Patents Issued in January 14, 2003
  • Patent number: 6507418
    Abstract: A sheet feeding scanner has its contact image sensor hanging pivotally on two side walls and is capable of turning with respect to the axis of the pivots. The contact image sensor presses against a driving roller by gravity and/or by a spring. A sheet of paper is sandwiched between the contact image sensor and the roller. The contact image sensor can be disengaged from the roller by an external release rod. The paper is removed when the release rod is actuated or by pulling the paper hard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Avision Inc.
    Inventor: Philip L. Chen
  • Patent number: 6507419
    Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination system using optical feedback to maintain a predetermined illumination output. The illumination system employs an electrically controllable optical filter for filtering light incident thereon. The illumination system also includes a light detector for detecting at least a portion of the light filtered by the electrically controllable optical filter. The light detector is in data communication with the electrically controllable optical filter. Some or all light filtered by the electrically controllable optical filter is detected by the light detector, which, in turn generates a corresponding signal that is compared to at least one predetermined value. If the signal generated by the light detector differs when compared to the at least one predetermined value, one or more filtering characteristics of electrically controllable optical filter are varied which, in turn, varies the amount of light filtered by the electrically controllable optical filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: DigiLens, Inc.
    Inventors: Milan M. Popovich, John J. Storey, Michael R. Adams, C. David Nabors, Jonathan D. Waldern
  • Patent number: 6507420
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to an arrangement for estimating total noise power (k·P&lgr;) at a specified point in a WDM-system which includes a predetermined number of amplifiers (51), and which is designed to transmit data in channels at mutually different signal wavelengths within a specific wavelength region. The method comprises the steps of: measuring total optical power (Pouttot) at said specific point. Filtering wavelength power (P&lgr;) out from the total optical power (Pouttot) at a given measuring wavelength (&lgr;m) within the transmitted wavelength range but outside the signal wavelength. The wavelength power (P&lgr;) is multiplied by a constant (k) which gives the total noise power (k·P&lgr;) at said specified point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Bengt Johansson
  • Patent number: 6507421
    Abstract: An optical crossconnect (OXC) fabric including an array of tiltable mirrors, a reflector and a plurality of optical fibers controls the position of the mirrors to optimize the transfer of a signal between an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber by monitoring the optical signal at an optical translation unit in each of the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber. The optical translation units are operable for regenerating the optical signals transmitted through the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignees: Lucent Technologies Inc., Agere Systems Guardian Corp.
    Inventors: David John Bishop, Randy Clinton Giles, David Thomas Neilson
  • Patent number: 6507422
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical attenuator comprising first and second attenuator units cascaded on an optical path, and a control circuit connected to the first and second attenuator units. Each of the first and second attenuator units includes a Faraday rotator provided on the optical path. The Faraday rotator generates a Faraday rotation angle given as a function of wavelength. Each of the first and second attenuator units further includes polarizing unit for generating an attenuation determined by the Faraday rotation angle on the optical path. The control circuit, for example, controls the Faraday rotation angle in each of the first and second attenuator units so that a wavelength characteristic of attenuation in the first attenuator unit is substantially canceled by a wavelength characteristic of attenuation in the second attenuator unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Fukushima
  • Patent number: 6507423
    Abstract: An energy conserving device is adapted to be connected to an infrared receiving circuit of a remote controlled apparatus that receives an infrared control signal from a remote controller, and controls the supply of an operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit. The energy conserving device includes an input voltage unit for providing a voltage output that is lower than the operating voltage, a voltage increasing unit, and a sleep control unit. The voltage increasing unit is operable in one of a wake mode, where the voltage increasing unit is enabled to generate the operating voltage from the voltage output of the input voltage unit and to supply the operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit, and a sleep mode, where the voltage increasing unit is inhibited from generating the operating voltage to the infrared receiving circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Bobson Hygiene International, Inc.
