Adjustment Along Rotational Axis Of Disk Patents (Class 360/294.7)
  • Patent number: 11341991
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a housing, a temperature sensor in the housing, a magnetic disk in the housing, a magnetic head disposed in the housing to be movable in a radial direction of the magnetic disk, the magnetic head including a write head, a read head, a first thermal actuator, and a second thermal actuator, a power supply circuit which supplies first power to the first thermal actuator and supplies second power to the second thermal actuator, and a controller configured to adjust a power ratio between the first power and the second power, based on at least one of a change in temperature inside the housing and a change in a radial position of the magnetic head in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Mio Okada, Toru Watanabe, Masami Yamane
  • Patent number: 11120826
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and methods for using a comparator-based, relaxation oscillator circuit to detect capacitance of a capacitor formed between a metallic feature in a read/write head and a metallic feature in a storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Johnson, Peng Peng, Declan Macken
  • Patent number: 10990010
    Abstract: The present invention is a photosensitive resin composition to be used in an etching process in which an etching treatment is conducted with an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid or ammonium fluoride. The photosensitive resin composition comprises at least (A) an acid-modified epoxy acrylate, (B) a photopolymerization initiator, (C) a blocked isocyanate compound, and (D) a filler. The etching process involves forming a photosensitive resin layer comprising said photosensitive resin composition, on at least one surface of a substrate; exposing and then developing the photosensitive resin layer; baking the photosensitive layer; and conducting an etching treatment with an etching solution containing hydrofluoric acid or ammonium fluoride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI PAPER MILLS LIMITED
    Inventors: Munetoshi Irisawa, Norihiko Gokan, Kunihito Kajiya, Yuji Toyoda, Kunihiro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10446181
    Abstract: A transducing head having a media-facing surface includes a transducer element, a bottom shield positioned below the transducer element, a heater element positioned below the bottom shield, a heat transfer block positioned below the heater element, and a push block assembly. A first portion of the push block assembly is positioned below a bottom edge of the bottom shield, and a second portion of the push block assembly is located behind the bottom shield relative to the media-facing surface of the transducing head and extends above the bottom edge of the bottom shield, with the first and second portions of the push block assembly spaced from each other. The second portion of the push block assembly overlaps the heater element, and the heater element is positioned between the heat transfer block and at least the second portion of the push block assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventor: Erik J. Hutchinson
  • Patent number: 9773514
    Abstract: A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording includes a read head unit, a write head unit disposed forward of the read head unit along the direction of travel of a recording medium, a heater that generates heat for causing the medium facing surface to protrude in part, an expansion layer that makes part of the medium facing surface protrude, and a sensor that detects contact of the part of the medium facing surface with the recording medium. The write head unit includes a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section includes a yoke layer located backward of the main pole along the direction of travel of the recording medium, a first coupling part that couples the yoke layer and the write shield to each other, and a second coupling part that is located away from the medium facing surface and couples the yoke layer and the main pole to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignees: HEADWAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Sasaki, Hiroyuki Ito, Kazuki Sato, Atsushi Iijima
  • Patent number: 9390741
    Abstract: A head transducer, configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium, includes a first sensor having a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and configured to produce a first sensor signal, and a second sensor having a TCR and configured to produce a second sensor signal. One of the first and second sensors is situated at or near a close point of the head transducer in relation to the magnetic recording medium, and the other of the first and second sensors spaced away from the close point. Circuitry is configured to combine the first and second sensor signals and produce a combined sensor signal indicative of one or both of a change in head-medium spacing and head-medium contact. Each of the sensors may have a TCR with the same sign (positive or negative) or each sensor may have a TCR with a different sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAEGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Michael Thomas Johnson, Dongming Liu, Huazhou Lou, Declan Macken, Timothy William Stoebe, James Gary Wessel, Xuan Zheng
  • Patent number: 9053724
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a first disk surface and a second disk surface, a first head operable to be positioned over the first disk surface, a second head operable to be positioned over the second disk surface, a first microactuator operable to actuate the first head, and a second microactuator operable to actuate the second head. The first head is actuated over the first disk surface using the first microactuator while processing a second sensor signal generated by the second microactuator, and the second head is actuated over the second disk surface using the second microactuator while processing a first sensor signal generated by the first microactuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alain Chahwan, Mingji Lou
