Making Disc Drive Patents (Class 29/603.03)
  • Patent number: 11935559
    Abstract: This magnetic disk device is a 3.5-inch magnetic disk device equipped with magnetic disks formed from an aluminum alloy substrate. The magnetic disks arranged in a stacked manner have a thickness Td of 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, the number N of magnetic disks involved is 10 to 16, and spacers disposed between the magnetic disks have an outside diameter 2 Rso of 35 mm to 65 mm. The outside diameter 2 Rso (mm) of the spacers satisfies 2 Rso??60 Td+70 and 2 Rso??0.5 N2?+16.5 N?73.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: UACJ CORPORATION, FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kitamura, Kotaro Kitawaki, Hideyuki Hatakeyama, Ryohei Yamada, Toshihiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11705162
    Abstract: Described are clamps useful for temporarily holding a slider of a hard disk drive in a test socket for dynamic electrical testing of the slider, as well as related assemblies that include the test socket, a head-gimbal-assembly, a testing assembly, and related methods of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Sungkwon Choi, Stefan A. Weissner, Razman Zambri
  • Patent number: 11646061
    Abstract: A base plate is a portion of a housing of a disk drive apparatus, including a base body being a casting product, and an electrodeposition coating film covering at least a portion of a surface of the base body. The base body includes a bottom plate rectangular as viewed from an axial direction, a pivot post, and a protrusion. The bottom plate extends perpendicular to a rotation axis of a disk that extends vertically and a swing axis of a head that is disposed in a different position from the rotation axis and that extends vertically. The head reads or writes information from or to the disk. The pivot post protrudes upward from an upper surface of the bottom plate along the swing axis. The protrusion is provided protruding radially outward from a peripheral surface of the pivot post and protruding to the upper surface of the bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michihiro Ito, Ryo Furuya
  • Patent number: 11490551
    Abstract: A chip removing device and a chip removing method are provided. The chip removing device includes: a carrier substrate, a laser generation module, and a blowing module. The carrier substrate carries at least one substrate, and a plurality of chips disposed on the substrate. The laser generation module corresponds to the carrier substrate and is used to apply a laser beam to the chip to reduce the bonding force between the chip and the substrate. The blowing module is disposed above the carrier substrate and close to the substrate for applying a gas to the chip to blow the chip away from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ASTI GLOBAL INC., TAIWAN
    Inventor: Chien-Shou Liao
  • Patent number: 11413769
    Abstract: An end effector assembly and method for robot-enabled manipulation of round objects automates the gripping, rotationally manipulating, loading, and unloading of round objects, like an ophthalmic substrate, to a coating machine subassembly. A lens wheel carries spring-loaded retention pegs that grip and release the round object. Springs selectively generate tension on the retention pegs, causing retention pegs to articulate radially inward or outward, so as to press the round object to the lens wheel, or release the object. A retention peg actuator selectively engages the springs to generate tension and release tension from springs. A processor regulates articulation of the retention peg actuator. A sensor detects the position of the object, whereby at least one position of the round object triggers the sensor to transmit a signal commanding the retention peg actuator to articulate. A human-machine interface transmits command signals and displays positions of the lens wheel and retention pegs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: QUANTUM INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Wade E. Nielson
  • Patent number: 11410692
    Abstract: A hard disk drive comprises a carriage assembly that comprises a carriage-arm tip with a swaging hole centered about a swaging axis. A first head-gimbal assembly comprises a tension baseplate on a first side of the carriage-arm tip with a tension swage boss located within the swaging hole. A second head-gimbal assembly comprises a compression baseplate on a second side of the carriage-arm tip with a compression swage boss located with the swaging hole. The tension swage boss comprises an uppercut that extends radially outward, away from the swaging axis, from a first backbore diameter to a second backbore diameter and a tension-boss undercut that extends radially outward, away from the swaging axis, from a tension-boss outer diameter to a first undercut diameter. The compression swage boss comprises a compression-boss undercut that extends radially outward, away from the swaging axis, from a compression-boss outer diameter to a second undercut diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Tsuchida, Haruhide Takahashi, Yoshinobu Noguchi, Takeji Sumiya
  • Patent number: 10892196
    Abstract: A magnetic property measuring system includes a stage configured to hold a sample and a magnetic structure disposed over the stage. The stage includes a body part, a magnetic part adjacent the body part, and a plurality of holes defined in the body part. The magnetic part of the stage and the magnetic structure are configured to apply a magnetic field, which is perpendicular to one surface of the sample, to the sample. The stage is configured to move horizontally in an x-direction and a y-direction which are parallel to the one surface of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Inventor: Eunsun Noh