    Inventor: Cheng-Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 6507424
    Abstract: An optical space communication apparatus for performing communication with an party apparatus by transmitting a light signal into a free space includes a signal selector for selecting and intercepting a beam including a light beam and background light from the party apparatus, a detector for detecting a beam via the signal selector, and a signal outputting device for comparing an output signal outputted from the detector when the signal selector intercepts the light beam from the party apparatus, with an output signal outputted from the detector when the signal selector does not intercept the light beam from the party apparatus, and for outputting a signal representing a difference between the output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tetsuo Sakanaka
  • Patent number: 6507425
    Abstract: An infrared communication system includes a recongifurable RAM-based programmable logic device (PLD), an EPROM to provide configuration instructions to the PLD, and a clock supplying a clock signal to the PLD. A data input device and infrared transceiver are coupled to the PLD. The configured PLD uses the clock signal to synchronize data transfer between the data input device and the infrared transceiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Brandon Scott Dewberry, Kosta A. Varnavas
  • Patent number: 6507426
    Abstract: The invention discloses a scanner apparatus for performing bidirectional scanning by using an integration amplifying detector, which is capable of preventing the occurrence of jitters. To detect the n-th pixel from the left in a going direction, an integration timing setting circuit generates pulses indicating a resetting period Tr and a measuring period Ti by using the n-th pulse of a scanning position detecting clock as a reference, and then controls an integration circuit. To detect the n-th pixel from the left in a returning direction, an integration timing setting circuit generates a timing clock by delaying a difference period Td generated between the going and returning ways, with the n+1st pulse of the scanning position detecting clock from the left used as a reference, and then controls the integration circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Makino
  • Patent number: 6507427
    Abstract: A scanning optical device to be used for an image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer and a digital copying machine comprises a light source such as a semiconductor laser, an optical deflector having a deflection surface for deflecting the light beam emitted from the light source in the main-scanning direction, a first optical system for causing the light beam emitted from the light source to strike the deflection surface as a linear image extending in the main-scanning direction, and a second optical system for focussing the light beam deflected by the optical deflector on a surface to be scanned. The first optical system comprises a first lens, a second lens and a cylindrical lens showing refractive power only in the sub-scanning direction, preferably as well as part of the second optical system shared with the latter. The second lens and/or the cylindrical lens are movable along the optical axis to regulate the imaging position of the light beam on the surface to be scanned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeshi Yamawaki
  • Patent number: 6507428
    Abstract: The invention relates to electrochromic arrangements in a layered structure which are characterized in that one layer contains an electrically conductive electrochromic polydioxythiophene, another layer comprises an electrolyte containing a protonic acid, and another layer comprises an ion storage or a mixture of ion storages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Bayer Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Helmut-Werner Heuer, Rolf Wehrmann
  • Patent number: 6507429
    Abstract: A novel superfluorescent fiber source (SFS) has high power and broad bandwidth, and can advantageously be used in a variety of applications, e.g., optical coherent tomography systems, sliced spectrum optical fiber communication systems, and optical position sensing systems. The novel SFS comprises a first and a second length of rare earth-doped optical fiber, with an optical isolator therebetween. Light from a first pump source is provided to the first length of optical fiber, and light from a second pump source is provided to the second length of optical fiber. An optional reflector is disposed to reflect at least some upstream-propagating light back into the first length of optical fiber, whereby generation of long-wavelength amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) is facilitated. The long-wavelength ASE is transmitted through the optical isolator to the second length of rare earth-doped optical fiber, where broadband ASE is generated and the long-wavelength ASE is amplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Agere Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Gaelle Ales, Rolando Patricio Espindola, Thomas Andrew Strasser
  • Patent number: 6507430
    Abstract: An L band optical amplifier in disclosed. The optical amplifier includes a signal line for transmitting a light signal in a first direction. The signal line has an input, an output disposed optically downstream of the input, and an amplifying gain medium optically disposed between the input and the output. The optical amplifier further includes a laser optically connected to the first amplifying gain medium and an apparatus for directing C band light generated in a second direction, opposite the first direction, into the amplifying gain medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Photon X, Inc.
