Abstract: A directional control valve comprising: a body, an actuator configured to switch the directional control valve between two or more states, a manual activation button configured to initiate actuation of the actuator when pressed, a safety member configured to slide along a guide of the body between a first position and a second position, a coupling member configured to couple the directional control valve to other directional control valves, and a guard removably disposed between the safety member and the coupling member. The safety member prevents the manual actuation button from being actuated when it is in the first position and the manual actuation button can be manually actuated when the safety member is in the second position. In addition, the guard is configured to prevent the safety member from sliding to the second position when the guard is disposed between the safety member and the coupling member.

Abstract: A directional control valve comprising: a body, an actuator configured to switch the directional control valve between two or more states, a manual activation button configured to initiate actuation of the actuator when pressed, a safety member configured to slide along a guide of the body between a first position and a second position, a coupling member configured to couple the directional control valve to other directional control valves, and a guard removably disposed between the safety member and the coupling member. The safety member prevents the manual actuation button from being actuated when it is in the first position and the manual actuation button can be manually actuated when the safety member is in the second position. In addition, the guard is configured to prevent the safety member from sliding to the second position when the guard is disposed between the safety member and the coupling member.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for supporting a data recording medium adjacent a spindle motor hub. In some embodiments, an annular disc spacer has a plurality of nominal dimensions and is formed of a glass material and at least one additive to provide the disc spacer with a selected color. The color of the disc spacer is selected responsive to at least one of the plurality of nominal dimension of the disc spacer. The color may have a wavelength in the human detectable range of from about 350 nanometers, nm to about 700 nm.

Abstract: Storing data to a storage medium with a device that has moving parts supported by a bearing and which maintains separation between opposing bearing surfaces in the bearing with a pressurized working fluid.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to establishing a desired position control over a workpiece by compensating for thermal cycling affecting a member supporting the workpiece during processing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to establishing a desired position control over a workpiece by compensating for thermal cycling affecting a member supporting the workpiece during processing.

Abstract: An apparatus including a cantilevered head assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a flow control device to control flow proximate to the cantilevered head assembly. In one embodiment, the flow control device includes a blower assembly coupleable to a pressure source and/or vacuum assembly to limit flow disturbances proximate to the cantilevered head assembly.

Abstract: Storing data to a storage medium with a device that has moving parts supported by a bearing and which maintains separation between opposing bearing surfaces in the bearing with a pressurized working fluid.

Abstract: A servo track writer assembly and method are provided for recording servo pattern information on a disc. The servo track writer assembly includes a spindle assembly, an actuator assembly and a servo recording head. The spindle assembly has a hub, which supports the disc and a spindle motor for rotating the hub. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm supported by an actuator bearing for positioning the actuator arm relative to the disc. At least one of the spindle motor and the actuator bearing has a gas-lubricated bearing with a working fluid, which includes helium. The servo recording head is supported by the actuator arm relative to the disc to record the servo pattern information on the disc as the spindle motor rotates the disc and the actuator bearing positions the actuator arm.

Abstract: An apparatus including a cantilevered head assembly is disclosed. The apparatus includes a flow control device to control flow proximate to the cantilevered head assembly. In one embodiment, the flow control device includes a blower assembly coupleable to a pressure source and/or vacuum assembly to limit flow disturbances proximate to the cantilevered head assembly.

