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).
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Patent number: 11842754Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
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Patent number: 11495270Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 20, 2021Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi
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Publication number: 20220270651Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
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Patent number: 11373677Abstract: 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 āCā 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: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi, Yuichi Arai
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Patent number: 11348619Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 16, 2021Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
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Publication number: 20220020399Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2021Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Yuichi Arai, Miki Namihisa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Takashi Tomita
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Publication number: 20220005509Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miki NAMIHISA, Kouki UEFUNE, Toshio TAKAHASHI
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Publication number: 20210407545Abstract: 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 āCā 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: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2020Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Miki NAMIHISA, Kouki UEFUNE, Toshio TAKAHASHI, Yuichi ARAI
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Patent number: 11170823Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 9, 2020Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kouki Uefune, Toshio Takahashi
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Publication number: 20200143846Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2019Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Shin Nagahiro, Hiroshi Matsuda, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 10629244Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 16, 2019Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Shin Nagahiro, Hiroshi Matsuda, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 10594100Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kimihiko Sudo, Hiromitsu Masuda, Nobumasa Nishiyama, Satoshi Nakamura, Hiroshi Matsuda
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Publication number: 20190378545Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2018Publication date: December 12, 2019Inventors: Kimihiko Sudo, Miki Namihisa, Masahiro Kishimoto, Kazuhiro Nagaoka
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Patent number: 10424345Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 22, 2018Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miki Namihisa, Kimihiko Sudo, Takako Hayakawa, Yuichi Arai
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Patent number: 10388327Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Takehiko Eguchi, Miki Namihisa, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Yohei Asai
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Publication number: 20180247677Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2017Publication date: August 30, 2018Inventors: Takehiko Eguchi, Miki Namihisa, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Yohei Asai
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Patent number: 10037783Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 22, 2016Date of Patent: July 31, 2018Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Yohei Asai, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Takanori Kawakami, Miki Namihisa, Isao Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20180182439Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Inventors: Yohei Asai, Kazuhide Ichikawa, Takanori Kawakami, Miki Namihisa, Isao Kobayashi