Patents by Inventor Morgan Murphy
Morgan Murphy 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: 6515834Abstract: A microactuation system selectively alters a position of a transducing head carried by a slider in a disc drive system with respect to a track of a rotatable disk having a plurality of concentric tracks. The disc drive system includes a load beam and a base for attachment to an actuator arm and a suspension for supporting the slider over the rotatable disc. The microactuation system includes a piezoelectric element attached between the actuator arm and the load beam and a beam connecting a stationary portion of the load beam to a moving portion of the load beam. The piezoelectric element is deformable in response to a voltage applied thereto. The beams are sufficiently compliant to permit movement of the moving portion of the load beam with respect to the stationary portion of the load beam upon deformation of the piezoelectric element.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2000Date of Patent: February 4, 2003Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventor: James Morgan Murphy
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Patent number: 6392843Abstract: A suspension for connecting a slider to an actuator arm of a disc drive and for maintaining the slider substantially engaged with a disc surface positioned below the suspension incorporates a load beam defining a first bend region adjacent a proximal end of the load beam and a second bend region adjacent a distal end of the load beam. An overlapping member attached to a top surface of the load beam has a first segment fixed to the load beam on one side of the second bend region and a second segment that engages the load beam on the other side of the second bend region when the distal end of the load beam is placed under a load in the absence of a shock event. The second segment of the overlapping member disengages from the surface of the load beam during a shock event to allow the second bend region to help absorb the shock and maintain the slider engaged with the disc surface.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1999Date of Patent: May 21, 2002Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventor: James Morgan Murphy
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Patent number: 6388842Abstract: A disc drive suspension incorporates a loadbeam with a shorter bend section having higher torsional stiffness and higher-frequency resonance states than conventional suspension bend sections. The bend section is formed by etching a narrow groove in the loadbeam. The suspension may also include a separate bend section piece that bridges a gap between the loadbeam anchor sheet and the loadbeam. A method of performing a pre-load adjustment on a transducer suspension for use in a disc drive includes attaching a loadbeam anchor sheet of the suspension to an actuator arm of an E-block to form part of an actuator assembly, measuring a pre-load force on the suspension on the actuator arm, back-bending the suspension until the bend section yields and measuring the pre-load force on the suspension on the actuator arm.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2000Date of Patent: May 14, 2002Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventor: James Morgan Murphy
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Publication number: 20020044385Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided a head positioning suspension for a modern disc drive. The suspension has a base, a load beam, and a bend section. The load beam extends in a first plane and has a longitudinal axis extending between its first and second ends. The load beam also has a transverse axis extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis that is also within the first plane. The bend section connects the base to one end of the load beam and includes a longitudinal axis and transverse axis parallel to each of the respective longitudinal and transverse axis of the load beam. The bend section includes a plate with a given width extending substantially within the first plane and a rail that extends across a portion of that width in a direction that is parallel to the transverse axis of the bend section. The bend section rail further extends in a direction out of the first plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 11, 2001Publication date: April 18, 2002Inventor: James Morgan Murphy
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Patent number: 6317286Abstract: An apparatus for minimizing corrosion product build-up within a disc drive incorporates a non-corrosive gas hermetically sealed within the disc drive and a diaphragm chamber that allows the constrained non-corrosive gas to respond to changes in pressure and temperature. The diaphragm chamber includes a diaphragm that partitions the diaphragm chamber into a top and bottom chambers. The top chamber has an aperture for communicating with the external environment and the bottom chamber has an aperture for communicating with the internally constrained non-corrosive gas. The diaphragm is non-permeable and made of an elastic material that responds to changes in air volume or mass on either side of the partition so that the pressure inside the hermetically sealed disc drive is constant throughout the life of the device. The diaphragm chamber can be located inside or outside the disc drive and can be integrally formed within the top cover of the disc drive.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2000Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: James Morgan Murphy, Paul Allison Beatty, Serge Jacques Fayeulle, Zine-Edine Boutaghou
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Publication number: 20010030837Abstract: A suspension for connecting a slider to an actuator arm of a disc drive includes a cushion extending vertically from the suspension. The cushion limits vertical excursions and dampens motion of the suspension during a shock event to better maintain the slider in contact with a disc surface in the disc drive. The cushion can be formed as an external feature attached to the suspension, such as a foam or plastic cushion, or as an integral feature of the suspension. A disc drive assembly having a plurality of discs includes a first suspension and a first cushion extending vertically downward toward a second suspension. The second suspension may include a second cushion extending vertically upward toward the first suspension.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 1999Publication date: October 18, 2001Applicant: Seagate Technologies LLCInventors: JAMES MORGAN MURPHY, JOSHUA CHARLES HARRISON
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Patent number: 6304420Abstract: A head suspension assembly for mounting and supporting a head in a disc drive which includes a preloaded gimbal assembly. The preloaded gimbal assembly acts, during certain applied mechanical shock events, to prevent separation of the head and the disc which can lead to damaging contact between the head and the disc. Various design and manufacturing considerations necessary to implementation of the invention are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 1999Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: James Morgan Murphy, Joshua Charles Harrison, Thomas R. Prentice
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Patent number: 6233124Abstract: A microactuation system is disclosed for selectively altering a position of a transducing head carried by a slider in a disc drive system with respect to a track of a rotatable disk having a plurality of concentric tracks. The disc drive system includes a load beam having a base for attachment to an actuator arm and a head suspension for supporting the slider over the rotatable disc. A microactuation system includes a piezoelectric element attached between the base and the head suspension of the load beam and beams or hinges connecting the head suspension to the base. The piezoelectric element is deformable in response to a voltage applied thereto. The beams are sufficiently compliant to permit movement of the head suspension with respect to the base upon deformation of the piezoelectric elements.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1999Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Richard August Budde, David Gordon Qualey, David Allen Sluzewski, James Morgan Murphy
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Patent number: 6201668Abstract: A gimbal-level piezoelectric microactuator including monomorphs for the fine positioning of a head-arm assembly of a disk drive. The microactuator is manufactured from a generally flat metal sheet structure having a central beam and two tabs extending from opposite sides of the beam. At least one layer of piezoelectric material is bonded onto each of the two tabs. Each of the two tabs is bent, with the piezoelectric layers bonded thereto, to a position substantially normal to the central beam. The structure is then joined to the distal end of a suspension member of the head-arm assembly. A recording head is connected to the central beam of a gimbal or flexure element and the microactuator is also attached to the flexure element. When a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric materials, deflection of the microactuator occurs, thereby positioning the recording head.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1998Date of Patent: March 13, 2001Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventor: James Morgan Murphy
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Patent number: 6157522Abstract: A microactuator is disclosed for selectively altering a position of a transducing head carried by a slider in a disc drive system with respect to a track of a rotatable disc having a plurality of concentric tracks. The disc drive system includes a head mounting block for attachment to an actuator arm and a head suspension supporting the slider over the rotatable disc. The microactuator includes a piezoelectric element attached between the head mounting block and the head suspension and beams connecting the head mounting block and the head suspension. The piezoelectric element is deformable in response to a voltage applied thereto. The beams are flexible to permit movement of the head suspension with respect to the head mounting block upon deformation of the piezoelectric elements, and have heights extending out of the general plane of the head mounting block and the head suspension.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: James Morgan Murphy, Richard August Budde