Patents by Inventor Erhard Schreck

Erhard Schreck 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).

  • Publication number: 20100091412
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistance effect element is provided. The magneto-resistance effect element includes a first magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material, a second magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material and a spacer layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the spacer layer having an insulating layer and a conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer. The method includes: forming a film to be a base material of the spacer layer; performing a first treatment using a gas including at least one of oxygen molecules, oxygen atoms, oxygen ions, oxygen plasma and oxygen radicals on the film; and performing a second treatment using a gas including at least one of helium ions, helium plasma, helium radicals, neon ions, neon plasma and neon radicals on the film submitted to the first treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromi Yuasa, Hideaki Fukuzawa, Yoshihiko Fuji, Shuichi Murakami, Michiko Hara, Kunliang Zhang, Min Li, Erhard Schreck
  • Publication number: 20100091414
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magneto-resistance effect element is provided. The magneto-resistance effect element includes a first magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material, a second magnetic layer including a ferromagnetic material and a spacer layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the spacer layer having an insulating layer and a conductive portion penetrating through the insulating layer. The method includes: forming a film to be a base material of the spacer layer; performing a first treatment using a gas including at least one of oxygen molecules, oxygen atoms, oxygen ions, oxygen plasma and oxygen radicals on the film; and performing a second treatment using a gas including at least one of krypton ions, krypton plasma, krypton radicals, xenon ions, xenon plasma and xenon radicals on the film submitted to the first treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromi Yuasa, Hideaki Fukuzawa, Yoshihiko Fuji, Shuichi Murakami, Michiko Hara, Kunliang Zhang, Min Li, Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7602577
    Abstract: A microactuator incorporated within an actuator assembly of a disk drive is used as a detection element for rapid off track events that may occur. Preferably, the microactuator employs one or more piezoelectric elements used for purposes of secondary actuation. Uncontrolled movement of the actuator across the disk results in the piezoelectric elements generating a voltage spike or signal that is analyzed to determine whether a rapid off track event has occurred. Rapid off track events are distinguished from other possible events, such as shock events. If a rapid off track event is detected, then remedial actions are taken to restore data integrity, to include executing restore commands such as rewriting selected data tracks. Dedicated piezoelectric elements may also be provided for detecting rapid off track events wherein these elements are not incorporated in the servo loop that controls positioning of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Rickmer Kose, Erhard Schreck, Frank Obregon
  • Publication number: 20090251828
    Abstract: A vertically stacked DFH design in a read/write head is disclosed that allows independent control of write gap protrusion and read gap protrusion. A first heater is formed in an insulation layer proximate to a sensor in a read head. A second heater is formed in a second insulation layer proximate to the write pole tip in a main pole layer. The two heaters are connected in series or in parallel through leads to a power source that activates the heaters. In one embodiment, the heaters have a fixed resistance ratio. Preferably, there are two drivers in the power source so that a first power can be applied to the first heater and a second power can be applied to the second heater to enable an adjustment of reader protrusion/writer protrusion or gamma ratio. Fast reader and writer actuation is achieved and low power consumption is realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Kowang Liu
  • Patent number: 7561367
    Abstract: A bidirectional disc sweep routine accelerates the transducer in a storage device from a first predefined radius toward the inner radius to a second predefined radius, and accelerates the transducer from a third predefined radius toward the outer radius to a fourth predefined radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7558015
    Abstract: In one example, a method is provided and includes comparing a measured change in spacing between a transducer element and a storage element in response to a fly height control signal with an expected change in spacing for the applied fly height control signal. The method also includes detecting an event condition based on the comparison between the measured change in spacing and the expected change in spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Rickmer Kose, Bruce Schardt, Davide Guarisco
  • Publication number: 20090141406
    Abstract: A magnetic head includes a pole layer and a shield. The shield includes a shield layer having a front end face located in the medium facing surface at a position forward of an end face of the pole layer along a direction of travel of the recording medium. The magnetic head further includes a stopper layer for suppressing protrusion of the front end face of the shield layer, the stopper layer being disposed adjacent to the shield layer and made of a nonmagnetic material having a linear thermal expansion coefficient of 5×10?6/° C. or smaller at a temperature of 25° C. to 100° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Itoh, Hironori Araki, Takehiro Horinaka, Kowang Liu, Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7542228