  • Patent number: 9030773
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a near-field transducer at or near an air bearing surface of the apparatus. A write pole is disposed at or near the air bearing surface and proximate the near-field transducer, respectively. A thermal sensor is disposed at the air bearing surface and within a protrusion region of the air bearing surface defined relative to at least one of the near-field transducer and the write pole. The thermal sensor is configured to produce a signal indicative of a temperature at the protrusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Declan Macken, James Dillon Kiely, Manuel Charles Anaya-Dufresne
  • Patent number: 9019646
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a write element configured to apply a magnetic field to write data on a portion of a heat-assisted magnetic recording media in response to an energizing current. An energy source is configured to heat the portion of the media being magnetized by the write element. A preheat energizing current is applied to the write element during an interval before writing the data to the portion of the media. The preheat energizing current does not cause data to be written to the media and brings at least one of the write element and driver circuitry into thermal equilibrium prior to writing the data on the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tim Rausch, Jon D. Trantham, John West Dykes, Housan Dakroub, Charles Paul Henry, Edward Charles Gage, Raul Horacio Andruet, James Gary Wessel, James Dillon Kiely, Bruce Douglas Buch, Barmeshwar Vikramaditya
  • Patent number: 8929016
    Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a magnetic writer comprising a main write pole and a return write pole. The magnetic recording head includes a write heater assembly comprising at least one first heater subassembly and at least one second heater subassembly. At least part of the magnetic write head is disposed between the first heater subassembly and the second heater subassembly. When the first heater subassembly, the second heater subassembly, and the magnetic writer are energized, a variation in the thermal protrusion of the head media interface of the magnetic recording head may be less than about 20 nm along the down track and/or cross track directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Kaizhong Gao, Raul Horacio Andruet, Xiaobin Wang
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8879189
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnetic head slider includes at least one magnetic head element chosen from a group consisting of: a write element adapted for writing data to a magnetic recording medium and a read element adapted for reading data from the magnetic recording medium, a heater element adapted for controlling a flying height of the at least one magnetic head element above the magnetic recording medium, a contact sensor element adapted for detecting contact between the magnetic head slider near the at least one magnetic head element and the magnetic recording medium, and shared terminals adapted for supplying voltage to the heater element and for conveying signals from the contact sensor element. Other magnetic head sliders and methods of use are described according to additional embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Norifumi Miyamoto, Satoshi Tabata, Akira Morinaga, Masahiro Ito
  • Patent number: 8837071
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a near-field transducer at or near an air bearing surface of the apparatus. A write pole is disposed at or near the air bearing surface and proximate the near-field transducer, respectively. A thermal sensor is disposed at the air bearing surface and within a protrusion region of the air bearing surface defined relative to at least one of the near-field transducer and the write pole. The thermal sensor is configured to produce a signal indicative of a temperature at the protrusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Declan Macken, James Dillon Kiely, Manuel Charles Anaya-Dufresne
  • Patent number: 8837075
    Abstract: A head assembly including one or more transducer elements for controlling head-media spacing is disclosed. The assembly includes detection circuitry configured to receive an input detection signal responsive to the spacing between the head and the data storage media and provide an output measure indicative of the head-media spacing. The output signal is utilized by control circuitry to provide a control input to one of a plurality of transducer elements on the head to protrude a localized portion of the head to adjust head-media spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jorge Vicente Hanchi, Dian Song, John Stuart Wright, Andrew D. White
  • Patent number: 8830614
    Abstract: Approaches for a hard-disk drive (HDD) having a balanced resistive temperature detector (RTD). A HDD includes a head slider comprising a single RTD. A read/write IC comprises a balance resistor having the same resistance as the single RTD when the head slider is not in physical contact with the disk. The same amount of current flows through the single RTD and the balance resistor except when the head slider is in physical contact with the disk. Detecting a voltage change across the single RTD enables physical contact between the head slider and the disk to be accurately detected using a circuit with low noise. Alternately, the head slider may include two RTDs connected in sequence, and the balance resistor may possess the same resistance as the two RTDs. The two RTDs may vary inversely with environmental changes to avoid the need to recalibrate the balance resistor after any environmental change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Samir Y. Garzon, Rehan Ahmed Zakai, John Thomas Contreras
