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 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 disk drive contains a pair of spring elements which act as eject limiters, engaging catches on a cartridge to prevent the cartridge from being completely ejected from the drive. The cartridge contains a data storage disk which could be damaged if, for example, the cartridge were to fall to the floor. After the cartridge has been retained by the eject limiters, the user may manually withdraw the cartridge from the disk drive.

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: 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: According to the method of this invention, a hub is placed at a machine center of an hub alignment and bonding tool and a data storage disk is placed loosely on the hub in such a way that the disk can be translated with respect to the hub. A curable adhesive is interposed between the hub and the disk. The disk has a data region which includes spiral or circular data tracks. A number of video cameras are focused on an edge of the data region at different locations. The locations of edge recorded in the camera are used to calculate whether the geometric center of the data region is within a predetermined tolerance of the hub center. The respective locations of the center of the data region and the hub center and the distance between the two centers are displayed on a monitor. Using a pair of micrometers which abut the edge of the disk, an operator adjusts the location of the disk until the geometric center of the data region is within the predetermined tolerance of the hub center.

Abstract: A hub assembly for a data storage disk comprises 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. Two hub assemblies are disposed on opposite sides of the disk, the respective raised bosses of the hub assemblies protrude into a center hole of the disk, where they are bonded to each other to increase the overall bonding force between the hub assemblies and the disk. The hub assemblies and disk may be bonded together using a UV curable adhesive. The hub assembly may also include a metal hub plate that is used to magnetically clamp the disk/hub assembly to the spindle of a disk drive. In one embodiment, the metal hub plate has several tabs that are bent around the disk to attach the metal hub plate to the disk.

Abstract: A head loading mechanism for a disk drive. When power to the disk drive is disconnected, an actuating spring is released. Movement of the spring causes a plunger to contact a bracket on the actuator arm, moving the actuator arm over a parking zone. Further movement of the spring causes blades to lift read/write heads mounted on the actuator arm away from disk surfaces. When power is restored, a motor compresses the spring and returns the plunger and the blades to their original positions.

Abstract: A device for coupling and aligning a rotatable disk with the motor used for rotating that disk is disclosed. The end of the motor drive shaft includes a drive spindle having a V shaped slot in its surface. This slot accepts an aligning pin which protrudes from the center of the disk. When the aligning pin is at the apex of the V slot, the disk to be rotated is concentric with the drive spindle. A drive pin, which is mounted eccentrically on the drive spindle, is in contact with a lip on the outer surface of the disk hub. Rotation of the drive spindle causes interference between the drive pin and the lip thereby imparting rotatational momentum to the disk as well as a centering force on the aligning pin.

Abstract: A magnetic storage device comprising a rigid apertured cartridge containing a flexible magnetic disk and a Bernoulli surface is disclosed. The cartridge contains a reference surface which is integral with the Bernoulli surface and serves to align and flatten the Bernoulli surface when the cartridge is inserted into a disk drive. The cartridge is configured such that the flexible magnetic disk is maintained in operative association with the Bernoulli surface. The aperture of the cartridge serves as an entry point for the motor spindle and transducer of the disk drive. The cartridge is partially enclosed by a slidable shutter which protects the Bernoulli surface and flexible disk when the cartridge is not in use.

Abstract: A cartridge has a flexible pad which is disposed between a Bernoulli plate and a record disk when the cartridge is inserted into the disk drive. The flexible pad prevents ringing as the record disk is rotated against the Bernoulli plate. The cartridge has a slider which is opened when the cartridge is inserted into the drive to expose the record disk for rotation. This slider has a locking mechanism which can be opened only when the cartridge is properly inserted into the drive.

Abstract: A device and process for stabilizing two coaxially joined flexible magnetic disks is disclosed. Two or more flexible magnetic disks are coaxially joined by a coaxially located spacer. One of the disks is juxtaposed to and rotated against a flat stable Bernoulli surface. A second disk spaced by the spacer from the first disk contains centrally located perforations into which air can flow. When the disks are rotated at high speed air flows into the perforations and radially out from between the disks, thus forming an air cushion or air bearing between the disks. The apparatus and process thus provides two floppy disks stabilized by a single Bernoulli surface.

Abstract: A cleaning cartridge for a magnetic disk drive has a flexible cleaning pad on a wiper assembly which is rotatable in the base of the cartridge. A knob on the outside edge of the cartridge is moved back and forth to rotate the wiper assembly by a cable attached to the hub. As the assembly rotates, a cam surface forces the flexible pad into engagement with the head to clean it.

Abstract: A cartridge has a flexible pad which is disposed between a Bernoulli plate and a magnetic disk when the cartridge is inserted into the disk drive. The flexible pad prevents ringing as the disk is rotated against the Bernoulli plate. The cartridge has a slider which is opened when the cartridge is inserted into the drive to expose the magnetic disk for rotation. This slider has a locking mechanism which can be opened only when the cartridge is properly inserted into the drive.

Abstract: A method of analyzing the doppler spectrum obtained from narrow band doppler filtering in the post-detection processing of a radar for the purposes of counting multiple targets moving in close proximity to one another is disclosed. More specifically, a set of contiguous doppler frequency signals is selected from the computed doppler frequency spectrum of a range gate of a radar look for establishing the target count thereof. The selected doppler frequency signals are processed in two passes with each pass including the steps of searching, threshold detection, and target counting. A pass count is established for each pass. The pass counts are combined in a predetermined count algorithm to establish a final count of the range gate being processed. Moreover, a selected group of contiguous range gates may be selected to establish a cumulative or total final count of targets in a selected portion of the range of a radar look.

Abstract: Ferrite read and write modules of a magnetic head assembly that are aligned and positioned within a nonferrite housing are clamped by a leaf spring between the walls of the housing. The leaf spring compensates for thermal mismatch between the ferrite modules and the housing, and compensates for stress fluctuation that occurs with temperature change. The clamping force of the leaf spring is precisely controlled.