Abstract: A spark ignition device and method of construction is provided. The device includes a ceramic insulator and a metal shell surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic insulator. The metal shell extends along a central axis between an upper terminal end and a lower fastening end. The fastening end has a pair of projections diametrically opposite one another extending axially to free ends. A center electrode assembly is received at least in part in the ceramic insulator. In addition, the device includes an elongate ground electrode having opposite sides extending along a length of the ground electrode between opposite ends. The ground electrode has opposite faces with a sparking surface attached to one of the faces, wherein the face with the sparking surface attached thereto is sunk axially into the free ends of the projections with at least a portion of the opposite sides being surrounded by the projections.

Abstract: A method of compacting material such as but not limited to cathode material for electrochemical cells. A mixture is inserted into a die cavity and the mixture is compacted into a disk shape by the action of a first plunger pressing down on the material and a second plunger pressing upwardly on the material. Flashing of material during ejection of the disk from the die is prevented by fitting a polymeric sleeve around the outer surface of the first plunger. The sleeve flexes to bulge outwardly and does not enter the die cavity during compaction of material and returns to its original position during ejection of the compacted disk from the die. Contact between the disk and sleeve prevents flashing during ejection. Alternatively, a polymeric seal ring is placed around the outer surface of the first plunger. The disk presses against the seal ring preventing flashing of material during ejection.

Abstract: A method of compacting material such as but not limited to cathode material for electrochemical cells. A mixture is inserted into a die cavity and the mixture is compacted into a disk shape by the action of a first plunger pressing down on the material and a second plunger pressing upwardly on the material. Flashing of material during ejection of the disk from the die is prevented by fitting a polymeric sleeve around the outer surface of the first plunger. The sleeve flexes to bulge outwardly and does not enter the die cavity during compaction of material and returns to its original position during ejection of the compacted disk from the die. Contact between the disk and sleeve prevents flashing during ejection. Alternatively, a polymeric seal ring is placed around the outer surface of the first plunger. The disk presses against the seal ring preventing flashing of material during ejection.

Abstract: A spark plug assembly (10) for engine applications where the combustion chamber is difficult to access when servicing or replacing a spark plug. The spark plug assembly (10) includes a fairly traditional spark plug component (28) to which an elongated tubular conduit (12) is attached, such as by welding, to a portion of the metallic shell (32). The conduit (12) contains an upper ceramic insulator (52) adjacent its top end (14) disposed in end-to-end abutting contact with an outer elastomeric insulator (58). The ceramic insulator of the spark plug component (28), herein referred to as a lower ceramic insulator (30), is surrounded by the outer elastomeric insulator (58) and held securely within the conduit (12) thereby. An inner elastomeric insulator (62) is disposed in a continuous passageway formed between aligned central bores formed in the respective upper ceramic (52) and outer elastomeric (58) insulators.

Abstract: A method of compacting material such as but not limited to cathode material for electrochemical cells. A mixture is inserted into a die cavity and the mixture is compacted into a disk shape by the action of a first plunger pressing down on the material and a second plunger pressing upwardly on the material. Flashing of material during ejection of the disk from the die is prevented by fitting a polymeric sleeve around the outer surface of the first plunger. The sleeve flexes to bulge outwardly and does not enter the die cavity during compaction of material and returns to its original position during ejection of the compacted disk from the die. Contact between the disk and sleeve prevents flashing during ejection. Alternatively, a polymeric seal ring is placed around the outer surface of the first plunger. The disk presses against the seal ring preventing flashing of material during ejection.

Abstract: A method of compacting material such as but not limited to cathode material for electrochemical cells. A mixture is inserted into a die cavity and the mixture is compacted into a disk shape by the action of a first plunger pressing down on the material and a second plunger pressing upwardly on the material. Flashing of material during ejection of the disk from the die is prevented by fitting a polymeric sleeve around the outer surface of the first plunger. The sleeve flexes to bulge outwardly and does not enter the die cavity during compaction of material and returns to its original position during ejection of the compacted disk from the die. Contact between the disk and sleeve prevents flashing during ejection. Alternatively, a polymeric seal ring is placed around the outer surface of the first plunger. The disk presses against the seal ring preventing flashing of material during ejection.