  • Patent number: 10762921
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a first actuator assembly and a second actuator assembly which are respectively supported by a first bearing unit and a second bearing unit to be rotatable about a support shaft. The first bearing unit includes a first sleeve and a ball bearing. The second bearing unit includes a second sleeve and a ball bearing. The first sleeve includes a first end surface opposed to the second sleeve and an annular first step projecting from the first end surface, and the second sleeve includes a second end surface opposed to the first step with a gap and an annular second step projecting from the second end surface. The second step is opposed to the first step and the first end surface with a gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 10666100
    Abstract: A spindle motor according to an embodiment includes a base plate, a rotor magnet fixed to a rotor assembly positioned at one surface side of the base plate and a magnetic attraction plate fixed at the one surface side of the base plate so as to face the rotor magnet. An opposite area of the base plate facing the magnetic attraction plate includes a coated area covered by an epoxy electric discharge coating film, and the magnetic attraction plate is fixed to the opposite area via at least one of an epoxy adhesive and an acrylic adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventors: Tadashi Akahori, Akihiko Suzuki, Makoto Chonan
  • Patent number: 10424327
    Abstract: A head suspension assembly for testing a slider. The head suspension assembly includes a load beam assembly and a gimbal coupled to the load beam assembly. A clamp is coupled to the gimbal. The clamp is configured to releasably secure a slider in the head suspension assembly. The clamp includes an alignment feature for positioning the slider in the head suspension assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Sunchai Mata
  • Patent number: 10410682
    Abstract: A disk drive housing includes an accommodation unit in which a disk and a motor are accommodated, the disk rotating about a center axis extending vertically, the motor rotating the disk; and a non-piercing first screw hole including a die-cast metal in which an upper surface is opened, the non-piercing first screw hole extending from a first end surface toward a second end surface. The first screw hole includes a first region disposed at a leading end of an inner surface of the first screw hole, the first region including a first portion of the die-cast metal member covered with a chill layer; and a second region in which a screw is disposed on an inner circumferential surface of the first screw hole, the second region including a second portion of the die-cast metal member that is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasutaka Ino, Toshiya Tsujita
  • Patent number: 10346205
    Abstract: An input/output (I/O) throttling method of a process group, performed with respect to a multi-queue capable resource, includes setting a total credit corresponding to the multi-queue capable resource, allocating an individual credit to the process group based on the total credit and a weight of the process group, and selectively dispatching an I/O request of the process group to a multi-queue manager by consuming at least a part of the individual credit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sungyong Ahn, Kwanghyun La
  • Patent number: 10262698
    Abstract: A data storage system includes multiple hermetically-sealed enclosures containing a lighter-than air gas, multiple data storage devices housed in each enclosure and containing the lighter-than-air gas, a tray pneumatic control system each corresponding to and pneumatically coupled to a corresponding hermetically-sealed enclosure, and a rack pneumatic control system pneumatically coupled to each tray pneumatic control system. The tray pneumatic control system may include a tray valve operable in a first way to provide a vacuum in a space between first and second sealing members of the enclosure, and operable in a second way to provide the lighter-than-air gas to the enclosure. The rack pneumatic control system may include a vacuum source operable to provide a vacuum to each tray valve and a lighter-than-air gas source operable to provide the lighter-than-air gas to each tray valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Darya Amin-Shahidi, Toshiki Hirano
  • Patent number: 10079043
    Abstract: Cover seals for sealing of a re-workable hard disk drive comprise: a metallic substrate; an outwardly exposed adhesive layer on at least a portion of a major surface of the metallic substrate; and an adhesive-free border comprising a fusible metal alloy layer surrounding the adhesive layer. The cover seals can be used to form sealed hard disk drives, wherein a cover seal is attached to an exterior surface of the cover of an enclosed hard disk drive housing so that an adhesive layer of the cover seal covers the entire junction where the base and cover components of the enclosed housing meet and a metallic joint adheres a perimeter of the cover seal to the base of the enclosed housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: entrotech, inc.
