Patents by Inventor Miki Namihisa

Miki Namihisa 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: 11842754
    Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes an enclosure base, a first cover coupled to the base, and two separate gasket seals composed of different materials and configured to seal the interface between the first cover and the base. One gasket seal is composed of a material having a low permeability to helium or another lighter-than-air gas contained within the HDD, and the other gasket seal is composed of material having a low water vapor or moisture transmission. By using two separate independent gaskets which have different attributes, the lighter-than-air gas concentration is kept high and humidity is kept low during manufacturing testing, prior to affixing a hermetic second cover over the first cover, and degradation of HDD performance due to change of flying height is ultimately avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
  • Patent number: 11495270
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a plurality of feedthrough connectors. The feedthrough connectors are symmetrically placed within the tape embedded drive such that regardless of whether an even or odd number of feedthrough connectors are present, the feedthrough connectors are symmetrical about a centerline of the tape embedded drive. In such a layout, the tape embedded drive is more stable due to symmetrical mass balance. Additionally, the tape embedded drive is more cost effective to produce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20220270651
    Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes an enclosure base, a first cover coupled to the base, and two separate gasket seals composed of different materials and configured to seal the interface between the first cover and the base. One gasket seal is composed of a material having a low permeability to helium or another lighter-than-air gas contained within the HDD, and the other gasket seal is composed of material having a low water vapor or moisture transmission. By using two separate independent gaskets which have different attributes, the lighter-than-air gas concentration is kept high and humidity is kept low during manufacturing testing, prior to affixing a hermetic second cover over the first cover, and degradation of HDD performance due to change of flying height is ultimately avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
  • Patent number: 11373677
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a voice coil motor (VCM) yoke for a data storage device. The VCM yoke has a unitary body turned back on itself at opposite ends to form a ā€œCā€ shape. The unitary body is electrically conductive. The body has a substantially flat inner surface upon which the coil is disposed. The unitary body also has a substantially flat top and a substantially flat bottom surface. A coil is disposed within the turns of the unitary body. The VCM yoke can be coupled to an actuator block using one or more fastening mechanisms that extend through openings in the VCM yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi, Yuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 11348619
    Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes an enclosure base, a first cover coupled to the base, and two separate gasket seals composed of different materials and configured to seal the interface between the first cover and the base. One gasket seal is composed of a material having a low permeability to helium or another lighter-than-air gas contained within the HDD, and the other gasket seal is composed of material having a low water vapor or moisture transmission. By using two separate independent gaskets which have different attributes, helium concentration is kept high and humidity is kept low during manufacturing testing, prior to affixing a hermetic second cover over the first cover, and degradation of HDD performance due to change of flying height is ultimately avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20220020399
    Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) includes an enclosure base, a first cover coupled to the base, and two separate gasket seals composed of different materials and configured to seal the interface between the first cover and the base. One gasket seal is composed of a material having a low permeability to helium or another lighter-than-air gas contained within the HDD, and the other gasket seal is composed of material having a low water vapor or moisture transmission. By using two separate independent gaskets which have different attributes, helium concentration is kept high and humidity is kept low during manufacturing testing, prior to affixing a hermetic second cover over the first cover, and degradation of HDD performance due to change of flying height is ultimately avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
  • Publication number: 20220005509
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a plurality of feedthrough connectors. The feedthrough connectors are symmetrically placed within the tape embedded drive such that regardless of whether an even or odd number of feedthrough connectors are present, the feedthrough connectors are symmetrical about a centerline of the tape embedded drive. In such a layout, the tape embedded drive is more stable due to symmetrical mass balance. Additionally, the tape embedded drive is more cost effective to produce.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Miki NAMIHISA, Kouki UEFUNE, Toshio TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20210407545
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a voice coil motor (VCM) yoke for a data storage device. The VCM yoke has a unitary body turned back on itself at opposite ends to form a ā€œCā€ shape. The unitary body is electrically conductive. The body has a substantially flat inner surface upon which the coil is disposed. The unitary body also has a substantially flat top and a substantially flat bottom surface. A coil is disposed within the turns of the unitary body. The VCM yoke can be coupled to an actuator block using one or more fastening mechanisms that extend through openings in the VCM yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Miki NAMIHISA, Kouki UEFUNE, Toshio TAKAHASHI, Yuichi ARAI
  • Patent number: 11170823
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a tape embedded drive having a plurality of feedthrough connectors. The feedthrough connectors are symmetrically placed within the tape embedded drive such that regardless of whether an even or odd number of feedthrough connectors are present, the feedthrough connectors are symmetrical about a centerline of the tape embedded drive. In such a layout, the tape embedded drive is more stable due to symmetrical mass balance. Additionally, the tape embedded drive is more cost effective to produce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20200143846
    Abstract: An electrical feed-through involves a laminate structure having alternating insulator and metal layers with electrically conductive through-holes formed therethrough, by which a lower connector pad is electrically connected with a corresponding upper connector pad, and wherein the number of through-holes is less than the number of connector pads on either side. Thus, the chain of clearances associated with the through-holes on the inner metal layer(s) is reduced, which provides more leak resistant metal material within the metal layer(s), while maintaining suitable electrical performance and avoiding disruption of existing manufacturing. Such a feed-through may be used at an interface between a hermetically-sealed internal environment, such as in a lighter-than-air gas filled data storage device, and the external environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Shin Nagahiro, Hiroshi Matsuda, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10629244
