Other

Micropolis Corporation

Micropolis (s) Pte Ltd.

John E Scura

Lam H Tran

Haldun Arin

Ericson M Dunstan

Dennis Hogg

Frank Obregon

Ming-Goei Sheu

A head suspension assembly comprising a visco-elastic coupling between a load beam dimple or protrusion and a suspension flexure to which a slider is rigidly coupled. The damping material is selected for a low static modulus, which reduces mechanical vibration by absorbing kinetic energy and releasing the energy as heat. The gimbaling function of the suspension is not significantly effected by the damping material because the damping effect occurs primarily when there is an undesirable relative velocity (movement with respect to time) between the dimple and the flexure.

Gimbal suspension with vibration damper

A new and improved latching method and assembly for positively latching a positioner carrying a read/write head of a hard disk drive in a drive landing zone during non-power conditions. The assembly includes a vertically movable latching pin which is movable along a rectilinear path of travel into and out of the horizontal path of travel of the positioner carrying the drive unit read/write head. A retention spring mounted to a support column in proximity to the landing zone engages one of two grooves disposed in the latching pin to secure the pin in a latched position or in an unlatched position. The positioner impacts the retention spring to disengage it from an associated groove on the latch pin at appropriate times so bias exerted thereon by a thermal spring will move the latch pin in a desired direction. In this regard, as the thermal spring heats, it pulls the latch pin away from the latched position and, as it cools, it urges the pin back towards the latched position.

Compact hard disk drive head positioner latch

A novel self-securing sealing gasket for a disk drive assembly housing ensures predictable securement of the sealing gasket to a mounting surface. Elastomeric material is preferably molded to a rigid frame. The elastomeric material defines the sealing member of the gasket, while the frame provides structural rigidity and concomitant ease of handling during assembly and disassembly of the disk drive assembly housing. A plurality of recesses are provided along the periphery of the frame for mechanically coupling with the sealing member. The compliant sealing member includes a first sealing surface having a convex profile. A plurality of vacuum cavities are integrally incorporated along a second sealing surface of the sealing member for providing vacuum coupling between the second sealing surface and the mounting surface of the base of a disk drive assembly housing. Predictable securement of the sealing gasket to the housing base during disassembly of the disk drive assembly housing is provided by the vacuum coupling between the second sealing surface and the base mounting surface in conjunction with a repellant force generated by the convex shape of the first sealing surface which is exerted against the housing cover. Self-alignment of the sealing gasket is afforded by alignment tabs provided on the rigid frame and corresponding receiving notches in the housing base for receiving the alignment tabs.

Self securing compliant gasket for a disk drive assembly housing

Vibration and shock mounting of an apparatus such as a disk drive is dampened through the use of one or more O-rings held in place by a bolt with a pre-determined load force applied to the mounting bracket of the device. One or more notches or slits may be selectively employed as required to equalize the force applied to multiple mounting brackets by the device.

Shock mount assembly

A shock resistant hard disk drive system employs a plurality of magnetic disks for recording data, a plurality of magnetic heads for performing input/output operation on the magnetic disks, with at least one of the magnetic heads being used as a servo head, a head-positioning mechanism for controlling the movement of the magnetic heads, a servo control mechanism or servo loop for opposing shifts in the location of the servo head, detecting device for detecting and measuring certain accelerations applied to the system, and filtering device for filtering the output of said detecting device and for providing the signal to the head-positioning mechanism. The detecting device detects and measures the magnitude of internal or external accelerations or shocks applied to the system, and provides the necessary signals to counter such accelerations. The pre-existing phase locked loop includes a voltage controlled oscillator, with the voltage control signal applied to the oscillator indicating instantaneous rotational velocity resulting from accelerations applied to the system; and this control signal is modified and applied to servo loop for the head positioner, to hold the head positioner against shifting off track.

Growing community of inventors

Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

John E Scura