Abstract: Various aspects of the invention provide methods of manufacturing probe cards and test systems which may test microelectronic components using such probe cards. In one specific example, a probe card may be manufactured by forming a plurality of blind holes in a substrate, with each hole having a closed bottom spaced from a back of the substrate by a back thickness. An electrically conductive metal may be deposited on the substrate to fill the holes and define an overburden on the substrate. The metal in each hole may define a conductor. At least a portion of the overburden may be removed to electrically isolate each of the conductors from one another. A portion of the substrate including the back thickness is removed to define an array of pins extending outwardly from a remaining thickness of the substrate, with each pin being an exposed length of one of the conductors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and product-by-method of integrating a bias resistor in circuit with a bottom electrode of a micro-electromechanical switch on a silicon substrate. The resistor and bottom electrode are formed simultaneously by first sequentially depositing a layer of a resistor material (320), a hard mask material (330) and a metal material (340) on a silicon substrate forming a stack. The bottom electrode and resistor lengths are subsequently patterned and etched (350) followed by a second etching (360) process to remove the hard mask and metal materials from the defined resistor length. Finally, in a preferred embodiment, the bottom electrode and resistor structure is encapsulated with a layer of dielectric which is patterned and etched (370) to correspond to the defined bottom electrode and resistor.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (7) is electrically connected to an electroluminescent display by applying the circuit board (7) to the display so that metal tracks (8) on the underside of the circuit bard (7) make electrical contact with conductive tracks (6) on the display. While the tracks (6, 8) are in electrical contact and electrically insulating adhesive (10) is applied between the lower surface of the circuit board (7) and the upper surface of the display to bond the circuit board (7) to the display. The thickness of the tracks (6, 8) spaces the circuit board (7) from the display to define a void to receive the adhesive (10). The connection method has the advantage that the operation of the assembled circuit board (7) and display can be tested before the adhesive is applied.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a two-dimensional ultrasound transducer array is provided in which the transducer array is formed by a plurality of transducer elements sequentially arranged in the azimuth direction and each transducer element has a non-uniform thickness and each transducer is divided into a left and a right half which can be independently excited.

Abstract: A Roberval's mechanism and a lever are configured separately. To the Roberval's mechanism, a lever housing section is formed for inserting the lever in the longitudinal direction and enabling the lever to be located between a pair of the upper and the lower Roberval's sections. To the other end of the lever, a section extending outwards beyond the lever housing section is equipped. A balance driving portion are mounted to the section equipped to the other end of the lever and extending outwards. The lever block is situated to extend through a hollowed out section of the fixed end of the Roberval load block. During manufacture, the lever is formed from a separate piece that has temporary bridges formed to maintain the fixed section and the mobile sections relatively immobile so that the spring sections are protected during assembly. After the lever is connected to the Roberval mechanism, the bridges are cut.

Abstract: An electro-fluidic assembly process for integration of an electronic device or component onto a substrate which comprises: disposing components within a carrier fluid; attracting the components to an alignment sites on the substrate by means of electrophoresis or dielectrophoresis; and aligning the components within the alignment site by means of energy minimization. The substrate comprises: a biased backplane layer, a metal plane layer having one or more alignment sites, a first insulating layer disposed between the backplane layer and the metal plane layer, and a second insulating layer, e.g., benzocyclobute, having a recess disposed therein, wherein the second insulating layer is on the surface of the metal plane layer opposite from the first insulating layer and wherein the recess is in communication with the alignment site.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a printhead assembly includes selecting a printhead sub-assembly, the printhead sub-assembly comprising a printhead chip and a film electrically connected to the printhead chip. The printhead sub-assembly is attached to a printhead molding and a cover molding to form a print module. An ink reservoir sub-assembly is formed and a plurality of the printhead modules are attached to the ink reservoir sub-assembly in end-to-end relationship. Ink is charged into the reservoir sub-assembly and the completed assembly can be tested.