Abstract: A spark ignition device and method of construction is provided. The device includes a ceramic insulator and a metal shell surrounding at least a portion of the ceramic insulator. The metal shell extends along a central axis between an upper terminal end and a lower fastening end. The fastening end has a pair of projections diametrically opposite one another extending axially to free ends. A center electrode assembly is received at least in part in the ceramic insulator. In addition, the device includes an elongate ground electrode having opposite sides extending along a length of the ground electrode between opposite ends. The ground electrode has opposite faces with a sparking surface attached to one of the faces, wherein the face with the sparking surface attached thereto is sunk axially into the free ends of the projections with at least a portion of the opposite sides being surrounded by the projections.

Abstract: A spark plug assembly (10) for engine applications where the combustion chamber is difficult to access when servicing or replacing a spark plug. The spark plug assembly (10) includes a fairly traditional spark plug component (28) to which an elongated tubular conduit (12) is attached, such as by welding, to a portion of the metallic shell (32). The conduit (12) contains an upper ceramic insulator (52) adjacent its top end (14) disposed in end-to-end abutting contact with an outer elastomeric insulator (58). The ceramic insulator of the spark plug component (28), herein referred to as a lower ceramic insulator (30), is surrounded by the outer elastomeric insulator (58) and held securely within the conduit (12) thereby. An inner elastomeric insulator (62) is disposed in a continuous passageway formed between aligned central bores formed in the respective upper ceramic (52) and outer elastomeric (58) insulators.

Abstract: An optical head of a type useable in a optical disk reader/writer is provided. The optical head has a low profile, e.g., in a vertical direction parallel to the disk spin axis, such as less than about 5 mm preferably less than about 3 mm. Substantially all components of the optical system, including a laser source, objective lens, intervening optics and photo detector are provided in the optical head and mounted in a fixed position with respect to one another. Substantially all optical components of the optical head are moved as a unit, e.g., during tracking and/or focusing. Preferably, the optical head is fabricated using wafer scale and/or stacking technologies, e.g., stacking substantially planar components to achieve the final optical head configuration.

Abstract: An optical head of a type useable in a optical disk reader/writer is provided. The optical head has a low profile, e.g., in a vertical direction parallel to the disk spin axis, such as less than about 5 mm preferably less than about 3 mm. Substantially all components of the optical system, including a laser source, objective lens, intervening optics and photo detector are provided in the optical head and mounted in a fixed position with respect to one another. Substantially all optical components of the optical head are moved as a unit, e.g., during tracking and/or focusing. Preferably, the optical head is fabricated using wafer scale and/or stacking technologies, e.g., stacking substantially planar components to achieve the final optical head configuration.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge is positioned in a disk drive. The cartridge is positioned in the X and Y dimensions by contact between an alignment opening in the cartridge and an XY alignment pin in the disk drive and in the theta (rotational) dimension by contact between an edge of the cartridge and a theta datum in the disk drive. The cartridge is positioned in the Z dimension by contact between the cartridge and at least three Z datums.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a housing, a cartridge tray, and a cam plate. The cartridge tray is adapted to hold a cartridge that includes a data storage disk. The housing has a pair of vertical cartridge tray pin slots which hold tray pins that are part of the cartridge tray. The cam plate includes a pair of cam slots formed at an oblique angle to the cartridge tray pin slots. The tray pins extend through the cam slots into the cartridge tray pin slots. Movement of the cam plate back and forth causes the tray pins and cartridge tray to move vertically between a loaded position, where data can be read from or written to the data storage disk, to an unloaded position. The use of two cartridge tray pins allows the cartridge tray to rotate about an axis defined by the tray pins, and this action assists in locating the cartridge precisely in a repeatable position, in contact with a plurality of datums, when it is fully loaded.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for aligning a rotating device such as an actuator assembly to a base of, for example, a disk drive. The device is rotatably mounted to the base about the pivot pin. The method may involve adjusting the angular position of the pivot pin relative to the base unless or until the actuator assembly rotates in a first plane parallel to a second plane containing a surface of the data storage disk. In one embodiment, the data storage disk is mounted for rotation on a disk rotation motor. The disk rotation motor, in turn, is mounted to a base. With the device positioned between the base and the data storage disk, the device is rotated about the pivot pin. While the device is rotated about the pivot pin, electrical current is provided to the device. The magnitude of the electrical current is proportional or inversely proportional to a distance D separating the device from the data storage disk. The electrical current is monitored as the device rotates about the pivot pin.

