Patents by Inventor Donald L. Rolph

Donald L. Rolph 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: 4965685
    Abstract: A disc drive 20 includes a tray assembly 34 for positively seating and locking a cartridge 21 onto a spindle motor 82. The drive 20 includes heads 108, 110 mounted on a radial arm voice coil actuator assembly 112 and appropriate mechanisms including the arm control assembly 126 and the ratchet 124 and pawl projection 170 to ensure that the heads 108, 110 are properly loaded onto the disc 90 and that the cartridge 21 insertion and ejection process does not cause damage to the heads 108, 110 or the disc 90 contained in the cartridge 21. Further the drive 20 includes controls such as the cartridge load lever 32 and the release button 30 which are not exposed and cannot be accidentally tripped during data transfer operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Syquest Technology
    Inventors: Herbert E. Thompson, Donald L. Rolph, Dominic Mercurio, Albert J. Guerini
  • Patent number: 4870518
    Abstract: A disc drive 20 includes a tray assembly 34 for positively seating and locking a cartridge 21 onto a spindle motor 82. The drive 20 includes heads 108, 110 mounted on a radial arm voice coil actuator assembly 112 and appropriate mechanisms including the arm control assembly 126 and the ratchet 124 and pawl projection 170 to ensure that the heads 108, 110 are properly loaded onto the disc 90 and that the cartridge 21 insertion and ejection process does not cause damage to the heads 108, 110 or the disc 90 contained in the cartridge 21. Further the drive 20 includes controls such as the cartridge load lever 32 and the release button 30 which are not exposed and cannot be accidentally tripped during data transfer operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Assignee: Syquest Technology
    Inventors: Herbert E. Thompson, Donald L. Rolph, Dominic Mercurio, Albert J. Guerini
  • Patent number: 4864452
    Abstract: A removable cartridge 20 for a disc drive includes a door 34 which is movable from a locked closed position to an open position by a shutter lever of the disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 5, 1989
    Assignee: Syquest Technology
    Inventors: Herbert E. Thompson, Donald L. Rolph, Dominic Mercurio
  • Patent number: 4179718
    Abstract: In a disc drive for use with an operator inserted flexible magnetic recording disc cartridge means are disclosed for preventing closing of the cartridge access door and the disc clamping means if a recording disc cartridge is only partially inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: Memorex Corporation
    Inventor: Donald L. Rolph
  • Patent number: 4125883
    Abstract: Apparatus for centering and clamping a flexible magnetic recording disc in a disc drive comprises a spindle having on its outer end a face for supporting the associated recording disc and also has a recess within that face and a disc clamping element which cooperates with the spindle and includes a plurality of resiliently deflectable fingers extending in a direction both angularly outwardly of the axis and toward the spindle with means for deflecting the fingers radially outwardly for centering the associated recording disc with respect to the center of the spindle, and means for selectively moving the clamping element toward and away from the spindle and into and out of releasable engagement with the recording disc and spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Memorex Corporation
    Inventor: Donald L. Rolph