Abstract: A technique for reducing the number of layers in a multilayer signal routing device is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for reducing the number of layers in a multilayer signal routing device having a plurality of electrically conductive signal path layers for routing electrical signals to and from at least one electronic component mounted on a surface of the multilayer signal routing device. In such a case, the method comprises routing electrical signals on the plurality of electrically conductive signal path layers in the multilayer signal routing device for connection to and from a high density electrically conductive contact array package based at least in part upon at least one of an electrically conductive contact signal type characteristic and an electrically conductive contact signal direction characteristic.

Abstract: A method for connecting an electronic components to a carrier substrate is described. At least one pad of the component is connected electrically conductively to at least one pad on an upper surface of the carrier substrate. A solder bump is deposited on at least one of the pads to be connected, the component is alignedly mated with the carrier substrate, and the at least one solder bump is soldered in order to wet the contact surfaces. It is provided that during the soldering, the at least one solder bump is deformed within the contacting plane in such a way as to achieve a degree of deformation that permits the two-dimensional analysis of said degree of deformation by a radiograph of the interconnection site.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic dipole antenna employing one or more spacers is disclosed. The magnetic dipole antenna having three plates, where each plate has holes for inserting one or more spacers through the bottom and middle plates. The distance separation between the top plate and the middle plate of the magnetic dipole antenna determines the operational frequency. Spacers are used to adjust and secure gap between top and middle plates and fix operational frequency of antenna at desired target frequency. A coaxial cable is attached to the magnetic dipole antenna for measuring the resonant frequency.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a monolithic silicon acceleration sensor is disclosed. The monolithic silicon acceleration sensor is micromachined from silicon to form one or more sensor cells, each sensor cell having an inertial mass positioned by beam members fixed to a silicon support structure. A sandwiched etch-stop layer is formed between a first silicon wafer section and a second silicon wafer section. A first section of the inertia mass and beam members are formed by etching a U-shaped channel and a bar-shaped channel in the first wafer section of the sandwiched layer to the etch-stop layer. A second section of the inertial mass is formed by aligning a frame-shaped channel in the second wafer section with the U-shaped channel and the bar-shaped channel in the first section, and etching the frame-shaped channel to the etch-stop layer. After stripping exposed etch-stop layer, an inertial mass positioned by beam members fixed to a silicon support structure is formed.

Abstract: In a device for measuring the filling level, thermoelements (20) are used which are disposed on a sheet-shaped support (25). The thermoelements (20) consist of two different materials and are disposed in two rows (71, 72) placed side by side. Two adjacent thermoelements (20) of said rows (71, 72) have a common junction point (23) that is heated. Both rows (71, 72) of thermoelements also have two additional junction points that are cold. A first group of thermoelements (20) is disposed with their supports (25) in the interior of the container and operate as measuring detectors. A second group of thermoelements (20) serves as reference sensors since they regulate the heat flow impinging upon the junctions points (23) relative to a defined reference voltage.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electromagnetic flow sensor having a measuring tube with an insulating liner having a reinforcing body embedded therein includes the steps of producing the liner in situ in a support tube, and forming a sintering space in the support tube by inserting a sintering mandrel therein. The support tube is closed, leaving one filling aperture for a granular material to be sintered. The reinforcing body is formed in the support tube such that it fits its lumen, by introducing the material to be sintered into the sintering space, sintering, and removing the mandrel. A casting space is formed in the support tube by fixing a casting mandrel therein, and leaving one casting aperture for a liquefied insulting material. The liner is formed by introducing the insulating material into the casting space, allowing to penetrate into the reinforcing body, and solidify in the support tube lumen.