Abstract: A servo track writer assembly and method are provided for recording servo pattern information on a disc. The servo track writer assembly includes a spindle assembly, an actuator assembly and a servo recording head. The spindle assembly has a hub, which supports the disc and a spindle motor for rotating the hub. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm supported by an actuator bearing for positioning the actuator arm relative to the disc. At least one of the spindle motor and the actuator bearing has a gas-lubricated bearing with a working fluid, which includes helium. The servo recording head is supported by the actuator arm relative to the disc to record the servo pattern information on the disc as the spindle motor rotates the disc and the actuator bearing positions the actuator arm.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including one or more actuator arms, wherein each of the actuator arms defines a clasp hole and a clamp-opening hole and a slot running between the clasp hole and clamp-opening hole, and optionally, a second slot running from the clasp hole to a distal end of the actuator arm, thereby creating two clasp fingers. A flex suspension assembly is included with a protrusion, such as a boss and a head on a distal end. The flex suspension assembly is coupled to the actuator arm by resiliently increasing the diameter of the clasp hole so as to allow the boss on the flex suspension assembly to be inserted into the clasp hole. With the boss is inserted, the clasp hole is allowed to revert to its original diameter, thereby clamping the boss in the clasp hole. A method for assembly is also provided.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including one or more actuator arms, wherein each of the actuator arms defines a clasp hole and a clamp-opening hole and a slot running between the clasp hole and clamp-opening hole, and optionally, a second slot running from the clasp hole to a distal end of the actuator arm, thereby creating two clasp fingers. A flex suspension assembly is included with a protrusion, such as a boss and a head on a distal end. The flex suspension assembly is coupled to the actuator arm by resiliently increasing the diameter of the clasp hole so as to allow the boss on the flex suspension assembly to be inserted into the clasp hole. With the boss is inserted, the clasp hole is allowed to revert to its original diameter, thereby clamping the boss in the clasp hole. A method for assembly is also provided.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus and method for loading and securing a disc drive head disk assembly (HDA) in a servo track writing apparatus. The HDA includes a base, a disc stack coupled to a spindle rotatably attached to the base by a spindle shaft, and an actuator assembly pivotally attached to the base at a pivot shaft. Attached to one end of the actuator assembly proximal the disc stack is at least one transducer for reading/writing information from/to the discs. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a vacuum block having an air bearing and a vacuum stiffener. The vacuum stiffener is selectively used simultaneously with the air bearing to preload the latter. Alternatively, the vacuum stiffener is used independently of the air bearing to vacuum couple the vacuum block to a guide surface. By allowing both vacuum preload and vacuum coupling, the vacuum block of the present invention provides precise HDA placement and retainment with little or no manual operator intervention.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention relates to an apparatus and method for retaining a disc drive head disk assembly (HDA) during a servo track writing procedure. The HDA includes a base, a disc stack coupled to a spindle rotatably attached to the base by a spindle shaft, and an actuator assembly pivotally attached to the base at a pivot shaft. Attached to one end of the actuator assembly proximal the disc stack is one or more transducers for reading/writing information from/to the discs. In one embodiment, the method includes restraining the ends of the spindle shaft and pivot shaft during servo track writing so that relative deflection therebetween is minimized. That is, all but rotational motion of the components is substantially eliminated. An apparatus for restraining the ends of the spindle shaft and pivot shaft is also provided.

Abstract: A servo writer support assembly supports a disc drive storage device relative to an orthogonal coordinate system comprising X, Y and Z axes during servo writing. The support assembly includes a support body, a yaw registration feature, a pitch registration feature and a locating post. The yaw registration feature is engageable with the disc drive storage device for limiting rotation of the disc drive storage device about the Z axis. The pitch registration feature is engageable with the disc drive storage device for limiting rotation of the disc drive storage device about the X and Y axes. The locating post extends from the support body parallel to the Z axis and includes a registration surface having a tangent that is oblique to the Z axis. The registration surface is engageable with the disc drive storage device for limiting translational movement of the disc drive storage device along the X, Y and Z axes.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for restraining a head of a head/arm assembly is disclosed. The head/arm assembly has a rigid arm and flexible support means supporting the head and mounted to the rigid arm. The flexible support means normally biases the head to an operating position. The lock mechanism comprises a lock arm having a length, the lock arm arranged to move parallel with the length of the lock arm between a first lock arm position wherein a forward edge of the lock arm engages the flexible support means to restrain the flexible support means from biasing the head to its operating position and a second lock arm position wherein the lock arm is free of the flexible support means. Actuator means moves the lock arm parallel with the length of the lock arm between the first and second lock arm position.

Abstract: A receiver assembly is provided for releasably mounting a head/arm assembly to a movable arm of a disc drive. The head/arm assembly has a rigid arm having at least two mutually exclusive predetermined defined edges and a flex arm mounted to the rigid arm supporting the transducing head in a predetermined relation to the predetermined edges of the rigid arm. The receiver assembly includes a base member having a surface receiving the rigid arm of the head/arm assembly. At least two positioning pins are mounted to the base member adjacent the receiving surface, and an actuator provides a predetermined bias against the rigid arm so that the defined edges of the rigid arm bear against the positioning pins. A clamp assembly is mounted to the base member to releasably clamp the rigid arm of the head/arm assembly to the receiving surface of the base. The base member is fixedly mountable to the movable arm of the disc drive to position the positioning pins in a predetermined relation to the arm.

Abstract: A disk for testing the sliders and their supports used in rigid magnetic disk drives has at least one asperity formed of a fluorocarbon resin. Such a test disk when mounted on a spindle and rotated allows testing the mechanical performance of the sliders carrying the data transducing heads in a disk memory by flying the sliders to be tested on the test disk and observing their performance when flying over the resin asperity. A method for producing the asperity involves depositing a drop of a fluorocarbon resin solution on the area of the disk wherever an asperity is desired, drying the solution to leave a small mound of the resin where the drop was deposited, and the no curing the resin by baking. The height of an asperity can be varied by machining or by varying the concentration of the fluorocarbon resin in the solution.