  • Patent number: 8717714
    Abstract: In a positioning and driving system including a rotating magnetic disk, a magnetic head slider that floats above the surface of the magnetic disk and writes data to and reads data from a track provided on the magnetic disk, an actuator that positions the magnetic head slider in a radial direction of the magnetic disk, and an amplifier that supplies electrical power to the actuator in accordance with the input signal and performs a driving operation, provided is the configuration of an electrothermal actuator driving system that obtains continuous displacement over the entire required operating range with respect to changes in an input voltage by using only one amplifier and that is incorporated into a feedback control system and is suitable for high-speed and high-precision positioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Haruaki Otsuki
  • Patent number: 8711520
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a magnetic disk includes rotating a magnetic disk, supporting a floating head on the rotating magnetic disk, the floating head having a slider body and an element unit formed on a trailing edge of the slider body, contacting a floating surface of the slider body with the magnetic disk, and protruding a portion of the floating head toward the magnetic disk due to application of power to a heater element within the element unit, wherein the element unit is positioned away from the magnetic disk. In another embodiment, a floating head includes a slider body comprising AlTiC, an element unit positioned on a trailing edge of the slider body, the element unit having an initial recess amount of at least about 4 nm, and a heater element positioned within an alumina protective film of the element unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Minoru Koike, Eiji Nakanishi, Yoshinori Takeuchi, Hiroshi Agari, Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Takayoshi Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 8675313
    Abstract: A suspension board with circuit includes a mounting portion for mounting thereon a slider, a supporting portion for supporting one end portion of the mounting portion, a facing portion facing the mounting portion to be spaced apart therefrom, and a driving portion provided between the mounting portion and the facing portion. The driving portion includes a heater; and an expansive portion which is thermally expanded by heat generated from the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Naotaka Higuchi, Hitoki Kanagawa, Tetsuya Ohsawa, Daisuke Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 8595917
    Abstract: A flexure 11 has a substrate 13 made of a thin conductive metal plate, a base insulating layer 31 made of flexible resin formed on the substrate, wiring patterns 15 formed on the base insulating layer and connected to a slider mount 17, and a cover insulating layer 33 formed over the wiring patterns. The flexure 11 is substantially coated with a conductive polymer layer 39 having a thickness in the range of 18 to 130 nm. The flexure 11 prevents electrostatic accumulation and ion migration that are trade-offs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Arai, Eijiro Furuta, Koichi Kusakawa
  • Patent number: 8488281
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a suspension assembly that includes a load beam and a laminated flexure. The laminated flexure includes a structural layer, a dielectric layer, and an electrically conductive layer. The electrically conductive layer includes a plurality of flexure bond pads. The structural layer includes a tongue and a flexure bond pad shelf. The flexure bond pad shelf underlies each of the plurality of flexure bond pads. The flexure bond pad shelf is separate from the tongue in the structural layer so that the structural layer nowhere connects the flexure bond pad shelf to the tongue. A fine actuator may be disposed on and bonded to the tongue to produce relative motion between the head and the tongue. With the flexure bond pads bonded to the plurality of head bond pads, the fine actuator may also produce relative motion between the flexure bond pad shelf and the tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventor: Tzong-Shii Pan
  • Patent number: 8310779
    Abstract: A head or slider having a sensor element to detect changes in head-media spacing is disclosed. In illustrated embodiments the sensor element includes a piezoelectric sensor layer or similar layer that provides acoustic emission or vibration responsive to changes in head-media spacing. In illustrated embodiments, the sensor element is located proximate to the close point of the head and slider. In embodiments described in the specification, output from the sensor element is utilized to energize a heating element or microactuator to control pole tip protrusion or actuation of transducer elements responsive to changes in head-media spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jorge Vicente Hanchi, Dian Song, John Stuart Wright, Andrew D. White
  • Patent number: 8289659
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling the position of a magnetic head element and/or the magnetic head element to media spacing in a data storage device. At least one microactuator is embedded in a hard disk drive slider laterally displaced from the magnetic head element. Activation of the microactuator translates the magnetic head element in a lateral direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Carnegie Mellon University