Abstract: A method of making a stacked assembly of integrated circuits (ICs) from prepackaged semiconductor chips is disclosed. The method involves the steps of first starting with a commercially available prepackaged semiconductor chip (e.g. a thin small outline package (TSOP)), that contains bare silicon die within an encapsulant and removing at least part of the encapsulant from the lateral sides to expose the wire bonds. More such prepackaged chips are modified and stacked upon one another. Metalization is performed on the stack to interconnect the layers. An additional embodiment discloses the use of lead frames to the stack of integrated circuits. Additional disclosure covers a method of stacking printed circuit boards (PCBs). A compact and low cost mini-computer is also disclosed that is made using methods of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for fastening a printed board to an element. The method comprises the steps of: mounting at least one guide element to said printed board before said printed board is guided towards said element, fastening said at least one guide element to said printed board by soldering before said printed board is guided towards said element, and positioning said printed board on said element with the help of said at least one guide element. The invention also relates to a guide element for the method.

Abstract: A load cell is made by polymer/metal composite materials or pure polymer with two or more flexible arms to transmit loading and four or times of four strain gages to transfer mechanical strain into electrical signal. The structure of load cell can be standed various direction and various position of loading. With dramatically reduction in manufacturing step, the processing time can be correspondently shortened. This gives flexibility in manufacturing.

Abstract: A method for assembling a disk drive using a multifunctional push-pin hole is disclosed. A push-pin of a servo writer is directed through the push-pin hole of the disk drive for executing a servo writing operation. The push-pin is withdrawn from the push-pin hole at the completion of the servo writing operation. A filter is disposed within the push-pin hole so as to be disposed within an interior of the disk drive. This filter may provide one or more of a humidity control/adjustment function and a chemical filtering function (e.g., an integrated chemical filter). Moreover, this filter may work as a sound barrier. That is, this filter may be used to reduce sound intensity outside the disk drive on top of the push-pin hole in relation to those prior art push-pin holes which were sealed by only a piece of tape on an exterior surface of the disk drive.

Abstract: A method of installing a driver for a plug and play device is provided, wherein the plug and play device includes a main function device and a storage device meeting a standard specification. The storage device stores a driver required by the main function device. The main function device and storage device may be connected to the host in two different ways after the plug and play device is installed to the host. The first way is to connect the two devices to the host simultaneously. The host loads a built-in standard driver for the storage device from the host to access the storage device, and then loads the driver required by the main function device from the storage device to gain freely access to the main function device. The second way is to connect the storage device to the host, and to cause the host to copy the main function device driver from the storage device to the host's storage device (e.g., a disk drive). Next, the main function device is connected to the host.

Abstract: A method for correctly connecting the wiring for the hall effect sensors and the motor phase terminals of a three-phase brushless DC motor to the corresponding connections on an amplifier, the method using known waveforms that describe the electrical operational characteristics of the motor and amplifier. The method comprising connecting the hall effect sensors in any order, determining two motor phase terminals that correspond to a back-electro-magnetic-force peak in the middle of a waveform for a first hall effect sensor and a third motor phase terminal that does not, determining an amplifier pin that does not carry current during the middle of a wave form for a first hall sensor input on the amplifier. The correct connection is thus determined to be between the third motor phase terminal and the identified amplifier pin. The remaining connections are determined in the same manner by repeating this process, but in relation to the other hall effect sensor waveforms.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a large area, multi-element contactor. A segmented contactor is provided for testing semiconductor devices on a wafer that comprises a plurality of contactor units mounted to a substrate. The contactor units are formed, tested, and assembled to a backing substrate. The contactor units may include leads extending laterally for connection to an external instrument such as a burn-in board. The contactor units include conductive areas such as pads that are placed into contact with conductive terminals on devices under test.

Abstract: An air side cover is attached to a proximal end of a housing so as to confine an aerial atmosphere therein. A measured gas side cover is attached to a distal end of the housing so as to confine a measured gas atmosphere therein. A glass sealing material airtightly seals a clearance between an inner surface of an insulator and an outer surface of a sensing element. A contact interface of the glass sealing material protrudes toward a proximal end of the gas sensor compared with at least an adjacent portion of the remainder of the glass sealing material. By melting and hardening a glass pellet, the sensing element is airtightly fixed in the insulator.

