Maxtor Corporation

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Gerardo Buitron

Walter Crofton

Barry Okamoto

Kwang Kon Kim

Bruce Hachtmann

Thuan Luu

John Grow

Nghia Ta

Clarence Gapay

Huan Nguyen

Tom O'Hare

Lynnette A Sagen

Peter Cheng

William Maida

A manufacturing apparatus and associated method for handling disks disposed in merged pairs in a carrier is provided, wherein spacings between adjacent pairs of the disks are greater than spacings between disks forming each pair. The apparatus includes a first disk contacting surface defining a first cavity that is sized to receivingly engage a selected one of the pairs of disks. A second disk contacting surface defines second and third cavities that are sized to receivingly engage individual disks of the selected pair of disks, wherein disks that are operably engaged in the cavities are spatially separated more adjacent the second disk contacting surface than at the first disk contacting surface.

Apparatus for combining or separating disk pairs simultaneously

Various apparatus and methods are provided for positioning and handling hard memory disks. A disk carrier is provided with adjustably positionable side wall inserts. The inserts or panels may be moved between a plurality of positions to accommodate disks of different diameters. The inserts may also be substituted to accommodate disks of different thickness or different orientations, such as pairs of disks in gap merge orientation or contact merge orientation.

Cassette for holding disks of different diameters

Various apparatus and methods are provided for handling and transporting pairs of disks. A transfer tool engages a pair of disks in gap merge orientation along the outer perimeter edge of the disks and maintains the orientation while transferring the pair of disks to a second location where the disks are transferred to other equipment or subjected to processing. Various disks carriers are also provided for handling and transporting multiple pairs of disks in gap merge orientation.

W-patterned tools for transporting/handling pairs of disks

A disk cassette is provided with opposed side walls having ribs configured to facilitate merging pairs of disks. In most instances, the disks will be single-sided hard memory disks. The final position of the disks in the disk cassette will be in spaced pairs, with the disks forming each pair being in surface-to-surface contact and, preferably, with the perimeter edge of each disk concentrically aligned.

Method of merging two disks concentrically without gap between disks

Various methods and apparatus are provided for merging and demerging pairs of disks. In one embodiment, pairs of merged disks are first separated and then transferred to separate cassettes such that all of the disks in the separate cassettes are oriented in the same way within the cassette. In a second embodiment, two separate cassettes of substrate disks are combined into a single cassette. The merged substrate disks may be positioned in gap merge pairs, contact merge pairs or may be equally spaced in the cassette depending upon the orientation needed for the next process.

Various methods and apparatus for simultaneously processing two single-sided hard memory disks is provided. Disks are positioned in pairs, with one surface of one disk positioned adjacent one surface of the second disk, with the disk surfaces touching or with a slight separation between them. In this back-to-back orientation, the disk pairs may be processed using conventional double-sided disk processing equipment and techniques. However, each disk will not have two active surfaces. Because of the positioning of the disks during processing, only one surface of each disk will be subjected to full processing. Therefore, each disk will only have one active side.

Method of simultaneous two-disk processing of single-sided magnetic recording disks

Various apparatus and methods are provided for positioning and handling single-sided hard memory disks. A disk carrier is provided with ribs formed on the inside surface of opposing side walls. The ribs form disk receiving grooves or channels. The ribs further comprise an alternating pattern of large and small ribs. The large ribs separate pairs of disks from other pairs, the small ribs separate and maintain spacing of the two disks comprising each pair of disks.

Method for manufacturing single-sided hard memory disks

Various methods and apparatus for simultaneously texturing two single-sided hard memory disks is provided. The two disks are placed in a concentric contact merge orientation such that the outwardly facing surface of each disk may be simultaneously subjected to texturing by equipment designed to texture one double-sided disk.

Method for simultaneous two-disk texturing

Various apparatus and methods are provided for lubricating hard memory disks. A mandrel is provided in one embodiment with three rows of teeth and provides a stable, three-point engagement with the inside edge of the disks at the center aperture. When removing disks from a cassette, the mandrel preferably places a uniform space between the disks. In a second embodiment, the mandrel may be used to lubricate single-sided hard memory disks. The single-sided hard memory disk may be positioned on the mandrel in pairs in a gap merge orientation, or equally spaced apart.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Gerardo Buitron