Iomega Corporation

Carl E Ellis

Lewis E Farrer

Yiping Ma

David E Jones

Carl F Nicklos

Mark S Thayne

John C Briggs

Thomas J Angellotti

Paul R Johnson

Todd L Graves

Richard F Leavitt

Carl Hale

Lawrence D Clayton

Peter Shay

Richard E Leavitt

Disclosed is a disk drive having a linear actuator for carrying read/write heads into engagement with a recording medium. The heads are mounted on a carriage assembly along with a voice coil motor for driving the carriage assembly into and out of engagement of the heads with the medium. The carriage assembly slides linearly on a central guide track. A flexure is provided for the central guide track for linear movement by the carriage assembly so that initial linear movement of the carriage assembly is by flexing the flexure and further, larger linear movement of the carriage assembly is by sliding along the guide track. In one form of the invention the central guide track is suspended at the front end by a flexure and at the rear end by a bearing. In another form of the invention the central guide track is suspended at each end by a flexure. The flexure has an attaching mechanism for attaching the flexure to the central guide track so that the flexure pivots freely on the central guide track. This eliminates the likelihood of bending of the central guide track and improves the ability of the system to reject 1f and 2f run out and therefore, track following.

Flexured mounting system for friction reduction and friction

Shipping cartridge for a computer disk drive

This invention includes a method of assembling a baffle disposed on a casing to an emitter/detector housing. The emitter/detector housing contains an emitter and a detector that are used to detect the presence of a retroreflective marker on a disk cartridge. Preferably, the method of this invention includes aligning the casing and the baffle with the housing, and slidably engaging the casing with the housing. Once the casing and the housing are engaged, an interference fit is preferably created between the housing and the casing. After the baffle has been attached to the housing, the housing and the baffle may be connected to a circuit board. This circuit board may then be attached to a disk drive.

Method of assembling a baffle to a detector for detecting a

The invention relates to a shipping cartridge for inserting into a disk drive. This shipping cartridge can be inserted into the disk drive for protecting the disk drive during movement or handling of the disk drive. When inserted into the disk drive, the shipping cartridge transmits forces applied to the disk drive away from the relatively fragile components of the disk drive and towards the relatively sturdy components of the disk drive. In a preferred embodiment, the shipping cartridge transmits the load to the relatively sturdy chassis of the disk drive. The shipping cartridge may have a surface that generally conforms to the chassis of the disk drive so that the cartridge can rest on the chassis. For example, the shipping cartridge may have apertures that can receive protrusions extending from the chassis.

Shipping cartridge for protecting a disk drive

Growing community of inventors

Layton, UT, United States of America

Carl E Ellis