Abstract: A board 20 is provided with a Cu film 30 as a conformal mask, in which are formed a register mark 30b and an opening 3a through which a via hole is formed. A camera senses this register mark 30b so that the position of the board 30 is determined. A laser beam is directed to the approximate position of the opening 30a, so that the opening 26a through which the via hole is drilled is formed. The accuracy of the position of the opening of the via hole depends on the accuracy of the position of the opening 30a in the Cu film 30 as the conformal mask. Therefore, the via hole can be formed at an adequate position despite the low accuracy of the position for laser irradiation.

Abstract: Methods of fabricating an array of aligned microstructures on a substrate are disclosed. The microstructures may be spring contacts or other microelements. The methods disclosed include construction of an alignment substrate, alignment of die elements with the alignment substrate, and fixation of the aligned die elements to a backing substrate.

Abstract: To measure positions of a plurality of thin film magnetic head elements formed in a line on a bar, the quantity of positions of samples in the bar is estimated from the magnetic head elements the amount of deviation in position of the next element, and the distance between the elements are obtained, and the amount of deviation and distance are estimated by a primary approximate linear or several-order approximate curve. The estimated amount and the distance between the elements are moved simultaneously, and an image formed by a lens optical system is photo-converted to an image signal, and dimensions are computed. The conversion step is carried out immediately after movement of the next element and is continuously repeated, and the computing step is processed in parallel with the conversation step.

Abstract: A device and method for testing a slider of a head-gimbal assembly during disc drive manufacturing. The device includes a test disc, an actuator arm and a control module. The test disc has a first circumferential area for detecting contact between the slider and the test disc and a second circumferential area for burnishing sliders that contact the first circumferential area as the test disc rotates at or above the predetermined velocity. The head-gimbal assembly is affixed to a support, or flexure, on the actuator arm such that the slider is operable to move between an inner diameter and an outer diameter of the test disc. The control module controls rotation of the test disc and movement of the actuator arm, and thus the slider, relative to the test disc. The control module monitors the slider-disc interface for contact therebetween. If contact is detected, the slider is either burnished or the head-gimbal assembly is discarded altogether.

Abstract: The invention relates to a handling module for at least one component (12) for mounting on and removal from a component carrier (14), having a holding device (22) which has at least one receptacle which is matched to the component (12), having a coil (42) which is arranged at an end of the holding device (22) which faces towards the component (22), is energized when the holding device (22) is being at least partially positioned with respect to the at least one component (12) and positions the at least one component (12) with respect to the holding device (22) by means of magnetic holding force.

Abstract: An automated method for trimming a circuit element disposed on a substrate includes transmitting a first signal to move a substrate, having a circuit element disposed thereon, to a trimming location. A second signal is transmitted to emit a light beam, with the substrate at the trimming location, to trim the circuit element.

Abstract: The stacked core assembly apparatus, which can perform assembly at a high speed while keeping strength of an angle indexing apparatus, comprises a press machine 1, a non-synchronous transmitting apparatus 10 and an angle indexing apparatus 7. The non-synchronous transmitting apparatus 10 transforms a constant revolution of the press machine 1 into a variable revolution. The angle indexing apparatus 7 is connected to the non-synchronous transmitting apparatus 10 via a coupling device 20, and is connected to a rotatably stacking cavity device 51 of a press die 5. An accelerated rotational speed period of an output shaft 13 of the non-synchronous transmitting apparatus 10 is set during a Feeding-Phase period of time of the press machine 1, and thereby, a rotational state completion of a driving shaft 33 of the angle indexing apparatus 7 completes earlier than the Feeding-Phase period of time completion of the press machined 1 so that a non-rotating period of time can be provided.

