Patents by Inventor Thomas Edward Karis

Thomas Edward Karis 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).

  • Patent number: 9728220
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to magnetic recording systems having a spindle motor and, more particularly, to an optimized lubricant for bearings within the spindle motor. A lubricant used in a fluid dynamic bearing motor has an antioxidant additive and a charge control agent dissolved in a diester base oil. The charge control agent is chemically attached to the same diacid reactant used in the diester lubricant base oil, and is prepared through an esterification reaction. The charge control agent is then dissolved in the lubricant base oil. The charge control agent is soluble in the lubricant, and is resistant to free radical oxidation. The charge control agent effectively controls the charge of the lubricant by creating electron donor/acceptor sites in the lubricant, facilitating an independent electronic pathway through the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas Edward Karis
  • Publication number: 20160260453
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to magnetic recording systems having a spindle motor and, more particularly, to an optimized lubricant for bearings within the spindle motor. A lubricant used in a fluid dynamic bearing motor has an antioxidant additive and a charge control agent dissolved in a diester base oil. The charge control agent is chemically attached to the same diacid reactant used in the diester lubricant base oil, and is prepared through an esterification reaction. The charge control agent is then dissolved in the lubricant base oil. The charge control agent is soluble in the lubricant, and is resistant to free radical oxidation. The charge control agent effectively controls the charge of the lubricant by creating electron donor/acceptor sites in the lubricant, facilitating an independent electronic pathway through the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventor: Thomas Edward KARIS
  • Patent number: 9368150
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to magnetic recording systems having a spindle motor and, more particularly, to an optimized lubricant for bearings within the spindle motor. A lubricant used in a fluid dynamic bearing motor has an antioxidant additive and a charge control agent dissolved in a diester base oil. The charge control agent is chemically attached to the same diacid reactant used in the diester lubricant base oil, and is prepared through an esterification reaction. The charge control agent is then dissolved in the lubricant base oil. The charge control agent is soluble in the lubricant, and is resistant to free radical oxidation. The charge control agent effectively controls the charge of the lubricant by creating electron donor/acceptor sites in the lubricant, facilitating an independent electronic pathway through the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventor: Thomas Edward Karis
  • Publication number: 20160086631
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to magnetic recording systems having a spindle motor and, more particularly, to an optimized lubricant for bearings within the spindle motor. A lubricant used in a fluid dynamic bearing motor has an antioxidant additive and a charge control agent dissolved in a diester base oil. The charge control agent is chemically attached to the same diacid reactant used in the diester lubricant base oil, and is prepared through an esterification reaction. The charge control agent is then dissolved in the lubricant base oil. The charge control agent is soluble in the lubricant, and is resistant to free radical oxidation. The charge control agent effectively controls the charge of the lubricant by creating electron donor/acceptor sites in the lubricant, facilitating an independent electronic pathway through the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventor: Thomas Edward KARIS
  • Patent number: 9266258
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for manufacturing high density magnetic media is disclosed. A flexible mold having a very low modulus of less than about 4 GPa is made on a rigid support. The mold nano-imprints a resist material on disks for hard disk drives. The flexible mold may comprise a perfluoropolyether with urethane acrylate end groups with a low surface adhesion from which the cured resist is easily released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Clayton P. Henderson, Tsai-Wei Wu, Xing-Cai Guo, Thomas Edward Karis, Jeffrey S. Lille
  • Publication number: 20150044321
    Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for manufacturing high density magnetic media is disclosed. A flexible mold having a very low modulus of less than about 4 GPa is made on a rigid support. The mold nano-imprints a resist material on disks for hard disk drives. The flexible mold may comprise a perfluoropolyether with urethane acrylate end groups with a low surface adhesion from which the cured resist is easily released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Clayton P. Henderson, Tsai-Wei Wu, Xing-Cai GUO, Thomas Edward KARIS, Jeffrey S. LILLE
  • Patent number: 7998913
    Abstract: Additives that inhibit the passage of oil across oil-air interfaces in disk drives and enable the use of the lower viscosity oil in disk drives are disclosed. Mass transfer of oil from the bulk liquid oil into the vapor phase takes place by oil molecules evaporating from the oil-air interface, or collections of oil molecules being ejected from the oil-air interface as aerosol. The invention reduces mass transfer across the oil-air interface through the use of oil-soluble surfactants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ferdinand Hendriks, Thomas Edward Karis, Kunihiro Shida
  • Publication number: 20100221416
    Abstract: The manufacturing processes of lubrication and final tape polish (FTP) for magnetic media are combined into a single operation. A modified disk loading conveyor performs both lubricant dipping and FTP by immersing a cassette of disks in a lube bath. A single disk is lubed as it is unloaded. Upon unload, the lubed disk is put on an FTP spindle for polishing. After FTP, the disk is put in an empty cassette adjacent the lube bath. An automatic lift transports fill or empty cassettes into or out of the lube bath, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS BV
    Inventors: Xing-Cai Guo, Thomas Edward Karis
  • Publication number: 20080304177