    Inventors: James A. Bain, William C. Messner
  • Patent number: 8284524
    Abstract: A recording head for use in magnetic storage devices is disclosed. The recording head includes a transducer that is bi-directionally movable with respect to a surface of the magnetic storage medium, thereby enabling improved positioning of the transducer during recording head read and write operations. The recording head includes an interleaver assembly having a plurality of flexure assemblies. Electrostatic charges are employed in the flexure assemblies for selective actuation to provide a motional force to the transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Inventor: Dallas W. Meyer
  • Patent number: 8276256
    Abstract: A method of assembling a head stack assembly (HSA) includes securing a flex cable to an actuator including an actuator arm having a side slot with a slot end. A first head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to the actuator arm. The first HGA includes a first laminated flexure having a first flexure tail with a first raised region that includes an out-of-plane bend. The first raised region is squeezed while inserting the first flexure tail partially within the side slot with the first raised region adjacent the slot end. The first raised region is allowed to expand into contact with the side slot adjacent the slot end. The first flexure tail is electrically connected to the flex cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Yiduo Zhang, Tzong-Shii Pan, Yih-Jen D. Chen
  • Patent number: 8191233
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a head stack assembly incorporating device connects a head stack assembly to the base of a magnetic disk device by screwing a connector on the bottom surface of the rotational shaft of the head stack assembly and a connector on the base of the magnetic device together. The head stack assembly incorporating device includes a chuck and a driving-force transmitter. The chuck pinches the rotational shaft of the head stack assembly from the upper surface of the head stack assembly to be fixed to the rotational shaft. The chuck is rotatable around the central axis of the rotational shaft. The driving-force transmitter transmits a rotational force to the chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ryousuke Naide, Takeshi Kurumizawa
  • Patent number: 8146235
    Abstract: A head suspension for supporting a head slider over a storage media in a dynamic storage device is provided with a head suspension component having a spring metal layer, an electrically conductive layer and a dielectric layer interposed between the metal layer and the electrically conductive layer. A plurality of electrically conductive traces with bond pads are formed in the electrically conductive layer. A feature datum is also formed in the electrically conductive layer on a detachable carrier strip. The feature datum defines a first edge in the electrically conductive layer parallel to an edge of the bond pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Raymond R. Wolter
  • Patent number: 8094418
    Abstract: A vertically stacked DFH design in a read/write head is disclosed that allows independent control of write gap protrusion and read gap protrusion. A first heater is formed in an insulation layer proximate to a sensor in a read head. A second heater is formed in a second insulation layer proximate to the write pole tip in a main pole layer. The two heaters are connected in series or in parallel through leads to a power source that activates the heaters. In one embodiment, the heaters have a fixed resistance ratio. Preferably, there are two drivers in the power source so that a first power can be applied to the first heater and a second power can be applied to the second heater to enable an adjustment of reader protrusion/writer protrusion or gamma ratio. Fast reader and writer actuation is achieved and low power consumption is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Headway Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Erhard Schreck, Kowang Liu
  • Patent number: 8085509
    Abstract: A write circuit and a head for a hard disk drive. The head includes a substrate that has an electrical ground and a write element that has a center tap. The head also has a resistor that is connected to the center tap and the electrical ground. The resistor provides a return path for AC and DC components of any common mode signal in a write circuit. The resistor can also generate heat that thermally expands the head and varies a head flying height. The write element is connected to an write driver circuit that provides in phase currents to a write element during the write operation and out of phase currents during a read operation. The out of phase currents allow for thermal expansion and flying height control even during a read operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Eunkyu Jang
  • Patent number: 8082656
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension having a plated load point dimple. A photoresist mask having an opening with load point-defining side walls and a load point diameter is formed over a planar portion of a spring metal member. Metal is plated onto the spring metal member in the opening to form a load point having the load point diameter on the planar portion of the spring metal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Zachary A. Pokornowski, Michael W. Davis
  • Patent number: 8081398