Abstract: A sensor utilizing a non-leachable or diffusible redox mediator is described. The sensor includes a sample chamber to hold a sample in electrolytic contact with a working electrode, and in at least some instances, the sensor also contains a non-leachable or a diffusible second electron transfer agent. The sensor and/or the methods used produce a sensor signal in response to the analyte that can be distinguished from a background signal caused by the mediator. The invention can be used to determine the concentration of a biomolecule, such as glucose or lactate, in a biological fluid, such as blood or serum, using techniques such as coulometry, amperometry, and potentiometry. An enzyme capable of catalyzing the electrooxidation or electroreduction of the biomolecule is typically provided as a second electron transfer agent.

Abstract: A method of attaching a component having a fiducial marker to a substrate is provided. The method includes detecting alignment of the fiducial marker, aligning the component such that the fiducial marker matches a predetermined fiducial alignment, and attaching the component to a substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for mounting at least one electronic or mechanical component on a printed board comprising the steps of: surface-mounting at least one guide element on the printed board or placing the at least one guide element in a dead end hole in the printed board, fastening the at least one guide element to the printed board by soldering before guiding the at least one electronic or mechanical component towards the printed board, and placing the at least one electronic or mechanical component on the printed board with the help of the at least one guide element. The invention also relates to a guide element and a electronic or mechanical component to be used in the method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a design method for plating of a printed circuit board (PCB) strip, in which a main plating line is optionally formed on a component side, a solder side, or an inner layer of the PCB strip by modifying a sub-plating line of the PCB strip used to manufacture a semiconductor chip package, and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor chip package using the same. Therefore, an excellent semiconductor chip package is manufactured without a short when the PCB strip is cut using a sawing machine because misalignment of main plating lines of the solder side and the component side of the PCB strip is avoided, and an interval between PCB units is reduced to desirably increase the number of PCB units in the PCB strip without the short when the PCB strip is cut.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric component in which a resonating portion on a piezoelectric substrate is provided with a deposit that is sensitive to radiation in a range of wavelengths from 350 to 2000 nm so as to have portions thereof trimmed away to form indentations therein without burning the deposit to avoid generating heat that is injurious to the piezoelectric component and substrate. A laser beam in the frequency range of 350 to 2000 nm is then caused to impinge on the deposit to cause the formation of trimmed indentations without substrate damaging heat in a controlled manner to adjust the resonance frequency of the piezoelectric component.

Abstract: A tester routine is proved that evaluates all test pins, on all devices under test, t the same time and only if a fail does any evaluation have to be made. In the case of a failing pin that device is retested until passed or if not passed after a specified time considered a fail.

Abstract: In a method of producing a quadrifilar antenna for circularly polarised radiation at frequencies above 200 MHz, the antenna is tuned by coupling it to a test source, measuring the relative phases and amplitudes of currents at predetermined positions in the individual elements of the antenna by means of probes capacitively coupled to the elements, and laser etching apertures in the elements to increase their inductance, the sizes of the apertures being computed according to the deviation of the measured relative phases from predetermined values.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive device for a torque sensor which has a high sensor sensitivity whether the excitation frequency is in a high frequency range or in a low frequency range and can withstand excess load torques well, and also a method of easily manufacturing the device. In manufacturing the magnetostrictive device 1 for a torque sensor, which has a magnetic anisotropic portion 15 formed on the surface of a shaft body 10 thereof, the method of forming the magnetic anisotropic portion 15 comprises the steps of: forming spiral grooves in the surface of the shaft body 10 to form a plurality of troughs 16 and ridges 17 alternately; and directly applying a compressive stress only to the ridges 17 to cause deformations accompanied by plastic flow and to provide an almost planar plateau portion 171 at a crest portion of each of the ridges 17.

Abstract: A method for making an armature assembly is provided that reduces the level of acoustic noise during initial engagement of the armature, during slippage, and during disengagement. The armature assembly includes an armature disc, an annulus of sound damping material, and a hub assembly having a flexible spider with a web portion. The armature assembly is made by first forming the annulus of sound damping material with a plurality of angularly spaced molding tabs. The annulus is affixed to the web portion of the hub assembly using the molding tabs and is then compressed by securing the armature disc to the web portion such that one side of the annulus is disposed against the web portion and a second side of the annulus is disposed against the armature disc.