    Abstract: Additives that inhibit the passage of oil across oil-air interfaces in disk drives and enable the use of the lower viscosity oil in disk drives are disclosed. Mass transfer of oil from the bulk liquid oil into the vapor phase takes place by oil molecules evaporating from the oil-air interface, or collections of oil molecules being ejected from the oil-air interface as aerosol. The invention reduces mass transfer across the oil-air interface through the use of oil-soluble surfactants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Ferdinand Hendriks, Thomas Edward Karis, Kunihiro Shida
  • Patent number: 6643093
    Abstract: The magnetic surfaces of the magnetoresistive or magnetic tunnel junction and inductive write head and magnetic recording disk of a hard disk drive are protected from corrosion by inserting a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) package into the disk drive for providing additives in the vapor phase of the disk drive enclosure to maintain an equilibrium and renewable adsorbed film of metal passivators on the head and disk surfaces. The VPCI package includes at least one vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) embedded in a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Richard Anthony DiPietro, Thomas Edward Karis, Herman Russell Wendt, Run-Han Wang
  • Publication number: 20030142438
    Abstract: The magnetic surfaces of the magnetoresistive or magnetic tunnel junction and inductive write head and magnetic recording disk of a hard disk drive are protected from corrosion by inserting a vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) package into the disk drive for providing additives in the vapor phase of the disk drive enclosure to maintain an equilibrium and renewable adsorbed film of metal passivators on the head and disk surfaces. The VPCI package includes at least one vapor phase corrosion inhibitor (VPCI) embedded in a polymeric matrix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Charles Allan Brown, Richard Anthony DiPietro, Thomas Edward Karis, Herman Russell Wendt, Run-Han Wang
  • Patent number: 6194360
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic recording data storage device which can operate effectively at high rotational speeds. The magnetic recording device of the present invention comprises (a) a magnetic recording disk, (b) a spindle motor, (c) a head supported on an air bearing carrier, and (d) an actuator connected to the head carrier for moving the head across the rotating disk. The spindle motor comprises ball bearings lubricated by a grease comprising a polymeric amine and bis or tris (alkyl phenyl)phosphate. The grease improves rotational operation of the disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Karis, Holavanahally S. Nagaraj
  • Patent number: 5940247
    Abstract: A magnetic recording data storage device includes a magnetic recording disk, a spindle motor, a head supported on an air bearing carrier and an actuator connected to the head carrier for moving the head across the rotating disk. The spindle motor has lubricant covered ball bearings where the lubricant includes an alkali hydroxystearate, an ester oil, a dialkyldiphenylamine and a dialkyldithiocarbamate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Karis, Holavanahally Seshachar Nagaraj
  • Patent number: 5886854
    Abstract: An improved disk drive system using a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant is disclosed. In the disk drive system, there is a plurality of critically spaced magnetic disks rotated by a disk motor. A spindle shaft, which is retained by the spindle sleeve, couples to the disk motor and to the plurality of magnetic disks for rotation. The spindle shaft and spindle sleeve uses a bearing, which is lubricated by a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant. The lubricant is used to prevent electrostatic charge build up during operation of the disk drive system. The lubricant may be either a non-polar oil or a ball bearing grease and further having either a metal caged fullerenes compound, STADIS-450, ASA-3, or Polyfloe 130. One particular type of lubricant is an emeraldine salt of polyanilin produced according to the steps of first reacting a solution of HCL and ammonium persulfate into a solution of HCL and analine to form a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur Fred Diaz, Robert D. Johnson, Thomas Edward Karis, Holavanahally S. Nagaraj, My Thanh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 5744431
    Abstract: An improved disk drive system using a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant is disclosed. In the disk drive system, there is a plurality of critically spaced magnetic disks rotated by a disk motor. A spindle shaft, which is retained by the spindle sleeve, couples to the disk motor and to the plurality of magnetic disks for rotation. The spindle shaft and spindle sleeve uses a bearing, which is lubricated by a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant. The lubricant is used to prevent electrostatic charge build up during operation of the disk drive system. The lubricant may be either a non-polar oil or a ball bearing grease and further comprising either a metal caged fullerenes compound, STADIS-450, ASA-3, or Polyfloe 130. One particular type of lubricant is an emeraldine salt of polyanilin produced according to the steps of first reacting a solution of HCL and ammonium persulfate into a solution of HCL and analine to form a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur Fred Diaz, Robert D. Johnson, Thomas Edward Karis, Holayanahally S. Nagaral, My Thanh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 5641841
    Abstract: An improved disk drive system using a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant is disclosed. In the disk drive system, there is a plurality of critically spaced magnetic disks rotated by a disk motor. A spindle shaft, which is retained by the spindle sleeve, couples to the disk motor and to the plurality of magnetic disks for rotation. The spindle shaft and spindle sleeve uses a bearing, which is lubricated by a non-ferrofluid conductive lubricant. The lubricant is used to prevent electrostatic charge build up during operation of the disk drive system. The lubricant may be either a non-polar oil or a ball bearing grease and further comprising either a metal caged fullerenes compound, STADIS-450, ASA-3, or Polyfloe 130. One particular type of lubricant is an emeraldine salt of polyanilin produced according to the steps of first reacting a solution of HCL and ammonium persulfate into a solution of HCL and analine to form a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arthur Fred Diaz, Robert D. Johnson, Thomas Edward Karis, Holavanahally S. Nagaral, My Thanh Nguyen