    Abstract: Provided is a thin-film magnetic head, in which the magnetic spacing can be controlled appropriately, regardless of the presence of the variation in height of the medium-opposed surface of the closure. The thin-film magnetic head includes: at least one head element formed on or above an element-formation surface of a substrate, for reading data from a magnetic recording medium and/or writing data to a magnetic recording medium; an overcoat layer formed on the element-formation surface so as to cover the at least one head element; and at least one closure adhered to at least a portion of an upper surface of the overcoat layer. Here, at least one of the at least one closure includes at least one element for adjusting the height of a medium-opposed surface of the closure. The element is preferably a heating element provided within the closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Nozomu Hachisuka
  • Patent number: 7974046
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film magnetic head which surely improves the writing and reading characteristic with reducing the flying height and surely handles the contact or collision with the magnetic recording medium. A thin-film magnetic head is provided, which includes, an substrate with ABS; a read or write head element provided on an element-formed surface of the substrate; at least one protrusion adjustment portion whose end reaches a slider end surface on the ABS side, which provides on an element-formed surface of the substrate; at least one heating portion provided rear at least one protrusion adjustment portion viewed from the slider end surface on the ABS side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Norikazu Ota, Tetsuya Roppongi, Hiraku Hirabayashi, Yuichi Watabe
  • Patent number: 7957104
    Abstract: A flexure with improved temperature sensitivity is disclosed. An embodiment of the present invention includes a bi-layered flexure that raises or lowers a read/write element a distance that is approximately equal to the distance of protrusion and retraction at varying temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (HK) Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen Fu, Ellis T. Cha, Chao-Hui Yang
  • Patent number: 7948713
    Abstract: A magnetic head slider includes at least one thin-film magnetic head formed on a trailing surface of the magnetic head slider, and an ABS to be faced a magnetic disk in operation. At least a part of the ABS is made of a giant magnetostrictive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Ohta, Kei Hirata
  • Patent number: 7933098
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is disclosed that is capable of improving the thermal efficiency of a heater. A thin film magnetic head includes: a lower shield layer; an upper shield layer; a reproducing element that is provided between the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer; a recording element that is formed on the upper shield layer; a heater that generates heat to expand at least one of the reproducing element and the recording element such that the reproducing element and/or the recording element protrude toward a recording medium; and a shunt line that applies a reference potential that is equal to the potentials of the lower shield layer and the upper shield layer to a magnetic layer of the recording element. In the thin film magnetic head, the shunt line is connected to the magnetic layer of the recording element at a position that deviates from the center of a heat generating region of the heater in a track width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoo Otsuka, Manabu Usui
  • Patent number: 7926167
    Abstract: A method to assemble a disk drive having a spindle that includes a hub. At least one disk is placed on the hub. A clamp is fastened to the hub by a plurality of threaded fasteners. Each of the plurality of threaded fasteners is initially tightened. After initial tightening, an initial couple imbalance of the spindle is determined. After the initial couple imbalance is determined, a first selected threaded fastener of the plurality of threaded fasteners is selected and rotated by a first amount of rotation that is significantly different from a second amount of rotation of a second selected threaded fastener of the plurality of threaded fasteners. The selection and rotation of the first selected threaded fastener of the plurality of fasteners is determined based on the initial couple imbalance of the spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael K. Liebman, Antony Tuyen Nguyen, Thomas Anthony Tacklind, August L. Klerks, Amir Norton
  • Patent number: 7911738
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a magnetic head slider provided with a heater disposed near a read element to adjust flying height, is required to increase a thermal protrusion by heat generated by the heater without increasing a thermal protrusion attributable to heat generated by a recording current or environmental temperature. A magnetic head slider includes a thin-film head unit including a read element, a heater having a thin heating line extended above and below the read element, a write element, and an insulating layer of alumina (Al2O3) or the like insulating those components. The thin heating line of the heater is formed from a thin resistive film of NiCr or the like. The thin heating line of the heater is extended above and below the read element so as to meander in a zigzag shape in a direction perpendicular to the device forming surface. The thin heating line has a thickness between about 0.1 and 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kurita, Toshiya Shiramatsu, Masanori Tanabe, Takayoshi Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 7881017
    Abstract: A fly height control apparatus for supporting a magnetic recording transducer comprises a trifurcated slider. A piezoelectric transducer is coupled to a surface of the central trifurcation of the trifurcated slider. The surface is opposite and parallel to an air bearing surface of the trifurcated slider. An electrical coupling means couples the piezoelectric transducer to a suspension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Netherlands, B.V.