    Abstract: An electrical feed-through involves a laminate structure having alternating insulator and metal layers with electrically conductive through-holes formed therethrough, by which a lower connector pad is electrically connected with a corresponding upper connector pad, and wherein the number of through-holes is less than the number of connector pads on either side. Thus, the chain of clearances associated with the through-holes on the inner metal layer(s) is reduced, which provides more leak resistant metal material within the metal layer(s), while maintaining suitable electrical performance and avoiding disruption of existing manufacturing. Such a feed-through may be used at an interface between a hermetically-sealed internal environment, such as in a lighter-than-air gas filled data storage device, and the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Shin Nagahiro, Hiroshi Matsuda, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10594100
    Abstract: A flexible type electrical feed-through involves a flexible printed circuit (FPC) part constructed as a laminate structure of a base insulating layer, a conductor layer, and a cover insulating layer, where the FPC part is wrapped around a metal part, forming a connector assembly. Such a feed-through may be used at an interface between a hermetically-sealed internal environment, such as in a lighter-than-air gas filled data storage device, and the external environment. Multiple connector parts may be coupled to an inner side of the feed-through, to each mate with a respective flexible cable assembly electrically connected to a respective actuator of a multi-actuator hard disk drive. A floating board-to-board connector part may be coupled to the outer side of the feed-through, which in turn is electrically connected to a printed circuit board assembly of a hard disk drive, and which is able to tolerate connector mating misalignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kimihiko Sudo, Hiromitsu Masuda, Nobumasa Nishiyama, Satoshi Nakamura, Hiroshi Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20190378545
    Abstract: A flexible type electrical feed-through involves a flexible printed circuit (FPC) part constructed as a laminate structure of a base insulating layer, a conductor layer, and a cover insulating layer, where the FPC part is wrapped around a metal part, forming a connector assembly. Such a feed-through may be used at an interface between a hermetically-sealed internal environment, such as in a lighter-than-air gas filled data storage device, and the external environment. The FPC may be shaped so that when wrapped around the metal part, portion(s) of the metal part are exposed on at least one side, which when adhered to a metal enclosure base, provides for a metal-to-metal bonding interface. A board-to-board connector receptacle and/or plug may be electrically connected to the feed-through, enabling smaller electrical connection pads on the feed-through.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Inventors: Kimihiko Sudo, Miki Namihisa, Masahiro Kishimoto, Kazuhiro Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 10424345
    Abstract: A misalignment-tolerant flexible type electrical feed-through assembly, which is able to tolerate connector misalignment, involves a flexible circuit assembly (FCA) part constructed as a laminate structure of a base insulating layer, a conductor layer, and a cover insulating layer, where the FCA part is wrapped around a plurality of metal parts, where the metal parts are slidable relative to each other. Such a feed-through assembly may be used at an interface between a hermetically-sealed internal environment, such as in a lighter-than-air gas filled data storage device, and the external environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kimihiko Sudo, Takako Hayakawa, Yuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 10388327
    Abstract: A sound-attenuation part, such as for use in a rack-mount server, is configured for insertion into an orifice of a backplane to which at least one data storage device is coupled. The sound-attenuation part may include one or more pipes extending from a mounting portion. The sound-attenuation part helps to attenuate acoustic noise, such as from a cooling fan, which might otherwise reach the data storage device, such as through airflow orifices constituent to a backplane that is positioned between the fan and the storage device, while maintaining enough airflow through the backplane for system cooling purposes. Thus, degradation of the head positioning accuracy within the storage device, caused by the forces associated with this acoustic noise, may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehiko Eguchi, Miki Namihisa, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Yohei Asai
  • Publication number: 20180247677
    Abstract: A sound-attenuation part, such as for use in a rack-mount server, is configured for insertion into an orifice of a backplane to which at least one data storage device is coupled. The sound-attenuation part may include one or more pipes extending from a mounting portion. The sound-attenuation part helps to attenuate acoustic noise, such as from a cooling fan, which might otherwise reach the data storage device, such as through airflow orifices constituent to a backplane that is positioned between the fan and the storage device, while maintaining enough airflow through the backplane for system cooling purposes. Thus, degradation of the head positioning accuracy within the storage device, caused by the forces associated with this acoustic noise, may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Inventors: Takehiko Eguchi, Miki Namihisa, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Yohei Asai
  • Patent number: 10037783
    Abstract: A data storage device (DSD) is assembled with a flexible sheet of barrier material covering at least a portion of the top cover and/or bottom base of the DSD enclosure, whereby a layer of air is between the sheet of barrier material and the cover and/or base. Polyvinlyidene chloride (PVDC) may be used as the barrier material. A wrap-around structure may be used for the barrier material, enveloping the DSD so that an open end can be positioned open to a primary direction of airflow, such that a respective layer of air is created between the barrier material and each of the cover and/or base. An adhesive may be positioned around the outer edge of the cover and/or base, to adhere the sheet of barrier material to the respective cover and/or base while allowing the air layer to fill the space therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yohei Asai, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Takanori Kawakami, Miki Namihisa, Isao Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20180182439
    Abstract: A data storage device (DSD) is assembled with a flexible sheet of barrier material covering at least a portion of the top cover and/or bottom base of the DSD enclosure, whereby a layer of air is between the sheet of barrier material and the cover and/or base. Polyvinlyidene chloride (PVDC) may be used as the barrier material. A wrap-around structure may be used for the barrier material, enveloping the DSD so that an open end can be positioned open to a primary direction of airflow, such that a respective layer of air is created between the barrier material and each of the cover and/or base. An adhesive may be positioned around the outer edge of the cover and/or base, to adhere the sheet of barrier material to the respective cover and/or base while allowing the air layer to fill the space therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Yohei Asai, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Takanori Kawakami, Miki Namihisa, Isao Kobayashi