    Inventor: Andrew C. Strange
  • Patent number: 10039219
    Abstract: A device may comprise a track defining a common X-axis and first and second robots. The first robot may comprise a first X-axis driven element for movement along the track; a first Z-axis driven element, for moving parallel to a Z-axis and along the common X-axis; a first Y-axis driven element, attached to the first Z-axis driven element, for moving parallel to a Y-axis, the Z-axis and along the common X-axis. The second robot may comprise a second X-axis driven element for movement along the track; a second Z-axis driven element, for moving parallel to the Z-axis and along the common X-axis; a second Y-axis driven element, attached to the second Z-axis driven element, for moving parallel to a Y-axis, the Z-axis and along the common X-axis. The first and second robots have first and second end-effectors coupled to the first and second Y-axis drive elements, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jambunathan Vangal-Ramamurthy, Rahool Vasudevan, Roberto Perez
  • Patent number: 9995902
    Abstract: There is provided a lens actuator, including: a lens barrel in which at least one lens is provided on an optical axis; a magnetic part provided on one surface of the lens barrel; and a printed circuit board in which a coil pattern part generating electromagnetic force is provided, the printed circuit board having one surface facing the magnetic part, wherein magnetic material is provided on the other surface of the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Ho Baik, Hoon Heo, Jung Seok Lee, Jae Hyuk Lee, Yong Joon Park, Jung Wook Hwang
  • Patent number: 9940931
    Abstract: A method for facilitating the updating of a language model includes receiving, at a client device, via a microphone, an audio message corresponding to speech of a user; communicating the audio message to a first remote server; receiving, that the client device, a result, transcribed at the first remote server using an automatic speech recognition system (“ASR”), from the audio message; receiving, at the client device from the user, an affirmation of the result; storing, at the client device, the result in association with an identifier corresponding to the audio message; and communicating, to a second remote server, the stored result together with the identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc White, Igor Roditis Jablokov, Victor Roman Jablokov
  • Patent number: 9613941
    Abstract: A semiconductor package has a lead frame and a power die. The lead frame has a first die paddle with a cavity formed entirely therethrough. The power die, which has a lower surface, is mounted on the first die paddle such that a first portion of the lower surface is attached to the first die paddle using a solderless die-attach adhesive, and a second portion of the lower surface, is not attached to the first die paddle and abuts the cavity formed in the first die paddle such that the second portion is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventors: Yanbo Xu, Zhijie Wang, Fei Zong
  • Patent number: 9514773
    Abstract: A head stack assembly (HSA) includes a flexible printed circuit (FPC) having a mouth with an upper mouth edge and a lower mouth edge. The FPC includes a first plurality of conductive terminals immediately adjacent the upper mouth edge and a second plurality of conductive terminals immediately adjacent the lower mouth edge. The mouth is bisected by a mouth centerline that is substantially parallel to and substantially equidistant from first and second actuator arms of the HSA. A head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to each of the first and second actuator arms. Each HGA includes a flexure tail laminate having a dielectric layer disposed between a plurality of conductive traces and a structural layer. The plurality of conductive traces is electrically connected to either the first or second plurality of conductive terminals via a plurality of openings in the structural layer and in the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Tzong-Shii Pan, Shufun Ho
  • Patent number: 9330728
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a base portion molded by casting. The base portion includes a plate portion extends radially with respect to a central axis, and a wall portion arranged to extend in an axial direction from a radially outer edge of the plate portion. The wall portion includes a hole portion in which an attaching member to attach a cover member to the spindle motor is arranged, and is arranged to support at least a portion of the cover member. An inside surface of the base portion includes a metal surface subjected to a cutting process. The base portion includes a recessed portion arranged between the metal surface and the hole portion. The recessed portion is recessed either upward or downward in the axial direction, overlaps with at least one of the metal surface and the hole portion when viewed in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Nakamura, Toshihiro Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 9308609
    Abstract: A de-swage machine for removal of a head of a head stack assembly including a tooling unit configured to receive a head stack assembly comprising a plurality of heads and an indicia, a blade module configured to remove a head from the head stack assembly, an indicia reader configured to read the indicia, and a controller. The controller is configured to select and remove a head from the head stack assembly by at least reading the indicia using the indicia reader, transmitting the indicia to a database, receiving head stack assembly information corresponding to the indicia from the database, selecting the head for removal based on the head stack assembly information, and removing the selected head using the blade module. The blade module can also include a force sensor, and the de-swage machine can also include an imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaiya Thongrattana, Ruksakul Boonpuang, Wirat Khamon, Jetsada Nontree, Piya Maneechote, Chaiyan Khwanma
