Bob Clyde Robinson

Title: Bob Clyde Robinson: Innovator in Dynamic Fly Height Adjustment and Acoustic Emission Monitoring

Introduction

Bob Clyde Robinson is a notable inventor based in Hollister, CA (US). He holds a total of 7 patents that showcase his contributions to technology, particularly in the fields of dynamic fly height adjustment and acoustic emission monitoring.

Latest Patents

One of his latest patents is titled "Apparatus and method for dynamic fly height adjustment." This invention discloses an apparatus and method for dynamic fly height and roll adjustment of a physical asperity sensor (PAS) head. The PAS head is utilized to test disk asperity heights and mechanical interference, commonly known as glide height and take-off height. The PAS can be adjusted through a pivoting device, such as a joystick, coupled with one or more actuators. In one embodiment, the actuator is a piezoelectric motor. The PAS head may also utilize a detector to indicate the distance of the disk asperity from the PAS head. The method involves receiving a signal and, in response, operating the actuators to adjust the position of the pivoting device to achieve a selected positioning of either the fly height or the roll of the PAS.

Another significant patent is "System, method, and apparatus for in-situ acoustic emission monitoring of burnish heads in production during magnetic media cleaning or burnish process." This invention describes an in-situ technique for monitoring the acoustic emissions of burnish heads while they are engaged in cleaning or burnishing magnetic media. The burnishing process is monitored and controlled to identify interactions or contact between the head and media, which may arise from burnish head damage, substrate curvature issues, or lube pick-up problems. A piezoelectric sensor is mounted on the burnish arm that holds the burnish heads. When head-disk interaction occurs, stress waves travel through the head to the sensor, and an amplified signal is gathered in a tester database as an acoustic emission. Abnormal conditions will trigger an unusual emission that is detected to initiate an alert.

Career Highlights

Bob Clyde Robinson has worked with several prominent companies throughout his career, including Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. and IBM. His experience in these organizations has contributed significantly to his expertise and innovative capabilities.

Collaborations

Some of his notable coworkers include Bradley Frederick Baumgartner and Tony Mello. Their collaborations have