Patents by Inventor Zachary A. Pokornowski
Zachary A. Pokornowski 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).
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Publication number: 20160104503Abstract: A stainless steel dual stage actuated disk drive head suspension baseplate including a plated electrical contact area having nickel and gold. The baseplate can be heat treated. The nickel and gold can be in a mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2015Publication date: April 14, 2016Inventors: Jeffry S. BENNIN, Jacob D. BJORSTROM, Shawn P. BOPP, Reed T. HENTGES, Michael T. HOFFLANDER, Richard R. JENNEKE, Craig A. LEABCH, Mark S. LEWANDOWSKI, Zachary A. POKORNOWSKI, Brian D. SCHAFER, Brian J. STEPIEN, John A. THEGET, John E. THEISEN, John L. WAGNER
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Patent number: 9245555Abstract: Stable, low resistance conductive adhesive ground connections between motor contacts and a gold-plated contact area on a stainless steel component of a dual stage actuated suspension. The stainless steel component can be a baseplate, load beam, hinge, motor plate, add-on feature or flexure.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Shawn P. Bopp, Reed T. Hentges, Michael T. Hofflander, Richard R. Jenneke, Craig A. Leabch, Mark S. Lewandowski, Zachary A. Pokornowski, Brian D. Schafer, Brian J. Stepien, John A. Theget, John E. Theisen, John L. Wagner
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Patent number: 9036302Abstract: Various embodiments concern a DSA suspension of a disk drive. The DSA suspension comprises a support configured to attach to the disk drive, the support comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a linkage portion therebetween. The DSA head suspension system further comprises at least one motor mounted on the support, each motor positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The DSA suspension further comprises a damper attached to some or all of the proximal portion, the motor(s), the distal portion, and the linkage portion. The damper can be a single layer or multilayered. The damper can comprise viscoelastic material. The damper can be adhesive. The damper may only be attached to the support and the motors and not to other components of the DSA suspension.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2014Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Publication number: 20150055255Abstract: Stable, low resistance conductive adhesive ground connections between motor contacts and a gold-plated contact area on a stainless steel component of a dual stage actuated suspension. The stainless steel component can be a baseplate, load beam, hinge, motor plate, add-on feature or flexure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: Jeffry S. BENNIN, Jacob D. BJORSTROM, Shawn P. BOPP, Reed T. HENTGES, Michael T. HOFFLANDER, Richard R. JENNEKE, Craig A. LEABCH, Mark S. LEWANDOWSKI, Zachary A. POKORNOWSKI, Brian D. SCHAFER, Brian J. STEPIEN, John A. THEGET, John E. THEISEN, John L. WAGNER
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Patent number: 8941951Abstract: Various embodiments concern a method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension component. Such methods can comprise providing a head suspension component comprising a layer of insulating material on a spring metal layer. Such methods can further comprise forming a strain gauge element and a trace seed layer by depositing a first metal on the insulating material layer, such as by sputtering. The strain gauge element and the trace seed layer can be formed simultaneously by the depositing of the first metal as part of the same process step. The first metal can be of a strain gauge class of metal having relatively high resistivity, such as constantan. Such methods can further comprise plating a second metal on the trace seed layer to form one or more traces.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2013Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Peter F. Ladwig, Paul V. Pesavento, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Publication number: 20140362475Abstract: Various embodiments concern a DSA suspension of a disk drive. The DSA suspension comprises a support configured to attach to the disk drive, the support comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a linkage portion therebetween. The DSA head suspension system further comprises at least one motor mounted on the support, each motor positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The DSA suspension further comprises a damper attached to some or all of the proximal portion, the motor(s), the distal portion, and the linkage portion. The damper can be a single layer or multilayered. The damper can comprise viscoelastic material. The damper can be adhesive. The damper may only be attached to the support and the motors and not to other components of the DSA suspension.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2014Publication date: December 11, 2014Inventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Patent number: 8881375Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension having a plated load point dimple. An aperture is etched into the spring metal member. A photoresist mask having an opening with load point-defining side walls and a load point diameter is formed over a portion of a spring metal member including the aperture. Metal is plated onto the spring metal member and into the aperture in the opening to form a load point having the load point diameter on the spring metal member.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Michael W. Davis
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Patent number: 8885299Abstract: Stable, low resistance conductive adhesive ground connections between motor contacts and a gold-plated contact area on a stainless steel component of a dual stage actuated suspension. The stainless steel component can be a baseplate, load beam, hinge, motor plate, add-on feature or flexure.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2011Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Shawn P. Bopp, Reed T. Hentges, Michael T. Hofflander, Richard R. Jenneke, Craig A. Leabch, Mark S. Lewandowski, Zachary A. Pokornowski, Brian D. Schafer, Brian J. Stepien, John A. Theget, John E. Theisen, John L. Wagner