    Abstract: In a method for writing data to a disk drive, a selected portion of a surface of a rotating disk of the disk drive is contacted with a designated contact region of a slider. An aspect of the contact is controlled to regulate frictional heating of the selected portion such that a magnetic field required to write data to the selected portion is reduced to a level which permits writing of data in the selected portion. Data is written on a frictionally heated track in the selected portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Bernhard Knigge, Jia-Yang Juang, Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7509728
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a first disk drive includes incorporating a first storage disk having a first storage surface, and a first slider having a first read/write head and a slider mover into the first disk drive. Further, the first read/write head is movably positioned a first head-to-disk spacing relative to the first storage surface. The method also includes determining an incremental power level necessary to be delivered to a second slider mover of a second slider having a second read/write head to adjust a second head-to-disk spacing relative to a second storage surface by a predetermined increment. In addition, the method includes adjusting a first head-to-disk spacing by directing an operational power level to the first slider mover. The operational power level is derived from the incremental power level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Francis P. Crimi, Duc Bahn, Thao Anh Nguyen, Kazuhiro Saito, Donald J. Brunnett, Andrew LeFebvre, Scott Hughes, Brian Strom, Michael Mallary, Hyunchul Shim, Bruce C. Schardt
  • Publication number: 20090073605
    Abstract: A bidirectional disc sweep routine accelerates the transducer in a storage device from a first predefined radius toward the inner radius to a second predefined radius, and accelerates the transducer from a third predefined radius toward the outer radius to a fourth predefined radius.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7502205
    Abstract: A control source and drivers for a thermal actuator fly height controlled heads in a disk drive system includes provisions for driving a heater element to dissipate various levels of power, and thus actuate the head by a desired amount, depending on whether the head is in a write mode or a read mode. Further, overshoot and undershoot are achieved as desired by providing initial values and equilibrium values and through the use of a control capacitor to provide a time constant to the drive signal to the heater element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Tony Hurtado, Wentao Yan, Lin Guo, Chris Hawks, Don Brunnett, Thao Nguyen, Richard Oswald, Erhard Schreck
  • Publication number: 20090059410
    Abstract: In a method for writing data to a disk drive, a selected portion of a surface of a rotating disk of the disk drive is contacted with a designated contact region of a slider. An aspect of the contact is controlled to regulate frictional heating of the selected portion such that a magnetic field required to write data to the selected portion is reduced to a level which permits writing of data in the selected portion. Data is written on a frictionally heated track in the selected portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Bernhard Knigge, Jia-Yang Juang, Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: 7486459
    Abstract: A disk drive for storing data includes a drive housing, a storage disk that is rotatably coupled to the drive housing, a slider assembly positioned near the storage disk, and a drive circuitry. The slider assembly includes a head that interacts with the storage disk during a data transfer operation. The drive circuitry performs a performance test on the head at a first HtD spacing and at a second HtD spacing that is different than the first HtD spacing while the drive is operation. The slider assembly includes a slider mover that moves the head between the first HtD spacing and the second HtD spacing. The slider mover can move the head to the first HtD spacing during the data transfer operation if the result of the performance test is a first test result and the slider mover moves the head to the second HtD spacing during the data transfer operation if the result of the performance test is a second test result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Anthony R. Hurtado, Andrew LeFebvre, Chris Hawks, Thao Anh Nguyen, Scott Hughes, Bruce C. Schardt, Donald J. Brunnett
  • Patent number: 7443634
    Abstract: A storage disk for a hard disk drive includes a homogeneously-formed body region, a first side region and a second side region. The body region includes a first body side and a second body side opposite the first body side. The first side region is secured to the first body side and the second side region is secured to the second body side. In one embodiment, the first side region is adapted to store data and the second side region is not adapted to store data. The first side region includes a plurality of layers formed from different materials relative to one another. The first side region has a first density that is different than a second density of the second side region. In one embodiment, the first side region has a mass that is different than a mass of the second side region. In an alternative embodiment, the first side region has a thickness that is different than a thickness of the second side region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Yanning Liu