  • Patent number: 9299372
    Abstract: A device for loading a first and second head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) onto an actuator pivot flex assembly (APFA) of a hard disk drive may comprise a gripper configured to grip the HGAs and to move them between the first and second actuator arms of the APFA. A swage key may be moved to a first position such that first and second distal portions thereof are respectively disposed between the first and second HGAs, and to a second position such that the HGAs are supported, respectively, by first and second localized humps defined on the swage key and aligned with boss holes of the APFA. The swage key may be moved to a third position such that the HGAs face first and second proximal portions of the swage key and become seated onto the boss holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Saravut Ashametra, Prachearn Thaijarearn
  • Patent number: 9286922
    Abstract: A device may comprise a machine vision system in a first zone of the device. The machine vision system may be configured to provide measurements of gaps between selected portions of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) and selected portions of arms of a head stack assembly (HSA) of a data storage device. A first adhesive tacking system may be provided in a second zone of the device, and configured to sequentially apply adhesive to the gaps based upon the measurements of the gaps provided by the machine vision system. A transport mechanism may be configured to sequentially carry the HSA of the data storage device to the first zone to enable the machine vision system to measure the gaps and from the first zone to the second zone of the device to enable the first adhesive tacking system to apply the adhesive to the gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando A. Magsombol, Arnon Amornmannun, Saravut Ashametra, Nitipat Songwiroj
  • Patent number: 9250057
    Abstract: A displacement detection apparatus includes a scale unit and a detection head unit. The scale unit has a reference track unit and sub-track units, the pitch directions of these units being different from one another. The detection head unit has three or more detection units configured to read scales of the reference track unit and the sub-track units and to output signals in accordance with the read scales. The three detection units detect displacement in two orthogonal directions on a plane parallel to a plane along which the detection head unit moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: MORI SEIKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Kusumi, Daisuke Uchiyama
  • Patent number: 9230581
    Abstract: A positioning method positions a flexure whose front end side is joined to an outside frame with respect to a load beam, keeps the positioned state of the flexure and load beam, plastically deforms the outside frame to bend the front end side of the flexure so that the position of a tongue of the flexure is adjusted to the position of a dimple of the load beam, and joins the flexure and load beam to each other to keep the position adjusted state of the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Tokiwa, Naoki Moriya
  • Patent number: 9180563
    Abstract: A de-swage machine for removal of a head of a head stack assembly including a tooling unit configured to receive a head stack assembly comprising a plurality of heads and an indicia, a blade module configured to remove a head from the head stack assembly, an indicia reader configured to read the indicia, and a controller. The controller is configured to select and remove a head from the head stack assembly by at least reading the indicia using the indicia reader, transmitting the indicia to a database, receiving head stack assembly information corresponding to the indicia from the database, selecting the head for removal based on the head stack assembly information, and removing the selected head using the blade module. The blade module can also include a force sensor, and the de-swage machine can also include an imaging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chaiya Thongrattana, Ruksakul Boonpuang, Wirat Khamon, Jetsada Nontree, Piya Maneechote, Chaiyan Khwanma
  • Patent number: 9053749
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a plurality of disk surfaces, and a head actuated over each disk surface, where each head comprises a fly height actuator (FHA) operable to control a fly height of the head over the corresponding disk surface. A fly height is measured for each head to generate a plurality of fly height measurements. An average value is generated in response to the plurality of fly height measurements, and a first control value is generated for a first head based on the average value and the fly height measurement for the first head. The first FHA of the first head is controlled in response to the first control value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip S. Haralson, Kent D. Anderson
  • Publication number: 20150135520
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a rotating device, includes assembling a rotor part on a chassis in a rotatable manner, supplying a fluid mixture including solidified carbon dioxide onto the rotor part and the chassis from a nozzle which moves relative to the chassis having the rotor part assembled thereon, and packaging the chassis having the rotor part assembled thereon within a package after the supplying.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Mitsuhiro AONO
  • Patent number: 8997334