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Patent number: 8885297Abstract: Various embodiments concern a dual stage actuation flexure having a motor contact paddle for connecting to a terminal of a piezoelectric motor. The flexure comprises a paddle having a top side and a bottom side, the paddle comprising at least one void, each void extending through the paddle from the bottom side to the top side. The paddle further comprises a stainless steel base, a conductor comprising a layer of metal, and a dielectric layer having a first section and a second section, the first section positioned between the conductor and the stainless steel base to overlap the stainless steel base and the second section extending beyond the stainless steel base to not overlap the stainless steel base. The bottom side of the paddle is configured to connect to the terminal with electrically conductive adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Nole D. German, Paul V. Pesavento, Zachary A. Pokornowski, Ryan N. Ruzicka, Kurt C. Swanson, Allan D. Tokuda
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Patent number: 8861141Abstract: Various embodiments concern a DSA suspension of a disk drive. The DSA suspension comprises a support configured to attach to the disk drive, the support comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a linkage portion therebetween. The DSA head suspension system further comprises at least one motor mounted on the support, each motor positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The DSA suspension further comprises a damper attached to some or all of the proximal portion, the motor(s), the distal portion, and the linkage portion. The damper can be a single layer or multilayered. The damper can comprise viscoelastic material. The damper can be adhesive. The damper may only be attached to the support and the motors and not to other components of the DSA suspension.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2013Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Patent number: 8792214Abstract: Various embodiments concern a dual stage actuation flexure having a motor contact paddle for connecting to a terminal of a piezoelectric motor. The flexure comprises a paddle having a top side and a bottom side, the paddle comprising at least one void, each void extending through the paddle from the bottom side to the top side. The paddle further comprises a stainless steel base, a conductor comprising a layer of metal, and a dielectric layer having a first section and a second section, the first section positioned between the conductor and the stainless steel base to overlap the stainless steel base and the second section extending beyond the stainless steel base to not overlap the stainless steel base. The bottom side of the paddle is configured to connect to the terminal with electrically conductive adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Nole D. German, Paul V. Pesavento, Zachary A. Pokornowski, Ryan N. Ruzicka, Kurt C. Swanson, Allan D. Tokuda
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Publication number: 20140146649Abstract: Various embodiments concern a method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension component. Such methods can comprise providing a head suspension component comprising a layer of insulating material on a spring metal layer. Such methods can further comprise forming a strain gauge element and a trace seed layer by depositing a first metal on the insulating material layer, such as by sputtering. The strain gauge element and the trace seed layer can be formed simultaneously by the depositing of the first metal as part of the same process step. The first metal can be of a strain gauge class of metal having relatively high resistivity, such as constantan. Such methods can further comprise plating a second metal on the trace seed layer to form one or more traces.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2013Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Peter F. Ladwig, Paul V. Pesavento, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Publication number: 20140063660Abstract: Various embodiments concern a DSA suspension of a disk drive. The DSA suspension comprises a support configured to attach to the disk drive, the support comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a linkage portion therebetween. The DSA head suspension system further comprises at least one motor mounted on the support, each motor positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The DSA suspension further comprises a damper attached to some or all of the proximal portion, the motor(s), the distal portion, and the linkage portion. The damper can be a single layer or multilayered. The damper can comprise viscoelastic material. The damper can be adhesive. The damper may only be attached to the support and the motors and not to other components of the DSA suspension.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Zachary A. Pokornowski
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Publication number: 20120073121Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension having a plated load point dimple. An aperture is etched into the spring metal member. A photoresist mask having an opening with load point-defining side walls and a load point diameter is formed over a portion of a spring metal member including the aperture. Metal is plated onto the spring metal member and into the aperture in the opening to form a load point having the load point diameter on the spring metal member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: HUTCHINSON TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATEDInventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Michael W. Davis
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Patent number: 8082656Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension having a plated load point dimple. A photoresist mask having an opening with load point-defining side walls and a load point diameter is formed over a planar portion of a spring metal member. Metal is plated onto the spring metal member in the opening to form a load point having the load point diameter on the planar portion of the spring metal member.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2007Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Michael W. Davis
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Patent number: 7872834Abstract: A dual stage microactuated head suspension includes a base plate, a mounting region attached to the base plate, a load beam coupled to the mounting region, a flexure supported by the load beam and the mounting region, and a microactuator mechanically and electrically coupled to the mounting region. The mounting region is oriented in a plane and includes a microactuator slot for receiving the microactuator such that the microactuator lies substantially or entirely in the plane of the mounting region. The head suspension includes a microactuator support structure provided for mechanically and electrically coupling the microactuator to the mounting region.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignee: Hutchinson Technology IncorporatedInventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Ryan N. Ruzicka