Abstract: In a natural state of a probe (41), a plunger (61) is distanced from a rod (62) by a spring (63), the rod (62) is held in contact with a contact element (75) by a spring (74), so that the rod (62) is connected to a common conductor of a base plate via a barrel (55). On the other hand, when an end of a wire comes into contact with an end of the plunger (61) to push it toward the rod (62), the rod (62) is distanced from the contact element (75). To be electrically disconnected from the common conductor of the base plate. Thus, all the barrels (55) and contact elements (75) of a plurality of probes (41) can be held at a specified potential only by a wiring for the signal common conductor.

Abstract: A wire tensioning apparatus and method tensions one or more wires by moving the tensioning function from a wire module to an apparatus external to the wire module. Externally to the wire module, a wire is attached to a fixed end and a movable end. Tension is placed on the wire, and the tension in the wire or the vibrational frequency of the wire is detected and compared to a desired value. If the tension in, or the vibrational frequency of, the tensioned wire does not correspond to the desired value, the tension is further adjusted until the desired value is met. Once the desired tension or the vibrational frequency is met, the wire is secured in the wire module in order to maintain the achieved tension and/or vibrational frequency.

Abstract: A manufacturing method is provided for manufacturing thin film magnetic heads through the use of a thin-film magnetic head material, the head material including: a plurality of rows of head-to-be sections to be thin-film magnetic heads; an inter-row cutting section provided to be a position at which adjacent ones of the rows are to be separated; and an intra-row cutting section provided to be a position at which adjacent ones of the head-to-be sections in each of the rows are to be separated.

Abstract: A method for correctly connecting the wiring for the hall effect sensors and the motor phase terminals of a three-phase brushless DC motor to the corresponding connections on an amplifier, the method using known waveforms that describe the electrical operational characteristics of the motor and amplifier. The method comprising connecting the hall effect sensors in any order, determining two motor phase terminals that correspond to a back-electro-magnetic-force peak in the middle of a waveform for a first hall effect sensor and a third motor phase terminal that does not, determining an amplifier pin that does not carry current during the middle of a wave form for a first hall sensor input on the amplifier. The correct connection is thus determined to be between the third motor phase terminal and the identified amplifier pin. The remaining connections are determined in the same manner by repeating this process, but in relation to the other hall effect sensor waveforms.

Abstract: In a part-mounting system formed by linking plural part-mounting devices which carry out respective process steps of part-mounting, when a production tact-time of one of the devices varies beyond a given variation range, a tact-time change signal is sent to other devices located at upstream and/or downstream of the device via a communicating section. The other devices receive the tact-time change signal and changes their own work tact-times from the ones corresponding to a productivity-oriented mode to a slower tact-pattern corresponding to a quality-oriented mode. Thus every device constituting the system can accommodate a tact-time variation due to a tact-time delay of any part-mounting device. As a result, the quality appropriate to the tact-time can be secured.

Abstract: A method for producing an ultrasound transducer having piezoelectric or electrostrictive ceramic elements (11) embedded in plastic, with reduced production costs. The ceramic elements (11) are ceramic rods (20) provided with a plastic jacket (21) of a constant thickness, and the jacketed ceramic rods (20) are organized, while standing upright, in a container (31) that is open on one side and is vibrated. The container (31), with the jacketed ceramic rods (20) is filled with a plastic, such as resin or PU. After hardening, the resulting composite body (12) is removed from the container (31), and its top side and/or underside (121, 122) is ground down until the ceramic rods (20) possess a length stipulated by the necessary transducer frequency. Electrodes contacting all or only groups of the ceramic rods (20) are subsequently mounted to the topside and underside (121, 122) of the composite body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a planar temperature sensor including disposing a thick amount of a material having a temperature coefficient of resistance of greater than about 800 parts per million and a natural resistance of above about 5 micro-ohm-centimeters on a substrate, measuring a resistance value of said material, and setting a laser trimming device to ablate material consistent with achieving an inputted resistance value.

