Patents by Inventor Christopher Pollard

Christopher Pollard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4411443
    Abstract: The invention includes a low-drag cycle having an elongated frame extending between a smaller front wheel and a larger rear wheel. A cyclist assumes a recumbant position over the frame facing down. A cycle is steered by means of the front wheel, while the cyclist powers the cycle by means of a pedal arrangement driving the larger rear wheel. A streamlined, pod-shaped body which is symmetrical about an axis parallel to the direction of travel achieves a very low coefficient of drag and maximizes laminar flow to further reduce drag. The cycle wheels are contained within two streamlined fairings which extend from the streamlined cycle body to near the ground, the area between wheels being left open to increase the lateral stability of the cycle and to allow the rider to straddle the frame so that both feet may be placed on the ground while starting or stopping the cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1983
    Inventor: Christopher A. Pollard
  • Patent number: 4363056
    Abstract: A housing (1-10) for a disk (1-12) used in a "Winchester"-type disk mass information storage unit in a data processing system. The housing is symmetrical about the plane of the disk, and supports the disk spindle (2-33) on both sides of the disk. The housing includes two substantially identical members (1-16, 17) fitted together in a clamshell-type arrangement. The housing includes a housing extension (1-26) for receiving and supporting the read/write heads (1-14) and actuator (1-15) therefor from both ends thereof. The members forming the housing are preferably thin walled castings, and may include fins (1-104) to dissipate heat or to enhance the housing's mechanical rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1982
    Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Charles M. Riggle, Christopher A. Pollard, John D. Read
  • Patent number: 4346416
    Abstract: A rotary actuator assembly for positioning read/write heads in disk drive mass storage systems. The actuator assembly includes an actuator motor and one or more actuator arms secured thereto. The motor provides rotary motion of the arms, to move the heads. The stator magnet of the motor is an electromagnet wound on an arcuate core; a pair of elongate permanent magnets are attached to the rotor member, for coaction with the stator magnet. The rotor member has a U-shaped cross sectional area in a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation; the permanent magnets are fixed to the outside, bottom corners of the U and the actuator arms are mounted across the open end of the U. The rotor is of a very small radius, to minimize inertia. The permanent magnets have a flat face facing the stator, with a channel running longitudinally down the middle, to minimize flux density variations in the permanent magnet-coil gap. The rotor balances the arm relative to the rotor's axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Digital Equipment Corporation
    Inventors: Charles M. Riggle, John D. Read, William B. Noe, Richard Winfrey, Christopher A. Pollard, Frank W. Bernett
  • Patent number: 4112471
    Abstract: Apparatus for housing a rotatable disk used in an information storage apparatus having a disk as the memory storage member. The housing comprises a disk cartridge for holding the disk, the disk cartridge having an aperture which allows the transducer to access the disk, and further comprises a contamination shield interposed in the aperture for smoothing air flow through the aperture. In the absence of the shield, vortices of air form at the aperture which sweep air-borne contaminants into the cartridge and thereby expose the disk to contamination. The shield prevents the vortices from forming, thus eliminating a major cause of disk contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1978
    Assignee: Burroughs Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher A. Pollard, David Stiven