Maxtor Corporation

Digital Equipment Corporation

Other

Western Digital Corporation

Pemstar, Inc.

Forrest D Titcomb

Mark A Diel

Jackie Cordova

Robert S Wolski

Jay R Seaver

James Harold Bodmer

Max W Schaule

An ergonomic tester for an electronic device under test (EDUT). A tester circuit card is disposed within an enclosed chassis for creating a plurality of predetermined test conditions for the EDUT. A monolithic fixture frame formed from a single piece of material provides unitary lateral supports with pivot points for an ergonomic loading handle assembly, a unitary fan support and a unitary base for supporting a monolithic translatable carriage for engaging and positioning the EDUT during loading and testing. A spring-probe block connector assembly is retained by the unitary lateral supports of the monolithic fixture frame to engage a mating connector in the EDUT when loaded. The spring-probe block connector assembly has one or more mechanical locating elements each for engaging a corresponding mechanical locating element in the EDUT. The ergonomic loading handle assembly is movably engaged to the monolithic fixture frame and rotatably engaged to the monolithic translatable carriage so that the loading handle is moveable from a loaded position to an unloaded position. A single movement of the loading handle urges the EDUT on the monolithic translatable carriage toward and into engagement with the spring-probe block connector assembly or away from and out of engagement with the spring-probe block connector assembly. A spring-loaded pin in the ergonomic loading handle assembly operates to retain the loading handle at the loaded position, whereby the EDUT is held engaged to the spring-probe block connector assembly for testing. The apparatus is modular and may be embodied as a multi-bay testing station.

Ergonomic test apparatus for the operator-assisted testing of electronic devices

A hydrostatic bearing assembly, with an integral rotating-shaft hydrodynamic pump, adapted for use as a stiff zero static-friction actuator pivot bearing for the head-stack assembly of a disk drive data storage apparatus. The zero static-friction pivot bearing avoids all &ldquo;limit cycling&rdquo; and &ldquo;sticking&rdquo; problems arising from static bearing friction during micro-tracking operations. The motor-driven hydrodynamic pumping element is disposed coaxially to the zero static-friction hydrostatic bearing element in a single assembly adapted for use as an actuator pivot bearing. The hydrodynamic pumping element and the hydrostatic bearing element both use a plurality of spaced-apart radial journal-bearing layers and a plurality of axial thrust-bearing layers to provide stiffness in all directions at any rotational velocity. The lubricating fluid pressure within the hydrodynamic pumping element is controlled on both sides of every bearing layer by coupling all radial journal-bearing layers and axial thrust-bearing layers to a circumferential undercut (or overcut) and by coupling these circumferential undercuts to ambient pressure through a plurality of fluid-filled passages in the several rotating and stationary elements. The fluid bearing layers are coupled to form a continuous pressure-controlled fluid film sealed at three ends by surface tension. In an actuator pivot bearing for a disk drive data storage apparatus, the hydrodynamic pump motor can be operated under the control of a dual phase-locked motor drive controller to synchronize it with a spindle motor element in a manner that cancels vibrations arising from both motors.

Zero static-friction actuator pivot bearing for production disk drives

An ultra-slim disk storage unit includes a frame and a cover for engaging the frame to create first and second enclosed spaces therein. In one of the enclosed spaces a disk drive assembly is housed which provides readable and writable information storage on a disk medium. Electronics for controlling the operation of the disk drive assembly is housed on a board contained within the second enclosed space. A connector provides coupling to the disk drive assembly electronics for external electrical connection to the disk storage unit. The connector is disposed along a peripheral side of the frame in accordance with PCMCIA standards.

Ultra-slim disk storage unit with an enclosed circuit board and a

An in-spindle axial-field motor assembly for a disk storage system includes a stationary baseplate and a cover plate secured to the base to form a housing. Disposed about the cover are cylindrical coils which form a motor stator. The motor assembly includes a rotor having inner and outer hubs disposed within the housing. The inner hub is rotatably mounted and supported by a bearing assembly. The outer hub supports an annular, rigid disk which provides a recording medium for storage of information. An axially-magnetized magnet is disposed between the inner and outer hub with the rotor being positioned between the cover and baseplate such that the net axial force acting on the rotor is minimized during motor operation. Ferromagnetic poles are positioned in the center of each coil to enhance the motor's torque generation capability while implementing an axially force-balanced design.