Abstract: A hub assembly for a data storage disk including a hub member and a raised boss near a center axis of the hub member, the raised boss being surrounded by an annular bonding surface and being configured so as to protrude into a center hole of a data storage disk when the bonding surface is in contact with a surface of the disk.

Abstract: An optical pickup assembly includes an optical pickup unit (OPU), a thermally conductive plate, and a flex circuit. The flex circuit is mounted atop the plate. The OPU is also mounted atop the plate through a cutout of the flex circuit. Alternatively, the flex circuit is mounted below the plate and the OPU is mounted atop the plate. The optical pickup assembly further includes an actuator arm. The OPU is mounted on the actuator arm with a portion of the plate contacting the actuator arm.

Abstract: An optical pickup assembly includes an optical pickup unit (OPU) and a flex circuit. The OPU is mounted atop a thermally conductive plate through a cutout of the flex circuit. Bond wires couple contacts pads on the OPU and the flex circuit. Alternatively, OPU is mounted atop the plate and the plate is mounted atop the flex circuit. The plate includes a cutout where bond wires pass through to couple the contact pads on the OPU and the flex circuit.

Abstract: An optical medium including a substrate and information content portions is provided. The optical medium is preferably a first-surface medium in which a read light beam during a read operation impinges first on the information content portions of the medium before it impinges on the substrate. The information content portions can include both read-only and writeable areas. The information content portions containing both read- only and writeable areas can be made from the same material or composition. The optical medium diameter is no greater than about 40 mm. The thickness of the optical medium is no greater than about 0.6 mm. When joining a hub assembly to the medium, a portion of the medium, such as a track, is utilized for alignment purposes. The ratio of the total height of the hub assembly to the thickness of the optical storage medium is at least about 1.5. The hub assembly can include a magnetic coupling for use in connecting the optical medium to an optical drive spindle.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for limiting movement of an actuator assembly in a data storage/retrieval system. In one embodiment of the apparatus, a base is provided on which first and second devices are mounted. The first device is rotatably mounted to the base and reads or writes data to a data storage disk. The second device operates between first and second states. In the first state, the first device is capable of movement with respect to the base. In the second state, the second device operates to inhibit movement of the first device with respect to the base. The second device may operate in the first state when the first device is reading or writing data to the data storage disk, and the second device may operate in the second state when the first device is not reading or writing data to the data storage disk. In one embodiment, second device is rotatably mounted to the base between first and second positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus that includes a base, a first device and a second device. The first device is configured to read or write data to a data storage disk. The first device is rotatably mounted to the base and configured to rotate in a first plane. The second device is also mounted to the base. The second device is configured to adjustably limit rotational movement of the first device in the first plane. In one embodiment, the second device includes a camming surface. The camming surface can be perpendicular to the first plane in which the first device rotates. In this embodiment, the second device is rotatably mounted to the base with the second device capable of rotation between first and second positions. The first device is rotatable between third and fourth positions when the second device is in the first position, and the first device is rotatable between third and fifth positions when the second device is in the second position. The fourth and fifth positions are different from each other.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus such as a disk drive that includes a base, a first device, and a second device. The first device can read or write data to a data storage disk. The first device is movably mounted to the base. For example, the first device can move in orthogonal first and second planes. The second device is mounted to the base and is configured to limit movement of the first device in the second plane. In one embodiment, the first device is rotatably mounted to the base and includes first and second portions. The first portion is rotatably mounted to the base, and the second portion is rotatably connected to the first portion. In this embodiment, the first portion rotates in the first plane, and the second portion rotates in the second plane. The second device is configured to limit rotation of the second portion in the second plane. Rotation of the second portion is limited when the second portion engages the second device.