Patents by Inventor Eric Christian O'Brien

Eric Christian O'Brien 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).

  • Interconnect module for use in a suspension assembly
    Patent number: 7116523
    Abstract: A lead routing module for interconnecting two devices in a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly including at least a suspension, a slider/head assembly, and a lead routing module. The suspension assembly may also include a microactuator. The lead routing module routes electrical signals between at least two devices in the suspension assembly such that the termination leads and/or pads of each device may be conveniently located. The suspension assembly may be used in a disk drive system, or alternatively, in a disk test system used for testing disks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Francis Chee-Shuen Lee, Michael Lee McGhee, Salvador Navarro, Ullai Vasant Nayak, Eric Christian O'Brien, Wing Chun Shum, Randall George Simmons
  • System and method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks
    Patent number: 6600556
    Abstract: A method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks includes rotating the disk three hundred and sixty degrees. As the disk rotates, a sensor is used to detect a quantity of manufacturing marks formed on the outer edge of the disk. If there are less than four manufacturing marks on the edge of the disk, a signal is sent to a warning device to indicate that the disk is defective. The lack of a manufacturing mark is an indication that a gripper used to hold the disk within the sputtering chamber during the sputtering process is bent or otherwise misaligned. As such, a signal is also sent to the warning device to indicate that the grippers within the sputtering chamber must be inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Paul M. Green, Bob C. Robinson, Eric Christian O'Brien, Elmer Tyree York
  • System and method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks
    Publication number: 20020089662
    Abstract: A method for detecting manufacturing marks on sputtered disks includes rotating the disk three hundred and sixty degrees. As the disk rotates, a sensor is used to detect a quantity of manufacturing marks formed on the outer edge of the disk. If there are less than four manufacturing marks on the edge of the disk, a signal is sent to a warning device to indicate that the disk is defective. The lack of a manufacturing mark is an indication that a gripper used to hold the disk within the sputtering chamber during the sputtering process is bent or otherwise misaligned. As such, a signal is also sent to the warning device to indicate that the grippers within the sputtering chamber must be inspected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Publication date: July 11, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Green, Bob C. Robinson, Eric Christian O'Brien, Elmer Tyree York
  • INTERCONNECT MODULE FOR USE IN A SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20010001587
    Abstract: A lead routing module for interconnecting two devices in a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly including at least a suspension, a slider/head assembly, and a lead routing module. The suspension assembly may also include a microactuator. The lead routing module routes electrical signals between at least two devices in the suspension assembly such that the termination leads and/or pads of each device may be conveniently located. The suspension assembly may be used in a disk drive system, or alternatively, in a disk test system used for testing disks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Publication date: May 24, 2001
    Inventors: FRANCIS CHEE-SHUEN LEE, MICHAEL LEE MCGHEE, SALVADOR NAVARRO, ULLAI VASANT NAYAK, ERIC CHRISTIAN O'BRIEN, WING CHUN SHUM, RANDALL GEORGE SIMMONS