| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080259492 | Lapping plate texture for increased control over actual lapping force - A slider lapping texture for implementation in a lapping environment. The slider lapping texture includes a lapping texture structure for utilization in a lapping process performed on a slider. The structure also includes a first surface having a base elevation. The structure further includes a second surface at an elevation higher than the base elevation. The second surface is for lapping the slider. The structure additionally includes an opening for expelling residue associated with a lapping process. The slider lapping texture is configured to generate an attractive force when the slider is motioned thereupon in a substantially unidirectional manner. | 10-23-2008 |
| 20080304177 | FLOW MODIFIERS FOR IMPROVED MAGNETIC RECORDING DEVICE - Additives that inhibit the passage of oil across oil-air interfaces in disk drives and enable the use of the lower viscosity oil in disk drives are disclosed. Mass transfer of oil from the bulk liquid oil into the vapor phase takes place by oil molecules evaporating from the oil-air interface, or collections of oil molecules being ejected from the oil-air interface as aerosol. The invention reduces mass transfer across the oil-air interface through the use of oil-soluble surfactants. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080316640 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING AND SEALING AIRFLOW AROUND DISK DRIVE BYPASS WALLS - A seal is formed between bypass walls and a cover for a disk drive to improve control and regulation of airflow in the disk drive. The seal is formed with a gasket comprising a bead of form-in-place gasket between the upper edge of the bypass wall and the cover. The seal also may be formed between the cover and the slit shroud, spoiler, and filter. Minimum compression of the gasket is required to form the seal. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090002879 | Apparatus and method for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive - A sickle-shaped disk drive spoiler for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive is provided. The sickle-shaped spoiler includes a body portion for directing airflow generated by a rotating disk, the rotating disk comprising an inner diameter and an outer diameter and wherein the body portion of the spoiler directs airflow away from the outer diameter of the disk and wherein the body portion is curved to substantially mirror the outer diameter of the disk. The sickle-shaped spoiler also includes a first end portion for gradually directing airflow away from the body portion and towards the inner diameter and a second end portion for gradually directing airflow towards the body portion and towards the inner diameter. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090034125 | Load/unload ramp spoiler for a hard disk drive - A load/unload ramp spoiler for a hard disk drive is disclosed. One embodiment provides a load/unload ramp body having at least one load/unload ramp associated therewith, the at least one load/unload ramp for receiving at least one slider coupled with an actuator assembly. In addition, at least one spoiler is integrated with the load/unload ramp body to reduce detrimental local excitation of an airflow encountering the load/unload ramp body. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090063764 | Designed roughness and surface treatments for capillary buffer of fluid dynamic bearings - A contoured region is disposed within a capillary buffer of a Fluid Dynamic Bearing. In one embodiment, the contoured region comprises at least one defined edge for arresting the displacement of a lubricant within the capillary buffer. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090091857 | SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR MASS-BALANCED SPOILER IN DISK STORAGE DEVICES - A system and apparatus for reducing flutter in disk drive spoilers positions the center of mass of the mean aerodynamic section of the spoiler at or ahead of the quarter-chord location nearest the leading edge of the spoiler. A balance weight may be formed in or attached to the spoiler. The center of gravity is located no farther back from the leading edge than one quarter-chord in a direction of the flow field. Alternatively, the spoiler trailing edge is lightened by making the trailing edge more porous or thinner than other sections of the spoiler. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090092345 | System and method to electrically ground fluid dynamic bearings - A Spindle motor assembly that utilizes a fluid dynamic bearing electrically grounded to provide a conductive path through the spindle motor assembly. In one embodiment, the fluid dynamic bearing includes a liquid metal that is conductive and of low electrical resistance that provides the conductive path between the spindle and the spindle housing. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090103206 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR WALL SLOT IN DISK DRIVE BYPASS CHANNEL FOR ENHANCED VOICE COIL MOTOR COOLING - A hard disk drive bypass channel architecture incorporates enhanced cooling for voice coil motors. A cooling slot formed in a bypass channel component that is adjacent to the VCM alleviates VCM overheating problems. The slot compromises airflow from the bypass channel to provide sufficient secondary flow to cool the VCM and actuator coil area. The slot may be formed in the integrated wall of the spoiler or diverter. The spoiler has an extension in which the cooling slot is formed. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090237836 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING HARD DISK SHROUDS WITH AERODYNAMIC FENCES FOR SUPPRESSING FLOW INDUCED DISK EXCITATION - A system and method for stabilizing air flow in a shroud to disk region in a hard disk drive are disclosed. One embodiment provides a hard disk drive having a shroud with machined aerodynamic annulus insertions thereon for stabilizing the Ekman layer of air flow at the peripheral ends of the hard disks and the shroud. The aerodynamic annulus insertions are positioned in between disk pairs at approximately 1 mm from the peripheral ends of each disk to stabilize the air flow as the disk rotate and to ensure that the air flow leaves the hard disk drive at a fixed location. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090279203 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTEGRATED BYPASS CHANNEL AND DIVERTER FOR HARD DISK DRIVES - An integrated bypass channel and diverter assembly for hard disk drives having small form factors is disclosed. A bypass channel is formed directly in the base plate to allow a partial bypass to exist with or without a diverter feature. The design addresses the issue of proper disk shrouding at the same time as providing the desired features for small form factor drives. The invention includes three datum planes for aligning the machined features of the bypass channel with the drive during assembly. The machined bypass channel and the upstream diverter may be combined to form the integrated assembly. The primary air flow direction from the disk stack is through the integrated partial bypass in the enclosure body and around the diverter into the main bypass channel. The invention provides a drop-in position for the diverter that has minimal encroachment into the VCM area of the drive. | 11-12-2009 |