    Abstract: An auxiliary tool for assembling a number of voice coil motors includes a number of trays, a rod member, and two limiting members. Each tray defines a through hole. The rod member passes through the through holes of the trays. The two limiting members are sleeved over the rod member at two ends of the rod member, the trays being between the two limiting members, each two neighboring trays being configured for clamping a respective one of the voice coil motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzu-Nan Chou
  • Patent number: 8984738
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a slider includes steps of (a) providing a row bar with a plurality of slider elements connecting together, the row bar having an air bearing surface, a back surface opposite the air bearing surface, a bonding surface and a bottom surface opposite the bonding surface; (b) grinding the bottom surface of the row bar; (c) lapping the air bearing surface of the row bar so as to obtain a predetermined requirement, and applying a first magnetic field with a first direction during lapping the air bearing surface, and the first direction being parallel to the air bearing surface and the bonding surface; and (d) cutting the row bar into a plurality of individual sliders. The present invention can maintain a good performance of a magnetic head during the manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd
    Inventors: Chiuming Lueng, Mankit Lee, Lorest Garcia Pingul, Yasutoshi Fujita, Cheukman Lui, ChiYuen Mok, Cheukwing Leung, Juren Ding, Rongkwang Ni
  • Publication number: 20150015995
    Abstract: Approaches to maintaining hard disk drive spindle motor rigidity and performance in low profile HDD devices comprise using an enclosure base with a bottom opening in which a separate motor cup is fitted and configured to support the spindle motor. The motor cup may then be fabricated using a different material than the enclosure base, such as a material having a higher modulus of elasticity than that of the base. Furthermore, a magnetic motor cup may be used to substitute for the thrust yoke typically used with conventional spindle motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Kimihiko Sudo, Mutsuro Ohta, Yasuhiro Sakata, Kouki Uefune
  • Patent number: 8931175
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a bearing member having a highly accurate dynamic pressure generating portion stably at low cost. Dynamic pressure grooves (8a1) and (8a2) are formed as the dynamic pressure generating portions on an inner circumferential surface of the electroforming portion (10) by an electroforming process, and injection molding is performed by using a resin while inserting the electroforming portion (10), thereby forming a bearing member (8). A shaft member (2) is inserted into an inner circumference of the bearing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Natsuhiko Mori, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Fuminori Satoji, Isao Komori, Toshiyuki Mizutani, Masafumi Okuma, Kenichi Mitani
  • Publication number: 20140376344
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed related to heat assisted magnetic recording. According to one embodiment, an apparatus that includes a heat sink region and a near field transducer region is disclosed. The near field transducer region is thermally coupled to the heat sink region. At least one of the heat sink region and the near field transducer region includes both an inner core and an outer shell. The inner core can be comprised of a non-plasmonic material and the outer shell can be comprised of a plasmonic material. In further embodiments, the inner core is comprised of a material having a relatively higher electron-phonon coupling constant and the outer shell is comprised of a material having a relatively lower electron-phonon coupling constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tong Zhao, John C. Duda, Michael Christopher Kautzky
  • Publication number: 20140362474
    Abstract: A tolerance ring has a ring shape formed of a plate-shaped member substantially into a circle along a predetermined direction and includes a plurality of convex portions protruding in a radial direction, and a notch portion notched in a direction orthogonal to a circumferential direction on at least one of outer edge side end portions in the direction orthogonal to the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Araki, Norihiro Tajima, Mitsuteru Mimura
  • Patent number: 8900465
    Abstract: Methods for reducing the surface roughness of magnetic media to be used in storage drives are described. One such method includes forming a recording media on a substrate, the recording media including at least one recording layer configured to store information magnetically, depositing a first layer of carbon on the recording media, the first carbon layer having a first average preselected thickness, etching the first carbon layer to have a second average preselected thickness less than the first average preselected thickness, depositing a second layer of carbon on the etched first carbon layer, the second carbon layer having a third average preselected thickness that is less than the first average preselected thickness, and implanting nitrogen in the second carbon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Yang Yun, Xiaofeng Yao, Yi Chen, Paul C. Dorsey
  • Patent number: 8881374
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension including a load beam, a flexure and a limiter for restricting the range of motion of the flexure with respect to the load beam. The load beam includes an aperture and an engaged portion adjacent to the aperture. The flexure, in an unformed state, includes a slider mounting region and a generally planar engagement structure extending from the slider mounting region. The engagement structure includes a tab portion extending from the slider mounting region and a hook portion extending from the tab portion. During a first forming operation the hook portion is bent around a tooling die to a ninety degree angle with respect to the tab portion. The flexure is then welded to the load beam with the hook portion extending into the aperture. During a second forming operation the tab portion is bent around a tooling die to a ninety degree angle with respect to the slider mounting region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jacob D. Bjorstrom, Reid C. Danielson, Eric O. Naatz, John A. Rickeman