Abstract: Substrate measurement system including a measurement chamber (30), and a substrate handling chamber (7) possessing substrate transfer means (10) and a substrate container interface (1) arranged two receive a substrate container (8), the handling chamber (7) containing a first interface (50) to connect the measurement chamber (30), the measurement chamber (30) containing a second interface (51) to connect the handling chamber (7), and the transfer means (10) being arranged to transfer substrates between the container (8) and the measurement chamber (30) through the handling chamber (7), in which system a second measurement chamber (39) is provided, having the same second interface (51) as the first measurement chamber (30) to replace the latter chamber (30).

Abstract: A method is provided for making an ultrasonic transducer particularly useful in medical imaging. The transducer includes a transducer body having a major front surface for radiating ultrasonic energy to a propagation medium and is formed by a piezoelectric member having a curved shape including a curved front surface. The curved shape is produced by deforming a planar piezoelectric composite member to produce the desired curvature and retaining the curvature using suction forces. A graded frequency region is created by grinding the curved front surface of the piezoelectric element along a grinding plane. This region is defined by the area of intersection of the grinding plane and the front surface of the curved piezoelectric member and in different implementations of the method, covers all or less than all of the total front surface.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for attaching a disc drive cover member to a disc drive base member. A fixture comprises a base and a stop guard, cradle and guide rails supported by the base. The disc drive base member is operatively receivingly engaged in the cradle adjacent the guide rails. The disc drive cover member is operatively abuttingly engaged at one end against the stop guard and pivoted toward the disc drive base member. Any substantial misalignment of the disc drive cover member with the disc drive base member causes the disc drive cover member to engage at least one of the guide rails and therefore be urged into proper alignment, preventing adverse contact between the disc drive cover member and the disc drive base member.

Abstract: Methods and structures are provided which support spacer walls in a position which facilitates installation of the spacer walls between a faceplate structure and a backplate structure of a flat panel display. In one embodiment, spacer feet are formed at opposing ends of the spacer wall. These spacer feet can be formed of materials such as ceramic, glass and/or glass frit. The spacer feet support the corresponding spacer wall on the faceplate (or backplate) structure. Tacking electrodes can be provided on the faceplate (or backplate) structure to assert an electrostatic force on the spacer feet, thereby holding the spacer feet in place during installation of the spacer wall. The spacer wall can be mechanically and/or thermally expanded prior to attaching both ends of the spacer wall to the faceplate (or backplate) structure. The spacer wall is then allowed to contract, thereby introducing tension into the spacer wall which tends to straighten any inherent waviness in the spacer wall.

Abstract: A magnetization yoke having an exciting coil wound thereon is arranged to hold a magnetic member and a metal ring so that a magnetic flux passes through and magnetizes the magnetic member in the portion held by the magnetization yoke for successively magnetizing the magnetic member along the circumferential direction thereby multipolarly magnetizing the magnetic member in the circumferential direction. Thus, a magnetic encoder having large magnetization strength and a small magnetization pitch error, a wheel bearing employing the same and a method of manufacturing a magnetic encoder can be obtained.

Abstract: A device for lapping a bar of the type which carries a plurality of sliders used in magnetic storage systems includes first, second and third actuators adapted to couple to the bar, and impart a first, second and third controllable force in response to a first, second and third control signal, respectively. An arm couples to the first, second and third actuators and applies a lapping force to the bar which presses the bar against a lapping surface thereby causing material to be removed from the bar. A controller provides the first, second and third control signals to the first, second and third actuators, respectively, to impart a plurality of forces onto the bar. The actuators are controlled to obtain a desired profile of the bar and to obtain a desired distribution of the lapping force across the profile of the bar.