| 20110051577 | Using an Atmospheric Pressure Sensor in a Hard-Disk Drive (HDD) - Approaches for determining the likelihood that a hard-disk drive (HDD) will experience an imminent error in operation, and preventing the same, using an atmospheric pressure sensor are provided. The HDD comprises an atmospheric pressure sensor capable of determining the altitude at which the HDD is currently located. The HDD also comprises a risk assessment component capable of (a) determining an expression of how likely it is that the HDD will experience an imminent error in operation based, at least in part, upon the current altitude of the HDD, and (b) communicating the expression to a user of the HDD. The HDD may optionally comprise one or more of a particle counter, differential pressure sensor, and a chemical vapor sensor for use by the risk assessment component. If the HDD is above a particular altitude, the Thermal Fly-Height control settings of the heads may be adjusted to reduce risk of error. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110051582 | Predicting Operational Problems in a Hard-Disk Drive (HDD) - A method and apparatus for determining the likelihood that a hard-disk drive (HDD) will experience an imminent error in operation is provided. The HDD comprises a differential pressure sensor capable of measuring the difference in the pressure between the interior and the exterior of the enclosure. The differential pressure sensor may reside in a breather filter covering an air passage within the enclosure. The HDD also comprises a risk assessment component capable of (a) determining an expression of how likely it is that the HDD will experience an imminent error in operation based, at least in part, upon the difference in pressure measured by the pressure sensor, and (b) communicating the expression to a user of the HDD. The HDD may optionally comprise one or more of an atmospheric pressure sensor, a particle counter, and a chemical vapor sensor which may be used by the risk assessment component. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110090592 | Integrated Upstream Spoiler and Particle Filter in a Hard-Disk Drive (HDD) - Approaches for integrating an upstream spoiler with a particle filter in a hard-disk drive (HDD). According to an approach, a single part may comprise an upstream spoiler and an opening. The single part has a structure which enables an airborne particle filter to be positioned over or within the opening. The airborne particle filter, which covers the opening, has a curvature that follows the curvature of a shroud. When the upstream spoiler diverts a flow of air, which circulates within the enclosure when the magnetic-recording disk is rotating, from the magnetic-recording head, the upstream spoiler creates an area of relatively greater pressure. Air in the area of greater pressure flows through the airborne particle filter to an area of relatively lesser pressure, thereby removing airborne particles within the enclosure of the HDD. Alternately, the airborne particle filter may be positioned within slits present in the shroud and the upstream spoiler. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110090593 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING TURBULENCE OF AIRFLOW IN A HARD DISK DRIVE - A sickle-shaped disk drive spoiler for reducing turbulence of airflow in a hard disk drive is provided. The sickle-shaped spoiler is configured to direct airflow generated by a rotating disk and includes a tapered first end portion configured to direct the airflow toward the inner diameter of the disk and to reduce the airflow on the side of the disk opposing the spoiler. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110141619 | Upstream Spoiler with Integrated Crash Stop - Approaches for a single part that comprises an upstream spoiler and a crash stop for use within a hard-disk drive (HDD). The integrated upstream spoiler and crash stop has one or more wings which diverts and reduces the flow of air, resulting from the rotation of the magnetic-recording disks within the HDD, from a magnetic-recording head of the HDD. The integrated upstream spoiler and crash stop has a structure that also prevents the actuator from moving beyond a particular location. After the integrated upstream spoiler and crash stop has been affixed within the HDD, the one or more wings may be rotated between the one or more magnetic-recording disks into a desired position. | 06-16-2011 |
| 20110157744 | AEROSTATIC SEALING IN A HARD DISK DRIVE (HDD) - An aerodynamic device for aerostatic sealing in a hard disk drive (HDD) including an exterior surface configured to modify airflow in the HDD and proximate at least one magnetic disk and an inlet port configured to receive pressurized airflow. The aerodynamic device also includes a plurality of outlet ports disposed on the exterior surface configured to discharge the pressurized airflow directly onto the at least one magnetic disk and aerostatically seal the aerodynamic device with the at least one magnetic disk. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110157745 | AIR PUMP IN A HARD DISK DRIVE (HDD) - An air pump for generating air pressure in a hard disk drive (HDD) including a rotor disposed inside the HDD. The rotor comprises a first air pressure generating feature. The air pump further includes a stator. The stator includes a second air pressure generating feature. The first air pressure generating feature corresponds with the second air pressure generating feature and the air pressure is generated at a location where the first air pressure generating feature rotates in proximity to the second air pressure generating feature. | 06-30-2011 |