    Inventor: Aydin Yenjay
  • Patent number: 6507431
    Abstract: Multi-wavelength light is transmitted from a sending station to a receiving station. An erbium-doped optical fiber is installed on the transmission path that connects the sending station and the receiving station. Pump light is supplied from a light source installed in the receiving station to the erbium-doped optical fiber. In the receiving station, the multi-wavelength light is decomposed into the component wavelength signals. The light level of each component wavelength signal is detected, and the power of the light emitted by the light source is controlled so as to equalize those light levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Yasushi Sugaya, Terumi Chikama
  • Patent number: 6507432
    Abstract: A bright wide-angle infrared lens, suitable for a wavelength band of 8 to 12 &mgr;m, having favorable imaging performances comprises, successively from the object side, a first lens L1 made of a positive meniscus lens having a convex surface directed onto the object side and an image-side surface formed aspheric, a second lens L2 made of a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface directed onto the object side, and a third lens L3 having a positive refracting power with a convex surface directed onto the object side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Fumio Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6507433
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing excessive closure between a retractable tip objective and the stage of a microscope which includes positioning a sensor in the turret of a microscope, which sensor is capable of detecting excessive retracting of the retractable tip into the body of the objective, and providing a controller for monitoring the sensor for such excessive retracting and issuing an alert in response to the detection of an event of such excessive retracting. The alert may be made by way of an audio output, or by a visual cue or both. Extinguishing the lamp of the microscope is a preferred visual cue, as the excessive retracting of the retractable tip is generally caused by a focusing error, and the extinguishing of the light source reduces or eliminates the ability of the user of the microscope to focus the microscope, thus attracting his or her attention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Westover Scientific, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Mecham, Steve Lytle
  • Patent number: 6507434
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus, having a light source that supplies illumination light, a collector lens that converts a divergent light flux emitted from the light source into a plurality of substantially parallel light fluxes, a fly-eye lens, comprised of a plurality of small lens elements and an exit surface, disposed at a rear focal position of the collector lens and a relay optical system that relays a pseudo plane light source which is formed on the exit surface of the fly-eye lens to an aperture stop or a surface conjugate to the aperture stop, where a focal length of at least one of the plurality of small lens elements is 8≦focal length ≦24, a radius of at least one of the plurality of small lens elements is 1≦radius ≦3 and a consistent unit of length is used for the focal length and radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Tomohiro Miyashita
  • Patent number: 6507435
    Abstract: A variable size projection screen apparatus inputs an image and generates a beam to project the image on a screen. A sizing facility can resize the image on the screen in at least two different sizes. A motor arrangement can physically resize the screen in a lateral direction to at least two distinct widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Anthonie H. Bergman
  • Patent number: 6507436
    Abstract: The invention relates to a display system where polarized light rays from a display device impinge on a laminate at Brewster's angle or emerge therefrom at an angle equal to Brewster's angle. This laminate is a combination of a transparent platelike object and a functional film that is an optical rotatory film or a semitransparent film. The platelike object has a front major surface, facing the display device, and a back major surface. The display device has a polarizing member for polarizing light rays of the display device into S-wave or P-wave light rays. According to a first embodiment of the invention, the optical rotatory film is formed on the front or back major surface of the platelike object or in an inside of the platelike object, and S-wave light rays from the polarizing member are thrown against the front major surface of the laminate. With this, a part of the S-wave light rays is reflected from the front major surface of the laminate toward a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shinji Nishikawa, Kazuya Kobayashi, Motoh Asakura
  • Patent number: 6507437
    Abstract: To obtain a diffractive optical element of high diffraction efficiency over a wide range of wavelengths with no conspicuous color flare and a photographic optical system having the diffractive optical element, at least two diffraction gratings of different materials in dispersion are stratified, the first order is chosen as the design order and two wavelengths which, when multiplied one times, amounts to the maximum optical path length difference in the grating structure are used as the design wavelengths, wherein each of the values of the plurality of design wavelengths is determined so as to make white or nearly white flare caused by the diffracted light in the zero and second orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takehiko Nakai
