Abstract: A system and method for improving lubrication in a fluid dynamic bearing are disclosed. A fluid dynamic bearing is formed. The fluid dynamic bearing comprises a shaft having an axis of rotation and a surface comprising a first groove at a first depth and a second groove at a second depth, wherein the first and second grooves are for supporting a film of lubricating fluid. The fluid dynamic bearing further includes a hub having an axis coincident to the axis of rotation and a complimentary surface juxtaposed to the shaft which is conducive to supporting the lubricating fluid such that the shaft is rotatably retained.

Abstract: An integrated microactuator slider. The microactuator includes a substrate having a fixed portion and a moveable portion. The microactuator also includes a slider communicatively integrated within the moveable portion of the substrate. The slider includes a read/write head for reading data from or writing data to a data storage device. The microactuator further includes a force generator communicatively integrated within the substrate. The force generator is for causing movement of the moveable portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A system and method for dynamically controlling the position of a hard drive head is disclosed. The system includes a hard drive slider comprising a first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate wherein the second substrate comprises a plurality of flexures wherein at least one of the flexures is responsive to an applied current, the flexure expanding in response to the current; and a third substrate coupled to the second substrate comprising vias to provide said current to the flexure. Embodiments of the invention can be used in contact and non contact recording situations and for absorbing mechanical vibrations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a disk drive actuator arm for reducing amplitude of vibration modes substantially planar to a disk surface. The actuator arm comprises a plurality of head arms coupled to the actuator arm, the head arms substantially equally spaced and substantially parallel to each other. The actuator arm further includes a damping material bonded to a surface of one of the plurality of head arms, wherein the surface is substantially parallel to the plurality of head arms. The actuator arm further includes a mass bonded to the damping material wherein the mass dampens the amplitude of vibration modes substantially planar to the disk surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing a small pad to increase a head to a disk interface reliability for a load/unload drive. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, a low friction zone is provided proximal to a leading edge (LE) portion of the slider such that when the LE portion of the slider is aligned to contact a disk element during the load phase, the low friction zone contacts the disk element and provides a reduced contact area with respect to the LE portion of the slider such that a friction force is reduced and the slider can assume a proper flying attitude.

Abstract: A dual-stage actuator disk drive has both a rotary primary actuator and a rotary secondary actuator. When the primary actuator initiates a seek there are two torque components acting on the center of mass of the secondary actuator's moving portion. The center of rotation of the moving portion is located at an optimal location relative to the center of mass of the moving portion, which results in cancellation of the two torque components and a secondary actuator that has essentially no resonant frequency in response to a seek by the primary actuator. If the optimal location can not be achieved because of assembly tolerances, then the center of rotation is placed at a distance at least as great as the assembly tolerance from the optimal location.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method of manufacturing a disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer. In one embodiment, a disk drive to chassis coupler is formed and a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is created. One end of the disk drive to chassis coupler can be coupled to the chassis. The disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be used to cause the second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive, thus, the disk drive can be rigidly coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: A bearing system having variably grooved radial and thrust bearing with reduced groove angle near bearing entry is described. In an embodiment, the bearing system includes a housing. The bearing system also includes a shaft centrally located in the housing. The bearing system additionally includes a rotor portion that is adapted to be rotated about the shaft and contained within the housing. The bearing further includes a variably angled groove disposed on an internal surface of the bearing system. The variably angled groove reduces ingestion of air in the bearing system during operation of the bearing system.