  • Patent number: 8881375
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Michael W. Davis
  • Patent number: 8875386
    Abstract: An HSA transport comb includes an alignment pin extending from the comb body into a tooling hole of the actuator arm, and a separator finger in contact with a suspension assembly of an HGA with the transport comb in a second angular orientation with respect to the actuator arm, but not in a first angular orientation. The transport comb includes a restraining tower extending into a mass-reduction opening of the actuator arm. The restraining tower includes a first lobe that fits within the mass-reduction opening with the transport comb in the first angular orientation, but not with the transport comb in the second angular orientation. The restraining tower also includes a first neck that fits within the mass-reduction opening with the transport comb in either angular orientation, and has a neck height that is greater than the actuator arm thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory G. Foisy
  • Publication number: 20140317911
    Abstract: A method manufactures a disk drive unit that includes a rotor to rotate a disk set thereon, and a fixed body to rotatably support the rotor via a lubricant, by cutting the rotor integrally including a sleeve surrounding a shaft of the fixed body and a hub on which the disk is set, by a wavy cutting process to form a dynamic pressure generating groove to generate a dynamic pressure in the lubricant and having wavy undulations at a bottom part thereof, and cutting a surface of the rotor opposing a ring-shaped member that is included in the fixed body and covers a gas-liquid interface of the lubricant provided between the rotor and the fixed body, by a wavy cutting process to form an air flow generating groove to generate an air flow between the rotor and the ring-shaped member and having wavy undulations at a bottom part thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisayuki AOSHIMA
  • Patent number: 8869382
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a suspension for a disk drive includes providing and assembling an actuator coupling plate, a bend region, a load beam, and a head receiving gimbal. The load beam has a first end and a second end and defines a longitudinal axis that bisects the first end and the second end. The load beam is coupled to the gimbal proximate the first end and includes a base region proximate the second end, the base region having a first lateral section to one side of the longitudinal axis and a second lateral section to another side of the longitudinal axis. The first and the second lateral sections define a gap therebetween, and the base region has a bridge extending across the gap. A constraint layer overlays the gap and the bridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Westren Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Min Lee, Tzong-Shii Pan
  • Patent number: 8869385
    Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a component relative to an associated component. The apparatus includes a component receiver and onto which the component is disposed. The apparatus also includes an associated component receiver and onto which the associated component is disposed. The component receiver orients the component into a position for retaining the component to the associated component. The apparatus further includes a retention device driver for inserting a retention device, the retention device retaining the component to the associated component in the position. The apparatus also includes an optical position verifier for verifying the position of the component and the associated component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jen-Yuan Chang, Khaled M. Fawzi, Russell D. Moates, Edgar D. Rothenberg
  • Publication number: 20140304979
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a base, a hub on which a recording disk is to be mounted, and a fluid dynamic bearing unit that supports the hub in a freely rotatable manner relative to the base. The hub includes a hub protrusion to be engaged with the center hole of the recording disk, and amount portion on which the recording disk is to be mounted. A manufacturing method of this disk drive device applies electromechanical machining to the hub protrusion to form an electromechanical machined surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo KODAMA, Masafumi MIZUNO, Kazuhiko NAKATANI, Masato MORIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8857046
    Abstract: A base material has a vibration damper provided detachably on a liner through an attaching surface. An apparatus is used when punching the vibration damper piece from the base material. The punched vibration damper piece is attached on an objective portion of a semi-finished head suspension. The apparatus includes a hollow punch and a punch drive mechanism. The hollow punch has a tooth portion at a distal end and a hollow internal surface that has a holding force larger than an attaching force of the vibration damper to the liner. The hollow punch punches the vibration damper piece out from the base material to hold the vibration damper piece on the hollow internal surface. The punch drive mechanism drives the hollow punch backward and forward in a punching direction, so that the vibration damper piece is punched with the tooth portion without punching out the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Tsutsumi, Tsuyoshi Amemiya
  • Publication number: 20140259642
