Patents by Inventor Frederic C. Petersen

Frederic C. Petersen 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: 9908167
    Abstract: A tolerance ring suitable for use in applications such as an actuator assembly for a disk drive, is disclosed. The tolerance ring may be fabricated by steps including stamping a sheet metal section from a strip of sheet metal that has first and second edges that are parallel to a strip axis. A leading axial edge may be rounded from an inner major face and from an outer major face. A plurality of protrusions may be formed from the first major face. The sheet metal section may be bent into a substantially cylindrical shape having a central axis that is normal to the strip axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignees: Western Digital Technologies, Inc., Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Parker, Frederic C. Petersen, Shawn P. Couture, Prabheesh Balakrishnan Kuniyil, Bob A. Nykanen
  • Patent number: 9536571
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: INTRI-PLEX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Adam D. Sutton, David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Robert J. Tench
  • Publication number: 20160354830
    Abstract: A novel method, for fabricating a tolerance ring suitable for use in applications such as an actuator assembly for a disk drive, is disclosed. The tolerance ring may be fabricated by steps including stamping a sheet metal section from a strip of sheet metal that has first and second edges that are parallel to a strip axis. A leading axial edge may be rounded from an inner major face and from an outer major face. A plurality of protrusions may be formed from the first major face. The sheet metal section may be bent into a substantially cylindrical shape having a central axis that is normal to the strip axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Joshua Parker, Frederic C. Petersen, Shawn P. Couture, Prabheesh Balakrishnan Kuniyil, Bob A. Nykanen
  • Publication number: 20160247546
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Adam D. Sutton, David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Robert J. Tench
  • Patent number: 9361929
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: INTRI-PLEX TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Adam D. Sutton, Robert J. Tench
  • Patent number: 8824099
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a number of magnetic hard disks within a disk drive has a plurality of balance weight holes and a coined index mark for use as a reference in balancing the hard disks after assembly. The disk clamp also has a coined profile located adjacent or around the balance weight holes in order to provide uniform circumferential clamp force by the disk clamp. The disk clamp has a profile that places the inner region of the disk clamp in the plastic deformation region at a certain specified clamping force at the center of the disk clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Adam D. Sutton
  • Publication number: 20140139950
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Adam D. Sutton, Robert J. Tench
  • Patent number: 8675306
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam D. Sutton, David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Robert J. Tench
  • Publication number: 20130272108
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a number of magnetic hard disks within a disk drive has a plurality of balance weight holes and a coined index mark for use as a reference in balancing the hard disks after assembly. The disk clamp also has a coined profile located adjacent or around the balance weight holes in order to provide uniform circumferential clamp force by the disk clamp. The disk clamp has a profile that places the inner region of the disk clamp in the plastic deformation region at a certain specified clamping force at the center of the disk clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Adam D. Sutton
  • Publication number: 20130272107
    Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Intri-Plex Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Erlach, Frederic C. Petersen, Ryan J. Schmidt, Paul W. Smith, Adam D. Sutton, Robert J. Tench