    Inventors: Charanjit Bhatia, Yoshiki Midori
  • Patent number: 7861399
    Abstract: A method for loading single head in a hard disk drive includes the following steps: mounting a head assembly (30) in a baseplate (10) of a hard disk drive, the head assembly comprising an actuator arm (32), a suspension (34) and a HGA, the baseplate engaging a motor (110) and the HGA is positioned close to the motor; biasing the suspension by a mounting tool (50) from the original position, the mounting tool comprising a cantilever arm (52), a pressing head (54) and a supporting rod (56), wherein, the mounting tool rotates to the suspension and gets down to press the suspension; mounting a disk (90) on the motor in the baseplate; and releasing the pressing head from the suspension, loading the HGA of the head assembly to a parking zone of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: ESGW Holdings Limited
    Inventors: Ming-Goei Sheu, YuQing Niu
  • Patent number: 7835115
    Abstract: A recording head for use in magnetic storage devices is disclosed. The recording head includes flexure assemblies that can be selectively and electrically charged to provide a motional force to selectively move the flexure assemblies and to cause corresponding movement of a transducer with to a surface of a magnetic medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventor: Dallas W. Meyer
  • Patent number: 7804665
    Abstract: A head support device that is resistant to shock due to external impact, a disk device including the head support device, and a portable electronic device including the disk device are disclosed. In the head support device, a head support arm on which a head slider with a head is disposed through a flexible and elastic gimbal mechanism is formed rotatably about a rotary shaft as a horizontal rotating axis in parallel with a disk surface. The head support arm is formed such that it pivots, about a straight line drawn between apexes of a pair of pivots as a vertical pivot axis, vertically (generally perpendicularly) with respect to the disk surface. A gravity center position of a total mass of members, other than the head slider, pivoting about the vertical pivot axis is positioned near the vertical pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Miyamoto, Hideki Kuwajima, Yoshihiro Ueno, Hideyuki Hashi
  • Patent number: 7791841
    Abstract: A head slider for a hard disk drive is disclosed. The slider includes an operation device associated with a read/write head and adapted to change the flying height between the read/write head and a disk in relation to temperature. The operation device may be formed from a material that expands and contracts in relation to temperature in order to change the flying height, or a material that undergoes bending deformation in relation to temperature in order to change the flying height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-gyoo Yoo, No-yeol Park
  • Patent number: 7755867
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a controlled air bearing which allows adjustable control over the magnetic spacing between the pole tips of a slider and the surface of the disc. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a slider for use in a data storage system, the slider comprises a base portion having a leading edge end and a trailing edge end. The embodiment further comprises a movable air bearing surface element positioned at the leading edge end of the base portion. Finally, the embodiment further comprises an actuator positioned at the leading edge end of the base portion and coupling the base portion to the movable air bearing surface element, the actuator selectively controllable to move the movable air bearing surface element relative to the base portion to alter an air bearing surface provided by the base portion and the movable air bearing surface element to thereby control a fly height of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Youping Mei, Lance E. Stover
  • Patent number: 7738216
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes a slider that floats from a surface of a recording medium by an airflow generated on the surface of the recording medium to be rotated, and a thin film magnetic head element structure that is formed on an air discharging end face of the slider. A thermal plastic deformation portion is provided in the vicinity of the air discharging end face on a back surface of a recording medium facing surface of a slider so that a part of the thin film magnetic head element structure is further spaced from the surface of the recording medium than the recording medium facing surface of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Masanobu Sato, Akihiro Sato, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7738214
    Abstract: When exogenous noise is applied to the ground wire of a thin film magnetic head, crosstalk noise occurs in a lead line and a ground lines located near the ground wire. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention avoid this by providing a common terminal near the central portion of a thin film head portion. Write element terminals are connected to lines extending from a coil. Read element terminals are connected to lead wires extending from electrodes of a GMR element. A heater terminal is connected to a line extending from a heater. The common terminal is connected to a ground line of upper and lower shields via a resistor, to ground lines of electrodes via other resistors and to a ground line of upper and lower magnetic pole pieces of a write element via another resistor. A ground line of a slider, a ground line of the heater, and a ground line of the common terminal are all connected to a ground terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Takayoshi Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 7729086