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a bearing component for a dynamic pressure bearing is provided. The method includes forming a plurality of individual recesses in a groove dispose area in an end face of the bearing component along respective turns of a spiral line having a distance from a center of the bearing component gradually increasing turn by turn from an inner circumference of the groove dispose area to an outer circumference thereof. Each of the plurality of individual recesses is disposed so as to partially overlap at least one adjoining individual recess in a radial direction to form a thrust dynamic pressure generating groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisayuki Aoshima
  • Patent number: 8813345
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive device includes (a) assembling a sub assembly by assembling a bearing unit and a rotating body to a fixed body in a clean room, the rotating body being supported by the bearing unit in a freely rotatable manner to the fixed body, (b) cleaning the sub assembly by spraying a mixture of a cleaning liquid and a first gas to at least either one of the fixed body and the rotating body; and (c) enclosing the sub assembly using an enclosing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nishihara, Hirofumi Kajiwara
  • Patent number: 8782900
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a rotating device includes a first machining process of machining a bearing hole while supplying a first cutting lubricant to a base member, a second machining process continuous from the first machining process, the second machining process being of machining a tap hole while supplying a second cutting lubricant to the base member, a blowing process of blowing at least either one of the bearing hole and the tap hole with a fluid in order to eliminate a machining residue, the blowing process including an air spraying process and a liquid spraying process, a cleaning process of cleaning the base member, and an assembling process of assembling the base member with the bearing unit and the rotating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Hiramoto, Noboru Masuda
  • Patent number: 8763235
    Abstract: A method for bonding a first substrate to a second substrate is described. The first substrate includes a first plurality of solder pads, a first alignment mark set, and a first plurality of dots. The second substrate includes a second plurality of solder pads, a second alignment mark set, and a second plurality of dots configured to interlock with the first plurality of dots. The method includes aligning the first alignment mark set with the second alignment mark set. The first alignment mark sets being aligned corresponds to the dots and the solder pads being aligned. The method also includes locking the first plurality of dots with the second plurality of dots to form an interlocking key. The method also includes reflowing at least one of the first and second pluralities of solder pads. The dots remain substantially solid during the reflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Lei Wang, Luc Ving Chung
  • Patent number: 8756776
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a microactuator. The method includes providing a sheet of a piezoelectric material having an electrically conductive layer on at least one side of the sheet. The method includes cutting the sheet to form a plurality of piezoelectric elements. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a first element side with an electrically conductive layer. Each first element side includes a peripheral portion and an exposed portion interior to the peripheral portion. The method includes forming an encapsulation layer over the peripheral portion and not over the exposed portion of at least one of the sides. The encapsulation layer comprises a material of lesser electrical conductivity than the electrically conductive layer. An apparatus for manufacturing the microactuators may also be provided that includes a first fixture and first and second alignment combs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yih-Jen D. Chen, Robert J. McNab
  • Patent number: 8752278
    Abstract: A method of reclaiming a head suspension includes detaching a slider 225 from a tongue 221 of the head suspension and removing an adhesive 227 remaining on the tongue 221. Removing the adhesive 227 remaining on the tongue 221 includes feeding a solvent 243, which promotes the removal of the adhesive 227, to a part of the tongue 221 where the adhesive 227 remains and promoting the removal of the remaining adhesive 227 from the tongue 221 by applying physical energy to the adhesive remaining part on the tongue 221. The physical energy is produced by heating, supersonic vibration, and the like. The method easily removes the adhesive 227 from the tongue 221 without directly applying mechanical force to the tongue 221, thereby improving yields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaru Inoue, Sei Kawao, Takeshi Shimoda
  • Patent number: 8745844
    Abstract: A method of attaching a head assembly having an annular hollow boss to an arm having a through hole of a carriage is provided. The head assembly includes a load beam of a head suspension and a base plate fixed to a base part of the load beam. The boss is formed on the base plate. The method includes steps of, inserting the boss into the through hole, thereby setting the head assembly to the arm of the carriage, supplying lubricant along the cylindrical jig to the caulking ball and pushing the caulking ball with the cylindrical jig to pass the caulking ball through an inside of the boss and diametrally expand and plastically deform the boss, thereby fixedly fitting the boss of the head assembly to the through hole of the arm of the carriage. The method causes no deformation of a flange formed on the base plate during caulking and is achievable at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Hanya