  • Patent number: 6507438
    Abstract: An interference filter (10, 30, 50, 70, 90, 110, 130, 150, or 190) filters selected wavelengths by dividing an input beam into two or more intermediate beams having different optical path lengths and by recombining the intermediate beams into an output beam that is modified by interference between the intermediate beams. An optical path length difference generator (20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, or 200) varies the optical path lengths of the intermediate beams by changing the physical lengths of their paths or the refractive indices of the mediums in which they are conveyed. The optical path length generator (20) of one exemplary embodiment (10) includes a spacer plate (20) that is divided into elements (22 and 24) having different refractive indices for varying the optical path lengths of the intermediate beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Venkata A. Bhagavatula
  • Patent number: 6507439
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for forming microlenses is described. The method involves defocusing light from a mask during semiconductor processing to control the curvature of microlenses being formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Neil Wester
  • Patent number: 6507440
    Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for illuminating a field with an aspect ratio other than 1:1 in an image plane. The illumination system includes (a) a light source, and (b) an optical component for transforming the light source into a secondary light source, where the optical component produces an anamorphotic effect that splits the secondary light source into a tangential secondary light source and a sagital secondary light source. The optical component has a first mirror or a first lens, having a raster element. The raster element has an aspect ratio smaller than the aspect ratio of the field in the image plane, and the raster element is imaged into the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung
    Inventor: Jörg Schultz
  • Patent number: 6507441
    Abstract: A wide angle directed reflector is disclosed. The directed reflector includes a lenticular layer including at least one array of lenslets, each of which having a focal length, The directed reflector further includes a reflective layer which is disposed relative to the lenticular layer. The lenticular layer and the reflective layer are constructed, designed and relatively disposed such that light incident at an angle of incidence on the lenticular layer is reflected by the reflective layer and redirected through the lenticular layer at a substantially constant angle relative to the angle of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Optid, Optical Identification Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Naftali P. Eisenberg, Isaia Glaser-Inbari, Avishai Drori, Reouven Karoubi, Yoel Arieli
  • Patent number: 6507442
    Abstract: An objective lens includes a first lens unit constructed with a plurality of single lenses, having a negative power as a whole, and a second lens unit constructed with a plurality of single lenses, arranged on the object side of the first lens unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shingo Kashima, Takehiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6507443
    Abstract: A lens comprises a single lens, both surfaces of the lens is a meniscus-shaped and aspheric lens, and side surface side thereof is a convex surface, and, when a refractive index of the lens is represented by n, a central thickness thereof is represented by t, a radius of curvature of a concave face thereof is represented by r1, the radius of curvature of the convex face thereof is represented by r2, and a focal length thereof is represented by f, the lens satisfies the following equations: - 0.2 < ( n - 1 r1 ) / f < 0 , ⁢ 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Toshitake Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 6507444
    Abstract: An imaging lens is used in image reading and adapted to image information of an original on a reading device. In the imaging lens at least one surface out of a plurality of surfaces forming the imaging lens has refracting power rotationally asymmetric with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadao Hayashide, Kazuyuki Kondo
  • Patent number: 6507445
    Abstract: An optical system provided with a lens, a stop and a diffraction grating is characterized in that when in a state wherein the diffraction grating is absent, the value of the coefficient of chromatic aberration of magnification of the wavelength of the long wavelength side relative to the reference wavelength of light is positive, the diffraction grating is disposed more adjacent to an incidence surface side than the stop, and when in the state wherein the diffraction grating is absent, the value of the coefficient of chromatic aberration of magnification of the wavelength of the long wavelength side relative to the reference wavelength of the light is negative, the diffraction grating is disposed more adjacent to an emergence side than the stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Shimomura
  • Patent number: 6507446
