Patents by Inventor Theodore D. Hodapp

Theodore D. Hodapp 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).

  • Fuzzed fabric liner for a disk cartridge
    Patent number: 6185803
    Abstract: A non-woven fabric liner comprising a plurality of bonded fibers is attached to the inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells of a disk cartridge. A main body of the fabric liner lies against the inner surface of the shell and is spaced a predetermined distance from a corresponding surface of the storage media within the cartridge. A region of the fabric liner is subjected to a fuzzing process in which the bonded fibers in that region are loosened to form a region of upstanding fibers that extend from the main body of the liner to the surface of the disk. The upstanding fibers wipe the surface of the disk while the main body of the liner remains spaced from the disk, thereby reducing drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventors: Yiping Ma, Theodore D. Hodapp, Ronald F. Hales, Wayne Miller
  • Method for producing a fuzzed fabric liner for a disk cartridge
    Patent number: 6148495
    Abstract: A non-woven fabric liner comprising a plurality of bonded fibers is attached to the inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells of a disk cartridge. A main body of the fabric liner lies against the inner surface of the shell and is spaced a predetermined distance from a corresponding surface of the storage media within the cartridge. A region of the fabric liner is subjected to a fuzzing process in which the bonded fibers in that region are loosened to form a region of upstanding fibers that extend from the main body of the liner to the surface of the disk. The upstanding fibers wipe the surface of the disk while the main body of the liner remains spaced from the disk, thereby reducing drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventors: Yiping Ma, Theodore D. Hodapp, Ronald F. Hales, Wayne Miller
  • Disk Cartridge with fuzzed liner
    Patent number: 5677818
    Abstract: A disk cartridge comprises a rotatable disk having upper and lower surfaces and an outer casing for rotatably housing the disk. The casing comprises upper and lower shells that mate to form the casing. Each of the upper and lower shells has an inner surface disposed in facing relation to a respective surface of the disk. The cartridge has a head access opening on its front peripheral edge, and the upper and lower shells have grooves formed therein to provide sufficient space for the magnetic heads of a disk drive to move across the surface of the disk. A non-woven fabric liner comprising a plurality of bonded fibers is attached to the inner surface of one of the upper and lower shells. A main body of the fabric liner lies against the inner surface of the shell and is spaced a predetermined distance from the corresponding surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventors: Yiping Ma, Theodore D. Hodapp, Mark S. Thayne, Ronald F. Hales