    Abstract: A magnetic head for perpendicular magnetic recording includes a slider having an air bearing surface (ABS) and a trailing surface and a transducer fabricated on the trailing surface. The transducer includes a magnetoresistive (MR) read element disposed within a gap material bounded by shield material, an adjunct pole, and a main pole formed in an adjacent layered relationship to the adjunct pole. The adjunct pole has a front edge that is recessed from the ABS and a rear edge. The main pole has a write tip that extends approximately to the ABS. The transducer further includes a write coil having a first layer of turns below the adjunct pole and above the shield material. The magnetic head also includes a heating element with a portion of the heating element below the write coil and behind the rear edge of the adjunct pole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Suping Song, Kroum S. Stoev
  • Patent number: 7729088
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kurita, Toshiya Shiramatsu, Hidekazu Kohira, Mikio Tokuyama
  • Patent number: 7724480
    Abstract: A disk drive includes a drive circuitry, a storage disk and a slider having a slider body. The storage disk has a data surface, and the slider magnetically interacts with the storage disk to transmit a signal between the storage disk and the drive circuitry. The slider includes a leading surface, an opposed trailing surface, a data transducer positioned near the trailing surface, and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element receives a driving voltage from the drive circuitry to adjust a distance between the data transducer and the data surface. The slider includes a piezoelectric element supporter having a modulus of elasticity of less than that of the slider body and/or the piezoelectric element. In one embodiment, the piezoelectric element supporter is positioned between the slider body and the piezoelectric element and/or the data transducer. Further, in this embodiment, the piezoelectric element may or may not have one or more exposed surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Wei Guo, Jifang Tian
  • Patent number: 7701676
    Abstract: A flying head slider includes a write head element and a read head element mounted on the slider body. A first transformable actuator serves to protrude the write head element toward a recording medium. A second transformable actuator serves to protrude the read head element toward the recording medium. The first and second transformable actuators can separately be controlled. The amount of protrusion can thus be individually controlled for the write head element and the read head element. The flying height can individually be set above the surface of the recording medium for the write head element and the read head element. Such an adjustment of the flying height enables the write head element and the read head element to simultaneously get closest to the recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Storage Device Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kubotera, Takahiro Imamura
  • Patent number: 7692888
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for fly height detection. The apparatus includes an actuator configured to induce vibrations in a glide head that is configured to detect physical asperities on a disk surface. The apparatus may also include a second end of the suspension arm coupled with the glide head and a sensor module that is configured to communicate with a control module in response to the glide head coming in contact with at least one physical asperity. The system includes the apparatus, a disk having a surface comprising physical asperities, and a head gimbal assembly configured to calibrate a fly height margin for the disk. The method includes inducing vibrations in a glide head, detecting physical asperities on a disk surface, and communicating with a control module in response to the glide head coming in contact with at least one physical asperity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Shanlin Duan, Jizhong He, John Stephen Hopkins
  • Patent number: 7684153
    Abstract: Crosstalk from a write signal on wiring on a suspension needs to be reduced since an ESD withstand voltage is decreased due to high sensitivity of a GMR head. In one embodiment, a terminal arrangement on an element-forming surface of a magnetic head slider consists of a ground terminal G, a read terminal R+, a read terminal R?, a write terminal W+ and a write terminal W? in order from the outside. With this terminal arrangement, the wiring order on a suspension consists of a read wire R?, a read wire R+, a ground line G, a write wire W? and a write wire W+ in an arrangement unlike the terminal arrangement. In other words, the ground line G is interposed between the write wires W and the read wires R.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Takayoshi Ohtsu, Nobumasa Nishiyama