    Abstract: The lateral V-shaped groove (2) and the longitudinal V-shaped groove (3), which cross each other, are formed on a surface of the substrate (1). When the optical element (100) is contacted with and supported by four ridges composed of sides (21, 22) of one V-shaped groove and sides (31, 32) of the other V-shaped groove, the optical element is positioned at the three-dimensional support position which is geometrically determined by the four points at which the four ridges and the surface of the optical element come into contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Yamashita, Yoshiatsu Yokoo, Shigeru Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6507447
    Abstract: A signal processing circuit of a spin-valve magnetic sensor includes a polarity detection circuit for detecting a polarity of an output signal produced by the magnetic sensor and a polarity control unit controlling the polarity of the output signal in response to a result of the polarity detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6507448
    Abstract: An information recording device which records information at a high recording density such that an error rate is reduced. In particular, an information recording device that includes a recording head, arranged near or to be close to the recording medium, for applying magnetic fields to the small regions when the recording head relatively moves with respect to the recording medium to pass on the small regions of the recording medium, and a recording head controller for controlling the recording head to cause the recording head to apply magnetic fields to the small regions in a free region of the recording medium in a standby state in which at least information is not recorded on the recording medium to uniform the directions of magnetization of the small regions so as to erase the information in the predetermined free region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Syuji Nishida, Ikuya Tagawa, Yuji Uehara
  • Patent number: 6507449
    Abstract: The effective resolution of a Position Error Signal (PES) in a disk drive servo is increased by synchronously dithering the analog PES while sampling it with an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC). For each cycle of a burst field signal on a servo sector, a DC offset is added to the analog PES before sampling. The offset is changed periodically during the sampling of the burst field signal. The set of all DC offsets used is evenly spread over a range which is substantially equal to the size of the least significant bit of the ADC multiplied by a positive integer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Marvell International, Ltd.
    Inventor: Pantas Sutardja
  • Patent number: 6507450
    Abstract: An efficient, time saving, cost-effective method of using a servo track writer (STW) for continuously recording servo information along one, continuous, single helix spiral path on the surface of a magnetic disk in a disk drive. The write transducer is guided along the single-helix spiral path by moving the write transducer at a constant radial velocity while the disk is rotating. The STW moves the write transducer less than a head's width per revolution such that the strokes of each spiral revolution overlaps the stroke of a prior spiral revolution. The resulting servo track centerlines are formed as spiral servo segments that are written quickly and relatively smoothly, but are separate or disjointed from one another. A disk drive incorporating such uniquely written servo information uses suitable offset information as a function of servo wedge number so that the drive may track follow any one of a plurality of circular data tracks or one long spiral data track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy J. Elliott
  • Patent number: 6507451
    Abstract: During a sampling interval, a disk-drive seek controller receives a digital sample of actuator drive current and a head-assembly position signal from a drive system and estimates a one-sample future value of remaining seek distance to a target track and a one-sample future value of head-assembly's velocity. Two-sample future values of remaining seek distance and velocity are then estimated from the estimated one-sample future values and a calculated control current. A target velocity value is read from a memory corresponding to the estimated two-sample future remaining seek distance value and a difference between the estimated two-sample future velocity value and the target velocity value is detected. From the difference, an incremental value of control current is determined and summed with a previous value of control current to produce an accumulated control current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yukimasa Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 6507452
    Abstract: A filtering apparatus for a hard disk drive includes a housing in which a hard disk is rotatably installed, a filter for filtering particles from air flowing in the housing, and a holder installed at the top and bottom of the inside of the housing for supporting the filter by encompassing an upper portion and a lower portion thereof, so that a gap is not generated between the filter and the top, and between the filter and the bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byoung-young Bae, Soon-kyo Hong, Seong-hoon Kim, Sung-jin Lee
  • Patent number: 6507453
