Patents by Inventor Mitchell D. Dougherty

Mitchell D. Dougherty 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: 9196301
    Abstract: A suspension clamp is disclosed for clamping a disk drive suspension to an actuator arm. The suspension clamp comprises a housing including a spring operable to bias a latching member, wherein the latching member is rotatable about a pivot. After compressing the spring and rotating the latching member in a first direction, the latching member is operable to clamp the suspension to the actuator arm by decompressing the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Seymour, Mitchell D. Dougherty, Walter G. Banshak, Jr., Geoffrey A. Hales
  • Patent number: 9007716
    Abstract: A spindle motor for a disk drive including a hub defining a longitudinal axis having a hub flange defining a mounting surface extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the hub flange of the hub extends longitudinally relative to the mounting surface to define a vertical surface; and a motor base coupled to the hub proximate to the hub flange of the hub, the motor base having a central axis substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein the motor base extends longitudinally, wherein a radius of the motor base is greater than a radius of the hub flange of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitchell D. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 8824095
    Abstract: A spindle motor for a disk drive including a hub defining a longitudinal axis having a hub flange defining a mounting surface extending substantially normal to the longitudinal axis, wherein the hub flange of the hub extends longitudinally relative to the mounting surface to define a vertical surface; and a motor base coupled to the hub proximate to the hub flange of the hub, the motor base having a central axis substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis, wherein the motor base extends longitudinally, wherein a radius of the motor base is greater than a radius of the hub flange of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitchell D. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 8705209
    Abstract: A suspension clamp is disclosed for clamping a disk drive suspension to an actuator arm. The suspension clamp comprises a housing including a spring operable to bias a latching member, wherein the latching member is rotatable about a pivot. After compressing the spring and rotating the latching member in a first direction, the latching member is operable to clamp the suspension to the actuator arm by decompressing the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Seymour, Mitchell D. Dougherty, Walter G. Banshak, Jr., Geoffrey A. Hales
  • Publication number: 20130091698
    Abstract: A transfer tool is disclosed for clamping a disk drive suspension to an actuator arm. The transfer tool comprises a first actuator operable to actuate at least one push pin to compress a spring of a suspension clamp, and a second actuator operable to actuate a driving pin, wherein the driving pin for rotating a latching member of the suspension clamp about a pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: WALTER G. BANSHAK, JR., MARK S. SEYMOUR, MITCHELL D. DOUGHERTY, GEOFFREY A. HALES
  • Publication number: 20130094110
    Abstract: A suspension clamp is disclosed for clamping a disk drive suspension to an actuator arm. The suspension clamp comprises a housing including a spring operable to bias a latching member, wherein the latching member is rotatable about a pivot. After compressing the spring and rotating the latching member in a first direction, the latching member is operable to clamp the suspension to the actuator arm by decompressing the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: MARK S. SEYMOUR, MITCHELL D. DOUGHERTY, WALTER G. BANSHAK, JR., GEOFFREY A. HALES
  • Patent number: 6529351
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising an actuator arm, a head coupled to the actuator arm, and a voice coil motor for actuating the actuator arm to move the head. The voice coil motor comprises a first magnet for generating a first magnetic flux, and a yoke comprising a magnetic flux conductor for guiding the first magnetic flux. The magnetic flux conductor comprises a body and a top and bottom protruding plate portions, wherein the body and the plate portions are integrally formed. The body defines, in vertical cross section, a primary bend having a primary bend radius and at least one secondary bend having a secondary bend radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamran Oveyssi, Mitchell D. Dougherty
  • Patent number: 6462914
    Abstract: The present invention may be regarded as a disk drive comprising a disk, an actuator arm comprising a head, and a voice coil motor for actuating the actuator arm to position the head radially over the disk. The voice coil motor comprises a first magnet for generating a first magnetic flux, and a rotary voice coil yoke comprising a magnetic flux conductor shaped to form an air gap with respect to the first magnet, the magnetic flux conductor comprising a first end having a first reluctance and a second end having a second reluctance, wherein the first reluctance is substantially lower than the second reluctance such that the magnetic flux conductor guides the first magnetic flux through the air gap and through the first end. A voice coil is wrapped around at least part of the magnetic flux conductor for conducting a current to generate a second magnetic flux such that at least part of the second magnetic flux is within the air gap for interacting with the first magnetic flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kamran Oveyssi, Shawn E. Casey, Jason T. Weaver, Mitchell D. Dougherty