Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly design has a shaft that supports two actuators. The pivot assembly design compensates for the tilting of the actuators due to shaft bending during seek operations. Two types of bearings of differing stiffness are used to achieve improved performance. The axially innermost bearings are stiffer than the axially outermost bearings, which are relatively compliant. By having two different bearing stiffnesses, the boundary conditions of the pivot assembly are adjustable and can compensate for shaft bending, which is greatest near the center of the pivot assembly.

Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly has a locally deformable internal sleeve that is equipped with two small deformable zones where the sleeve makes contact with the actuator comb bore. The zones can be in the shape of two rings with a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The material may include zinc, magnesium, copper, or aluminum, or their alloys. These materials are relatively soft and have a relatively low stiffness compared to the comb bore. The thickness of the rings may range from approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm, and they may be attached via shrink fit or adhesive bonding.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: An adhesive curing apparatus and method utilizes the end of a tube or optical fiber extending from a UV light source. The tube end is inserted into the mounting hole in the side of a pivot assembly. The tube projects concentrated UV light into the interior of the assembly for curing the adhesive used to bond the bearings to the shaft and the housing. The tip at the end of the tube has beam splitting mirrors or prisms to distribute the UV light more effectively. The interior of the assembly, including the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the housing are smooth, polished metal to further enhance the intensity of the light incident on the adhesive.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly has a locally deformable internal sleeve that is equipped with two small deformable zones where the sleeve makes contact with the actuator comb bore. The zones can be in the shape of two rings with a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The material may include zinc, magnesium, copper, or aluminum, or their alloys. These materials are relatively soft and have a relatively low stiffness compared to the comb bore. The thickness of the rings may range from approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm, and they may be attached via shrink fit or adhesive bonding.

Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly design has a shaft that supports two actuators. The pivot assembly design compensates for the tilting of the actuators due to shaft bending during seek operations. Two types of bearings of differing stiffness are used to achieve improved performance. The axially innermost bearings are stiffer than the axially outermost bearings, which are relatively compliant. By having two different bearing stiffnesses, the boundary conditions of the pivot assembly are adjustable and can compensate for shaft bending, which is greatest near the center of the pivot assembly.

Abstract: A near net shape fiber composite actuator assembly that requires little to no secondary finishing operations such as cutting or machining of the fiber structure to form the periphery of the assembly. In one aspect of the present invention, fibers are continuously wound substantially continuously in a direction along the periphery of the actuator component. This results in fibers orientated generally in the longitudinal direction of the component, and in a direction along the periphery of the matrix of the component, with fibers bending around all large radii to provide fiber continuity around the component's perimeter. Actuator positioner arms can be made of continuous fiber windings. An E-block can be made by stacking actuator arm components that are individually formed by continuous fiber windings. A dual-purpose wound-form can be deployed to facilitate the winding process, which will become an integral part of the final actuator assembly structure.

Abstract: A hard disk drive actuator pivot cartridge has a sleeve, a coaxial pivot shaft, and a pair of bearings therebetween. The bearings are located near the axial ends of the shaft. The sleeve has a wall thickness that is substantially greater than those of prior art sleeves. The sleeve also has a pair of annular pads that are located axially inward of the bearings. The cartridge mounts inside an actuator comb such that only the pads contact the bore of the comb. The axial location of the pads and the greater wall thickness of the sleeve significantly decrease the bending experienced by the cartridge when it is installed in the comb, and thereby increase the servo stability and performance of the disk drive.

Abstract: An adhesive curing apparatus and method utilizes the end of a tube or optical fiber extending from a UV light source. The tube end is inserted into the mounting hole in the side of a pivot assembly. The tube projects concentrated UV light into the interior of the assembly for curing the adhesive used to bond the bearings to the shaft and the housing. The tip at the end of the tube has beam splitting mirrors or prisms to distribute the UV light more effectively. The interior of the assembly, including the outer surface of the shaft and the inner surface of the housing are smooth, polished metal to further enhance the intensity of the light incident on the adhesive.

Abstract: Ultraviolet-transparent seals, flange, and sleeve assemblies are used in actuator pivot cartridges for hard disk drives to cure adhesive located inside the pivot housing. The assemblies are formed from silica glass, polymers, or other suitable materials, and focus UV light into hard to reach, high aspect ratio areas between the pivot bearings, sleeve, and shaft. Some of the assemblies use transparent components with convex or fresnel lenses formed into their geometry. With these designs, UV light can enter the pivots axially and/or radially to reach and cure the adhesive regardless of its location.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: A device for curing an obscured photosetting compound in a subassembly part has a base for supporting the assembly and a plate mounted to the base. The plate has a lens that concentrates UV light into a narrow slit in the assembly to quickly cure the compound. In an alternate version, the plate has a parabolic opening with a mirrored surface for gathering the UV light. A third version of the invention uses a rotatable fixture to position the assembly beneath a UV laser light source to cure the compound.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the formation of components for use in a disk drive having graded properties. Particularly, the invention provides a method for forming a metal matrix composite components having graded properties. The graded properties are achieved by, for example, locating differing amounts of reinforcement material in different portions of a component and/or locating different compositions of reinforcement material in different portions of a component. Silicon carbide particles, for example, provide a low density reinforcement to an aluminum metal matrix creating a metal matrix composite having greater strength stiffness and damping.

Abstract: A method of forming an computer component having improved damping capability is described. The method comprises providing a die for forming an computer component, inserting a water soluble salt block having a desired hollowing form into the die, and injecting formable material such as die-castable or thixoformable material in fluid form into the die such that the fluid forms around the salt block and substantially covers the salt block. Once the formable material solidifies to form the computer component, the solid computer component is subjected to pressurized steam to dissolve the salt within the solid component, thus leaving a hollow core of the desired hollowing form. The salt block can have at least one which forms an outlet opening in the solid computer component. The computer component can be, for example, an computer arm or an E-block for a computer hard drive.

Abstract: A ferrofluid seal for a hard disk drive actuator bearing has two circular plates which are axially spaced apart about a nonmagnetic pivot shaft of the actuator. The plates are parallel and in close proximity to one another. The upper plate is made of magnetically-conductive steel and is mounted to a stationary sleeve which surrounds the shaft. The lower plate is mounted to the shaft and has an annular magnet with pole pieces on an upper surface. A magnetic ferrofluid is located between the magnet and the upper plate to complete the magnetic circuit and form a seal. The ferrofluid seal prevents bearing emissions such as grease oil vapor and aerosol droplets from contaminating the disk drive.

Abstract: An actuator E-block for a rotary data storage device has a number of solid flat arms and flat coil yokes. The arms and yokes are formed from a metal, metal-reinforced metal matrix composites (MMC), ceramic-reinforced MMCs, glasses, ceramics or ceramic composites having a low density metal matrix surrounding reinforcing particles of low density and high specific stiffness. The arms and yokes may be formed as inserts by inexpensive processes such as stamping, blanking or laser scribing. The arm and yoke inserts are placed in a mold and then overmolded with a metal or metal matrix composite E-block body using a thixotropic or semisolid forming process. After molding, these materials and processes form a cost effective, lightweight E-block with a near net shape and enhanced damping and stiffness.