International Business Machines Corporation

Allen Ronald Cox

David Michael Davis

James Mitchell Karp

John Ray Blair

Thomas R Albrecht

George G Zamora

Stephen Peter Legg

Neil Morris

John D Hartley

Robert W Burkhart

Wayne Isami Imaino

Paul Merrill Greco

Anthony Cyril Lowe

Dennis Hurley Byrne

David Mark Lee

John C Wood

Edmond W Smathers

Kate Lazenby

A drop detection device having a spherical inertia member disposed within an enclosure. The enclosure has multiple faces, preferably six faces oriented orthogonally, with each face having a pressure contact member. The exertion of a predetermined force by the spherical inertia member on the pressure contact member causes a signal to be activated. Multiple enclosures maybe disposed in different orientations in a housing of a fragile product to provide a signal if the product is dropped in any one of multiple directions.

Drop detection device

A battery mounting () is provided for detachable placement in a device. The battery mounting () comprises a housing () for at least one battery cell (), a clip () having a cammed surface () for cooperation with between the housing () and a portion of the device, a lock () with a-means for applying a force to the chip () for locking the battery mounting () in place in the device, and at least one power contact () for connecting the at least one battery cell () to the device. The lock () provides a load in the engaging direction of the at least one power contact ().

Device with detachable battery mounting

A data storage cartridge having an data storage device, such as an encased magnetic disk drive assembly, is, in one embodiment, of generally an exterior dimensional form factor of a tape cartridge having a leader block with a hole therethrough for engagement by a threading pin. To distinguish the cartridge from a tape cartridge, the cartridge shell comprises a blocking portion at the location of the leader block hole. A transfer station both identifies the cartridge and indicates the presence of the cartridge at an end of travel in a cartridge receiver, employing an optical source and an opposed sensor directed toward the leader block hole when a cartridge is at the end of travel. In another embodiment, an encased magnetic disk drive assembly is supported and mounted in a cartridge shell by a shock mount. A flex cable interconnects the rear of the encased magnetic disk drive assembly with an external data transfer interface at the opposite side of the cartridge for data transfer with respect to a transfer station and to provide mechanical isolation.

Storage device mounted in portable data storage media type cartridges

A shutter mechanism is provided at an access opening in a portable data storage cartridge. Clamshell shutters meet at a common junction in the access opening. Actuation paddles positioned at the clamshell shutters are arranged to, when engaged by actuation pins, pivot the respective clamshell shutters in opposite directions away from the common junction, to expose the access opening. The clamshell shutters are mounted such that, when pivoted away from the common junction, each clamshell shutter remains within the cartridge housing.

Shutter mechanism for a portable data storage cartridge

The invention relates to an enclosure comprising a housing and a device connecting card which is compliantly connected within the housing. The compliant connection, in use, disperses mounting stresses caused by a device in the housing.

Device connecting card

An indicator comprises a rotary device in the form of a right cylinder arranged to be rotatable in a chamber of a portable data storage cartridge, which has an exterior wall opening to the chamber. A peripheral surface of the rotary device has an encoded pattern of at least one cylindrical surface and a plurality of facets interrupting the cylindrical surface(s). The facets are located at various axial positions, and at various angularly spaced rotational positions, such that, at differing rotational positions of the rotary device, at least one or none of the facets is positioned at the exterior opening.

Portable data storage cartridge encoded multi-position mechanical indicator

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for connecting a pin array and a circuit board. In particular, the invention relates to pin array connections used in connecting disk drives into disk drive enclosures. Connection is accomplished by using a multi-pinned plug connector which sequentially engages conductive surfaces at different levels within the receiving PCB. The plug connector is connected electrically at its opposing end to a second PCB.

Printed circuit board for pin array connection

A shock mount structure facilitates shock absorption for a device. An outrigger, preferably two wing-like outriggers at diametrically opposite sides of the device, is mounted to the device at an attachment point, and is positioned between two contacting force absorbing members, distributing the shock force to the force absorption members, and supporting the device against slippage with respect to the force absorption members. Leaf spring tabs are formed within the cartridge shell, spaced from an edge of the cartridge shell to allow their flexure. The force absorption members are positioned between the device and the leaf spring tabs, contacting the tabs, such that the tabs assist in absorbing shock force directed at the leaf spring tabs.

Shock mount for a device packaged in a portable cartridge

Described is a flexible electrical assembly comprising a TAB device mounted on one surface of a flexible printed circuit board, a heat sink with a set of crimping members thereon mounted on an opposite surface of the printed circuit board and a protective cover with attachment holes therein positioned above the TAB device. The protective cover is mounted so that the holes are aligned with similar ones in the printed circuit board. The crimping members are inserted through the holes and are folded onto the protective cover to form a unified structure.

Integral protective enclosure for tab or similar delicate assembly

An electro-optic display cell and method of making the same is disclosed herein. The display cell has an arrangement of display electrodes in contact with a liquid within a sealed enclosure. The enclosure comprises an impervious transparent cover and a rigid structural wall member. A seal between the cover and wall member and an elastomeric plug extending between the exterior and interior complete the enclosure. The cell is filled by injecting the liquid into the presealed enclosure by perforating the plug with hollow needles also employed to remove entrapped gas. Upon withdrawal of the needles the perforations collapse to self-seal the enclosure but for added integrity the plug is also mechanically clamped. The seal and plug can be formed as an integral elastomeric moulding around a frame member forming the side wall of the enclosure and the frame member clamped between the cover and a separate base.

Display cell with self-sealing, collapsing plug

The sputter deposition of a thin film of material on both sides of a thin substrate is performed by positioning the substrate sides orthogonal to the target and preferably radial to the deposition center of the sputter system. The vapor deposition of alumina on a thin ferrite core for a magnetic head is accomplished by positioning the ferrite substrate in the vacuum chamber orthogonally to the target and radial to the particle deposition center. The alumina is deposited on both sides of the ferrite core simultaneously to substantially the same thickness. The deposition on both sides of the ferrite core protects the core against width erosion, and minimizes bending stress. In addition, signal output of the ferrite core when used in a magnetic head is increased.

Method of making edge protected ferrite core

A magnetic head mount assembly for accessing data tracks recorded on a magnetic medium includes a mounting post, an arm element which engages the post, and a yoke on which circuit elements are disposed. An end portion of the post is slotted to receive electrical leads for connection to the magnetic head, which is supported by an air bearing slider positioned over the slotted end portion. The arm element is preferably frustoconical to reduce mass and weight, thereby enhancing access time.

Growing community of inventors

Chandlers Ford, United Kingdom

Allen Ronald Cox