Axial spindle motor for hard disk drive assembly

A rotating-shaft hydrodynamic bearing assembly adapted for use in a rotating disk data store. The bearing assembly combines a plurality of spaced-apart radial journal bearings with a two-faced axial thrust plate to provide stiffness against runout at high rotational velocities. Fluid pressure is controlled on both sides of every fluid dement by bounding all radial fluid bearing layers and the dual thrust bearing layers with circumferential undercuts coupled to ambient pressure through a plurality of fluid-filled passages in the rotating shaft. Outward-biased surface-relief patterns are disposed in both axial thrust bearing layers to increase hydrostatic pressure and prevent cavitation in the non-bearing thrust-plate peripheral layer. The fluid bearing layers are disposed in a continuous pressure-controlled fluid film sealed at both ends by surface tension, thereby eliminating sources of air-bubble entrapment. Control of air-bubble entrapment and cavitation eliminates both as sources of surface-tension seal leakage and blowout.

Hydrodynamic bearing with controlled lubricant pressure distribution

An ultra-slim disk storage unit includes a frame and a cover for engaging the frame to create first and second enclosed spaces therein. In one of the enclosed spaces a disk drive assembly is housed which provides readable and writeable information storage on a disk medium. Electronics for controlling the operation of the disk drive assembly is housed on a board contained within the second enclosed space. A connector provides coupling to the disk drive assembly electronics for external electrical connection to the disk storage unit. The connector is disposed along a peripheral side of the frame in accordance with PCMCIA standards.

Ultra-slim disk storage unit having a hydrodynamic bearing assembly

A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit includes a hub having a longitudinal axis disposed in a cavity formed between a base and a cover. A pair of balls is disposed within a pair of corresponding sockets with each being aligned opposite one another along a longitudinal axis of the hub. The pair of sockets are affixed to the base and cover plates, respectively, while the pair of balls are affixed to the hub. The clearance space between each ball and socket is filled with a liquid lubricant held in place by a surface tension seal.

Hydrodynamic spindle bearing for ultra-slim disk storage unit

A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit includes a hub having a longitudinal axis disposed in a cavity formed between a base and a cover. A pair of balls is disposed within a pair of corresponding sockets with each being aligned opposite one another along a longitudinal axis of the hub. The pair of sockets are affixed to the base and cover plates, respectively, while the pair of balls are affixed to the hub. The clearance space between each ball and socket is filled with a liquid lubricant held in place by a surface tension seal. At least one of the sockets or balls is threadably attached so as to allow adjustment of the clearance space.

Apparatus for adjustment of a hydrodynamic spindle bearing assembly

A rotatable shaft/thrust plate combination is disposed within a sleeve to form a first clearance space between the shaft and the sleeve and a second clearance space between the thrust plate and the sleeve. The external faces of the thrust plate are exposed to air. The clearance spaces are filled with a liquid lubricant and the sleeve includes pressure equalization ports connecting the first and second clearance spaces. Surface tension dynamic seals are provided between axially extending surfaces of the thrust plate and sleeve. The equalization ports balance the hydrodynamic pressures in the lubricant to prevent the lubricant being pumped through one of the dynamic seals. The resulting bearing provides high precision with low repetitive and nonrepetitive runouts. The bearing provides hydrodynamic support of both radial and axial loads and the bearing seal is relatively insensitive to orientation of the spindle and minimizes the generation of debris and cotaminating particles.

Hydrodynamic bearing

The filling of a rotatable shaft/thrust plate combination is disposed within a sleeve to form a first clearance space between the shaft and the sleeve and a second clearance space between the thrust plate and the sleeve. The external faces of the thrust plate are exposed to air. The clearance spaces are filled with a liquid lubricant and the sleeve includes pressure equalization ports connecting the first and second clearance spaces. Surface tension dynamic seals are provided between axially extending surfaces of the thrust plate and sleeve. The equalization ports balance the hydrodynamic pressures in the lubricant to prevent the lubricant being pumped through one of the dynamic seals. The resulting bearing provides high precision with low repetitive and nonrepetitive runouts. The bearing provides hydrodynamic support of both radial and axial loads and the bearing seal is relatively insensitive to orientation of the spindle and minimizes the generation of debris and contaminating particles.

A rotatable shaft/thrust plate combination is disposed within a sleeve to form a first clearance space between the shaft and the sleeve and a second clearance space between the thrust plate and the sleeve. The external faces of the thrust plate are exposed to air. The clearance spaces are filled with a liquid lubricant and the sleeve includes pressure equalization ports connecting the first and second clearance spaces. Surface tension dynamic seals are provided between axially extending surfaces of the thrust plate and sleeve. The equalization ports balance the hydrodynamic pressures in the lubricant to prevent the lubricant being pumped through one of the dynamic seals. The resulting bearing provides high precision with low repetitive and nonrepetitive runouts. The bearing provides hydrodynamic support of both radial and axial loads and the bearing seal is relatively insensitive to orientation of the spindle and minimizes the generation of debris and contaminating particles.

Growing community of inventors

Colorado Springs, CO, United States of America

Forrest D Titcomb