    Abstract: In a thin floppy disk drive comprises a disk shutter arm (26), rotatably mounted on a disk holder (22), for opening and closing a shutter (43) of a floppy disk (40) and an eject lever (25), rotatably mounted on a main frame (13), having an eject stop part (253) engaged with a plate stopper portion (212) of an eject plate (21), the eject lever (25) has an eject protrusion (252a). The disk shutter arm (26) has a shutter hook part (261a) engaged with the eject protrusion so as to control a rotation operation of the eject lever when the floppy disk (40) is not inserted in the thin floppy disk drive. It is therefore possible to prevent the elect lever (25) from rotating over a predetermined rotation angle as far as the floppy disk (40) is not inserted in the thin floppy disk drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisateru Komatsu, Noriyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6507454
    Abstract: A slider includes a magnetic head having first and second magnetic poles separated by a gap. A recess in the air-bearing surface extends into at least the first magnetic pole and has a first portion having a length parallel to the gap length to define a gap width orthogonal to the gap length. The first portion of the recess has a curved depth defining a curved profile along its length. In one embodiment, the recess has a second portion having a length orthogonal to the gap length and a depth defining a curved profile along its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Dallas W. Meyer, Steven B. Slade, Jeffery K. Berkowitz, Edward M. Simpson
  • Patent number: 6507455
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head that reduces the coil resistance of the coil layer formed between core layers is formed by increasing the conductor width at a fixed ratio from the inner to the outer side of the coil layer in the conductor width of each turn. The conductor width on the front side with respect to a base end portion of an upper core layer is smaller than the conductor width on the rear side with respect to the base end portion, whereby it is possible to reduce the coil resistance value of the entire coil layer. Further, using a change in conductor width, it is possible to increase the magnetic efficiency of the magnetic head compared to conventional magnetic heads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuya Kikuiri, Takashi Saito
  • Patent number: 6507456
    Abstract: A magnetic head including a dual layer induction coil fabricated by reactive ion etching (RIE) techniques. An etch stop layer and an etchable insulation material layer and an induction coil etching mask are fabricated on a first magnetic pole. Induction coil trenches are thereafter RIE etched into the insulation material to the etch stop layer, and the first induction coil is fabricated into the induction coil trenches. Following a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) step, a second etch stop layer, a second layer of etchable insulation material and a second induction coil etching mask are fabricated. Second induction coil trenches are RIE etched into the second insulation material layer to the second etch stop layer, and a second induction coil is fabricated into the second induction coil trenches. A second CMP step is followed by an insulation layer and the fabrication of a second magnetic pole (P2) upon the insulation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Dinan, Richard Hsiao, Eric James Lee, Scott A. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 6507457
    Abstract: A magnetic head comprising a substrate, a non-magnetic seed layer deposited on the substrate, a bottom magnetic core piece positioned over and contacting the non-magnetic seed layer, a magnetic seed layer, and a top magnetic core piece positioned over and contacting the magnetic seed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Inventors: Qing He, Song S. Xue, Bryan K. Oliver, Patrick J. Ryan
  • Patent number: 6507458
    Abstract: A head slider has a chamfered pad between the side edge and rail at the surface opposing the disk. The pad prevents contact between the edge of the basic material of the head slider and the disk. Contact between the pad and disk can be generated, but since the pad is chamfered, the disk is not as easily damaged. In comparison with chamfering the basic material and rail, the present invention has less influence on the floating characteristics of the slider, so the amount of chamfering can be increased. Therefore, damage to the disk can be alleviated remarkably and shock resistance of disk apparatus can be much improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Kensuke Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 6507459
    Abstract: Provided are a head slider suspension, a head assembly and an information recording/reproducing apparatus, which can reduce manufacturing cost by reducing the number of components and can be flexible in the production of a small quantity of many types. A magnetic head assembly comprises a head slider, a head slider suspension for supporting the head slider, a wiring unit attached to the head slider suspension, and a coil. The head slider suspension includes a slider support section for functioning as a gimbal, a suspension section for supporting the slider support section, an arm section for supporting the suspension section, and a coil support section for supporting the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Takehiro Kamigama
  • Patent number: 6507460
    Abstract: A gamma irradiated load/unload ramp for a disc drive, the load/unload ramp having a hardened surface that increases the wear properties of the ramp, i.e., reduces debris formation in the disc drive housing that results from the sliding interaction between the load/unload ramp and actuator arm. Typically, the load/unload ramp is hardened through the absorption of about 0.05 to 0.5 Mrad radiation. A method of reducing debris formation in a disc drive having a load/unload ramp includes treating the load/unload ramp with gamma radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Serge Jacques Fayeulle, Jason A. Selby
