differential in temperature between the stainless steel plate and the copper plates, the copper plates can move relative to the stainless steel plate. The movement is facilitated by the use of high temperature grease. The high temperature grease also provides efficient heat transfer between the copper plates and the stainless steel plate.

Abstract: A cooking device including cooking chamber, e.g. abraising pan, and a lid pivotally mounted to the chamber and arranged to be raised from a closed position to an open position and vice versa. The chamber includes plural sidewalls, each having a top edge lying in a common plane. The lid includes a top wall with an apron projecting downwardly from the top wall along the front and sides of its periphery. A pair of handles to raise and lower the lid are provided on the sides of the apron. A drip shield projects upward at an angle to the top wall of the lid along a rear portion of the periphery of the lid. The drip shield has a lower free edge which is spaced above the top edge of the cooking chamber when the lid is in the closed position to form a vent for excess steam to exit from the cooking chamber. The apron forms a convection flow space between it and the sidewalls of the cooking chamber.

Abstract: A data storage disk drive is provided with a spindle which supports a plurality of disks having at least one magnetic disk surface to form a spindle assembly for rotation of the disk surfaces about a common axis and a rotary actuator which supports magnetic transducers for movement in unison about respective disk surfaces. The disk drive includes a disk drive enclosure having die-cast generated predetermined zero draft geometries for mounting the spindle motor shaft and the actuator bearing shaft. The enclosure includes a base casting and a cover casting, each casting including structure for locating and retaining electrical connectors used for connecting to a planar electronics card located outside the drive enclosure. The disk drive includes an effective and easily manufacturable electrical path from a flex circuit to an actuator comb. The disk drive includes a tubular chemical breather filter arranged with integral housing and diffusion channels formed in the cover casting.

Abstract: A boiling water reactor fuel assembly with fuel rods having variable fuel rod pitches.

Abstract: A multi-functional cooking device that combines a steamer, skillet, griddle, fryer, kettle and oven into a single unit. The cooking device has a hollow base and a hollow lid. The base and the lid mate to provide an enclosed space for heating food. Heating means are associated with the base, to heat the interior space. Means are provided for lifting the lid relative to the base, and for maintaining the lid at a set position relative to the base. The base is adapted to receive water, so that when it is heated, steam will be formed in the space enclosed by the lid and base. The lower edge of the lid is recessed, and receives in the recess the upper edge of the base, whereby the mating of the two edges provides a junction to maintain steam within the space formed by the lid and base. A mechanism is provided for tilting the base at a predetermined angle, to facilitate the use of the base for grilling or frying foods.