  • Patent number: 7411389
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the operability of a slider of a disk drive includes the steps of providing a slider that includes a read/write head that magnetically interacts with a storage disk, and a slider mover that adjusts a head-to-disk spacing, controlling an electrical stimulus to the slider mover with a drive circuitry, measuring an actual electrical response from the slider mover with the drive circuitry, and comparing the actual electrical response to an expected electrical response to determine an operability status of the slider mover. Further, changes in the actual electrical response can be monitored and used to predict future failure of the slider mover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony R. Hurtado, Erhard Schreck, Duc Banh, Tim Glassburn, Kazuhiro Saito, Scott Hughes, Brian Strom, Richard K. Oswald
  • Patent number: 7400473
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a rotatable storage disk, a suspension, and a slider assembly. The slider assembly includes a slider body, a first slider deformer and a second slider deformer. Activation of the first slider deformer deforms the slider body, and activation of the second slider deformer deforms the slider body. Further, the slider deformers can be independently controllable. The read element is positioned near the first slider deformer and the write element is positioned near the second slider deformer. Activation of the first slider deformer adjusts a read head-to-disk spacing of the read element and activation of the second slider deformer adjusts a write head-to-disk spacing of the write element. Further, activation of the first slider deformer does not significantly influence the write head-to-disk spacing and activation of the second slider deformer does not significantly influence the read head-to-disk spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas J. Krajnovich, Erhard Schreck, Kaz Saito, Don Brunnett
  • Patent number: 7375915
    Abstract: A disk drive for storing data includes a drive housing, a storage disk that is rotatably coupled to the drive housing, a slider assembly positioned near the storage disk, and a drive circuitry. The slider assembly includes a head that interacts with the storage disk during a data transfer operation and a slider mover. The drive circuitry directs a first power level to slider mover to maintain the head at a first HtD spacing, and a second power level to the slider mover to maintain the head at a second HtD spacing, and a variable, transition power to the slider mover during a transition between the first power level being directed to the slider mover and the second power level being directed to the slider mover. The transition power is tailored to rapidly move the head between the HtD spacings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Joerg Ferber, Michael Mallary, Anthony R. Hurtado, Chris Hawks, Scott Hughes
  • Patent number: 7369345
    Abstract: A system provided for protecting a disk drive from impact damages. More specifically, a disk drive is provided that includes an accelerometer interconnected to a printed circuit board that detects free fall of the disk drive. In addition, the velocity of spinning disks of the disk drive is also monitored to assess changes in velocity thereof that may indicate the presence of a tumbling condition. Furthermore, the change in acceleration measured by the accelerometer is monitored to prevent false indications of free fall due to common vibrations. Thus an enhanced system is provided that protects disk drives from the effect of free falls under a wide variety of conditions and allowing for drops from shorter distances to be identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Yunfeng Li, Erhard Schreck, Wei Guo, Tim Glassburn, Mark Heimbaugh, William Flynn, Oliver Northrup, John E. Scura, Lin Guo, Xiaokun Chew
  • Patent number: 7362534
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a rotatable storage disk, an actuator motor, a slider that magnetically interacts with the storage disk, and a drive circuitry. A portion of the slider moves between a first position wherein the slider does not contact the storage disk and a second position wherein the slider contacts the storage disk. The drive circuitry can detect when the position of the slider changes between these positions. In one embodiment, the drive circuitry monitors off-track movement of the slider to detect when the slider has moved between these positions. The drive circuitry can also current that is directed to the actuator motor that is used to compensate for off-track movement to detect when the slider moves between these positions. In yet another embodiment, the drive circuitry monitors a rotational velocity of the storage disk to detect approximately when the slider moves between these positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Francis P. Crimi, Jingbo Yu, Michael Mallary, Scott Hughes, Duc Bahn, Mark Heimbaugh, Kazuhiro Saito, Andrew LeFebvre, Joerg Ferber, Xiaoping Hu, Douglas J. Krajnovich, Chris Hawks, Donald J Brunnett, Bruce C Schardt
  • Patent number: 7355814
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a load/unload disk drive that includes: a rotational arm engaging a slider; a magnetic storage disk, wherein the magnetic head in the slider reads data from and/or writes data to a data zone of the magnetic storage disk; and a ramp positioned next to the magnetic storage disk. The magnetic storage disk includes a slider cleaning zone having a roughness greater than a roughness of the data zone. The slider is periodically contacted with the slider cleaning zone to remove particles collected on the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: David E. Fowler, Erhard Schreck