  • Patent number: 6507461
    Abstract: An inertial latch for preventing an actuator arm, which is a component of a disk apparatus, from flying out from an unloading position because of an external shock. The actuator arm cannot be prevented from flying out from the unloading position because of repulsion produced when the actuator arm crashes against a stopper, by operation other than an external shock. A latch, for engaging with a point end portion of the actuator arm to prevent the actuator arm from flying out, is provided with a sensing protrusion 16e. When the actuator arm crashes against an outer crash stop, the shock causes the latch to rotate and engage with the actuator arm, whereby the actuator arm is prevented from flying out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Kimura, Jun Ishikawa, Kohji Takahashi, Mutsuro Ohta
  • Patent number: 6507462
    Abstract: A disc drive having a base plate and an information storage disc supported for rotation by a drive motor on the base plate. The disc drive further includes a rotary actuator assembly mounted on the base plate adjacent the information storage disc. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm carrying a transducer at a distal end thereof and a voice coil motor operably attached to the actuator arm for movement of the transducer over the disc. The voice coil motor has a vertically extending shroud flange positioned adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the disc, whereby the shroud flange directs air-flow along the peripheral edge of the disc during drive operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell Gibbs, Aaron Steve Macpherson
  • Patent number: 6507463
    Abstract: A micro disc drive assembly includes a wafer-level actuator arm, a wafer-level suspension connected to the actuator arm, and a head-carrying slider supported by the suspension over a rotatable disc. A microactuator motor is located between the actuator arm and the suspension, and is operable to move the suspension with respect to the actuator arm to position the head-carrying slider adjacent to a selected track of the rotatable disc. By forming the actuator arm and suspension at the wafer level, significant size reductions can be made, and the stiffness of the arm and resonant frequency of the disc drive are increased. A main actuator may also be provided in one embodiment, formed at the wafer level and including coils deposited on a wafer substrate, to coarsely position the actuator arm, suspension and head-carrying slider adjacent to the selected track of the rotatable disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zine-Eddine Boutaghou
  • Patent number: 6507464
    Abstract: A Co—Fe—Ni magnetic film has a composition represented by a chemical formula of CoxFeyNiz (50≦x≦80, 20≦y≦40, and 3≦z<10 (wt %)) and has an average grain size not greater than 40 nm. The Co—Fe—Ni magnetic film is prepared by electroplating. A magnetic head comprises the magnetic film as a magnetic pole layer. A magnetic memory device comprises a combination of the magnetic head and a magnetic recording medium having a high coercive force between 3500 and 7000 Oe, both inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Keishi Ohashi, Mikiko Saito, Tamaki Toba
  • Patent number: 6507465
    Abstract: A magnetic head includes a magnetoresistive effect film and a pair of electrodes contacting the magnetoresistive effect film such that the electrodes overlap the magnetoresistive effect film. The magnetoresistive effect film includes a first ferromagnetic film having a direction of magnetization which is changeable, an antiferromagnetic film, a second ferromagnetic film having a direction of magnetization which is fixed by the antiferromagnetic film, and a non-magnetic conductive film disposed between the first ferromagnetic film and the second ferromagnetic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nakamoto, Yoshiaki Kawato
  • Patent number: 6507466
    Abstract: In a magnetoresistive effect head in which a magnetoresistive effect element made from either a ferromagnetic tunnel junction film or a spin valve film is formed as a magnetoresistive sensor, a diode is connected in parallel with a first and a second electrode of the magnetoresistive effect element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Hayashi, Keishi Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6507467
    Abstract: An apparatus for protecting a magnetoresistive head from electrostatic discharge. The apparatus includes an actuator assembly including the magnetoresistive head, and a connector board including a plurality of conductive traces in electrical contact with the magnetoresistive head. The connector board defines a plurality of openings therein, each of the openings having sides surfaces in electrical contact with one of the traces. The apparatus further includes a conductive shunting member including a plurality of protruding members adapted to be inserted into the openings and contact the side surfaces of the openings. The shunting member, when so inserted into the openings shorts the traces to provide protection of the magnetoresistive head from electrostatic discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Frank William Schadewald, Jr., Mark James Schaenzer, Scott Michael Franzen