Abstract: The invention is a hard-disk-drive (HDD) assembly that includes a flame having the exterior dimensions of a particular form-factor HDD, an HDD with a form-factor smaller than the frame, a pair of mount assemblies that support the HDD entirely within the larger form-factor frame, and an electrical cable located entirely within the frame and having one end connected to the HDD and the other end exposed to the frame exterior at the position determined by the specifications of the larger form-factor. The HDD assembly thus presents a smaller form-factor HDD as a fully plug-compatible alternative to a larger form-factor HDD. The mount assemblies have spring-like cantilever arms in contact with damping material to provide a highly-damped nonlinear spring system that provides mechanical-shock resistance for the HDD in a direction normal to the planes of the disks and high stiffness in a direction parallel to the planes of the disks.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer. In one embodiment, the disk drive coupling apparatus includes a disk drive to chassis coupler and a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism. One end of the disk drive to chassis coupler can be coupled to the chassis of the computer. The disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of causing the other end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive, thus, the disk drive can be rigidly coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: A personal portable storage device (PPSD). The PPSD has a storage medium. The PPSD also includes a wireless component, coupled to the storage medium. Additionally, the PPSD includes transfer management electronics, coupled to the storage medium, which allow a host device to access the PPSD through the wireless component without requiring physical connections between the PPSD and the host device. The PPSD includes a self-contained energy source, coupled to the transfer management electronics. The PPSD also has a housing, which at least partially encloses the storage medium, the wireless component, the energy source, and the transfer management electronics, and is of a size and shape well-suited to being carried on a person, so that the PPSD is easy to transport.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a disk drive actuator arm for reducing amplitude of vibration modes substantially planar to a disk surface. The actuator arm comprises a plurality of head arms coupled to the actuator arm, the head arms substantially equally spaced and substantially parallel to each other. The actuator arm further includes a damping material bonded to a surface of one of the plurality of head arms, wherein the surface is substantially parallel to the plurality of head arms. The actuator arm further includes a mass bonded to the damping material wherein the mass dampens the amplitude of vibration modes substantially planar to the disk surface.

Abstract: A dual-stage actuator disk drive has both a rotary primary actuator and a rotary secondary actuator. When the primary actuator initiates a seek there are two torque components acting on the center of mass of the secondary actuator's moving portion. The center of rotation of the moving portion is located at an optimal location relative to the center of mass of the moving portion, which results in cancellation of the two torque components and a secondary actuator that has essentially no resonant frequency in response to a seek by the primary actuator. If the optimal location can not be achieved because of assembly tolerances, then the center of rotation is placed at a distance at least as great as the assembly tolerance from the optimal location.

Abstract: A disk drive, such as a magnetic recording hard disk drive, has a head positioning servo control system that includes an improved repetitive controller included with the conventional feedback controller for suppressing periodic disturbances. The repetitive controller includes a low-pass filter (LPF) and a time-delay memory with a time delay matched to the period of the periodic disturbance. In a digital implementation, where the head position error signal (PES) is sampled, the time delay is the time for N samples. A subsequent PES sample is summed with the time-delay input sample from N samples earlier and this summed value is input to the LPF. The output of the LPF is added to the subsequent PES sample and the added value is input to the feedback controller. The value of N is adjustable, so the repetitive controller is adaptable to changes in frequency of the periodic disturbance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for damping slider-gimbal coupled vibration of a hard disk drive is disclosed. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension at a gimbal structure. In addition, a damping zone is provided at a stress point on the gimbal structure, the damping zone having a damping material thereon, wherein the damping material reduces vibration of the slider and the gimbal structure.

Abstract: Secure data is written to a disk during manufacture in such a way that it can be read but not copied. Methods include writing triangular transitions or very slow transitions from positive magnetic to negative magnetic and then erasing the negative parts to yield a code that consists of positive read back amplitudes only. Or, high frequency transitions can be written during servo writing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer. In one embodiment, the disk drive coupling apparatus includes a disk drive to chassis coupler and a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism. One end of the disk drive to chassis coupler can be coupled to the chassis of the computer. The disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is capable of causing the other end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive, thus, the disk drive can be rigidly coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method of manufacturing a disk drive coupling apparatus for rigidly coupling a disk drive to a chassis of a computer. In one embodiment, a disk drive to chassis coupler is formed and a disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism is created. One end of the disk drive to chassis coupler can be coupled to the chassis. The disk drive to chassis coupler engaging mechanism can be used to cause the second end of the disk drive to chassis coupler to apply pressure to the disk drive, thus, the disk drive can be rigidly coupled to the chassis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing a small pad to increase a head to a disk interface reliability for a load/unload drive. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, a low friction zone is provided proximal to a leading edge (LE) portion of the slider such that when the LE portion of the slider is aligned to contact a disk element during the load phase, the low friction zone contacts the disk element and provides a reduced contact area with respect to the LE portion of the slider such that a friction force is reduced and the slider can assume a proper flying attitude.

Abstract: Secure data is written to a disk during manufacture in such a way that it can be read but not copied. Methods include writing triangular transitions or very slow transitions from positive magnetic to negative magnetic and then erasing the negative parts to yield a code that consists of positive read back amplitudes only. Or, high frequency transitions can be written during servo writing.