Patents by Inventor Darrell E. Bratvold

Darrell E. Bratvold 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: 5539595
    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 voltage reference tab provided for quick assembly and removal from an actuator comb. The voltage reference tab maintains the magneto-resistive transducers and the magnetic disks at the same reference voltage potential thus minimizing electrical discharge from the transducer to the disk. The voltage reference tab is a copper tab having symmetrical slots about a fastening hole to facilitate the bending operation and to reduce the rate at which heat is conducted during the soldering process. The tab maintains the voltage reference potential between the head and disk through an extension of the flex cable attached to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1996
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John L. Beck, Jeffrey F. Boigenzahn, Darrell E. Bratvold, Charles A. Brown, Luke A. Cossette, Dale C. Goeke, Michael S. Good, Dale E. Goodman, Richard E. Lagergren, Gregory A. Lyons, Brian L. Rappel, James M. Rigotti, Daniel C. Stucky, Lyle R. Tufty, Herman R. Wendt
  • Patent number: 4945435
    Abstract: A fastening structure is provided to secure a shaft between parallel walls of a box shaped casting which will secure ans locate the shaft without inducing a distortion of the casting walls. One end of the shaft is secured to the adjacent wall and the other end of the shaft is secured through a wall opening using an annular slug and a deformable washer which is compressed by a bolt attached axially to the shaft end to cause the deformed washer to engage the surfaces defining the wall opening. The uniform axisymmetric expansion of the washer does not affect the position of the shaft and the radial fore secures the shaft end without influencing the structure of the casting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey F. Boigenzahn, Darrell E. Bratvold, James M. Rigotti, Lyle R. Tufty
  • Patent number: 4724499
    Abstract: An enclosure for a rigid disk data file is shown which includes a base casting and a cover that interface along planar surface that is not perpendicular to the axis of the spindle supporting the data disks. The base casting at one side extends axially along the disk stack and has the transducer positioning actuators mounted through openings therein. At the opposite side, the disk stack is fully exposed to permit easy access to the disk surface for procedures such as servo writing during manufacture of the drive. This structure makes possible concurrent operation of the product heads and servo writing heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Darrell E. Bratvold, Richard W. Luoma