International Business Machines Corporation

David Harwood McMurtry

Oscar Jaime Ruiz

David W Albrecht

Kirk Barrows Price

Darrell Dean Palmer

Paul A Gilovich

Anthony Vesci

Helfried O Rinkleib

Miguel Dominguez

Roy P Crawford

Scott MacKenzie

Richard T Larson

A component has three, two-dimensional arrays that each contain three characters of its nine character, alphanumeric serial number. The first three characters of the serial number must be constant for all parts of this type. As a result, the serial number can be divided among the arrays by using the first character as the first digit in the first array, the second character as the first digit in the second array, and the third character as the first digit in the third array. The remaining characters of the serial number are interleaved in the arrays in the following pattern: the fourth and fifth characters are the second and third digits in the first array, the sixth and seventh characters are the second and third digits in the second array, and the eighth and ninth characters are the second and third digits in the third array.

Interleaved sequencing method for multiple two-dimensional scanning codes

A disk drive has a base containing disks that are mounted on a central drive hub. A cover is mounted and sealed to the base. The cover has an aperture that is sealed with a flexible membrane. The membrane is selectively deflected into contact with the hub or one of the disks by a displacement device. The displacement device is completely external to the sealed drive to avoid contaminating the drive. In one version, a disposable plastic snap clamp is secured to the drive to lock the disks from rotation. A pusher finger on the clamp automatically engages and deflects the membrane into frictional engagement with the disk to immobilize it. The locked position is used during periods of non-operation of the drive. When the drive is operational, the clamp is removed to release the disks for rotation.

Membrane locking device for selectively immobilizing disk drive spindle

A limit stop for magnetic storage disk drive systems comprising a spring portion and a mount portion. The spring portion is a single piece molded structure that is preloaded against a precision machined surface on the mount portion during assembly. The preloaded spring feature provides good energy absorption characteristics to reduce the limit stop deflection during actuator contact. The precision machined surface on the mount portion accurately determines the limit stop position, thereby reducing tolerance requirements on the spring portion.

Precision limit stop for high density disk drives

A radially and axially preloaded bearing that has a very low mass and axial profile and which can be used in a actuator pivot of a direct access storage device without the need for a second bearing to counter the preload. An outer race of the bearing is split in order to form an open ring. Three balls are placed between the outer race and an inner race. Both the inner surface of the outer race and the outer surface of the inner race are formed such that two contact points exist between each ball and each race. Alternatively, the outer race is a closed toroid. The inner race is radially split to form a lower and an upper race, each being a closed toroid. In yet another alternative, the outer race is radially split into an upper outer race and a lower outer race. The inner race is a single closed toroid. A limiter is used to limit the movement of each of the balls. Alternatively, a conventional ball cage is used.

Low pofile radially and axially preloaded ball bearing for actuator pivot

A method and apparatus for automatically threading web material, e.g., magnetic tape, from a replaceable supply reel to a non-replaceable take-up reel of a web transport device, in which the web path is nonlinear and relatively complex as a result of various components, e.g., magnetic transducer tape guides, which act on the web while it is being transported. The apparatus comprises a coupling device and a mechanism for moving and guiding the coupling device between the supply reel and the take-up reel. The coupling device couples to a leader block attached to the tape at the supply reel. The mechanism moves and guides the coupling device to thread the tape over the predefined tape path and positions the leader block wholly within a radially disposed slot in the hub of the take-up reel. The coupling device remains attached to the moving mechanism and coupled to the leader block when the leader block is rotated with the take-up reel. The method is characterized by the steps of maintaining the relationship of the coupling device to the leader block and to the moving and guiding means during rotation of the take-up reel when the leader block is positioned in the radially disposed slot of the take-up reel.

Automatic tape threading apparatus for magnetic tape transports

Structure for providing a file protect function for a removable cartridge which houses a magnetic recording medium includes a rotary actuator in a sleeve member, the actuator having an outer disk and an inner disk. The actuator may be rotated in the sleeve to either of two positions 180.degree. apart by application of force to the outer disk. The inner disk has an interrupted segment therein, and the rotational position of this interrupted segment controls the enabling or disabling of the circuitry for recording on the magnetic medium.

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San Juan Bautista, CA, United States of America

David Harwood McMurtry