Patents by Inventor Randolph Edward Fossum

Randolph Edward Fossum 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).

  • Pre-shaped head suspension baseplate for swaging deformation compensation
    Patent number: 7633717
    Abstract: A baseplate has a flange and a boss tower with an opening for receiving a swaging ball during a swaging process. The flange has a pre-swaging profile that compensates for swaging-induced deformation of the flange. A portion of the baseplate is clamped into a flattened configuration and the flange is mounted to a suspension. The boss tower is inserted into an opening in an actuator arm. A swaging ball is passed through the swaging opening. The pre-swaging profile compensates for forces exerted on the flange during swaging such that deformation of the baseplate due to swaging is substantially eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Randolph Edward Fossum, Shane J. Van Sloun
  • Suspension base plate with boss tower having tapered swage ball-engaging surface
    Patent number: 7130156
    Abstract: A base plate adapted to attach a head suspension assembly to an actuator arm. The base plate includes a flange portion with a boss tower perpendicular to a plane of the flange portion. The boss tower includes a swaging hole with a tapered portion that increases in diameter in a direction away from the flange portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Randolph Edward Fossum
  • Swaging-optimized baseplate for disk drive head suspension
    Patent number: 7042680
    Abstract: A baseplate for swaging a disk drive head suspension to an arm having a thickness and a neutral axis. The baseplate includes a boss tower having an outer diameter high point configured to be located within about ±6% of the arm thickness from the neutral axis when swaged to an arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Yiduo Zhang, Wade A. Linnertz, Randolph Edward Fossum, Shane J. Van Sloun