Seagate Technology Incorporated

John Rigsby

Shawn Allen Ruden

Samuel E Severson

Michael Thomas Murray

Jerome Thomas Coffey

Jeffrey Leonard Bruce

Grant Nicholas Hester

Stephen G Horning

Jason P Delaney

Patrick J Hains

Christopher Byrne

Sabrina Lynn Murray

An apparatus includes a test chamber and a pressure-application structure. The pressure-application structure is configured to apply a force on a device under test within the test chamber in response to a vacuum being drawn in the test chamber. The force has a magnitude that is proportional to a difference between an external pressure outside the test chamber and an internal pressure within the test chamber.

Retaining internal pressure in a data storage device in a vacuum

Clamping devices and associated methods that are useful to develop both axial and circumferential clamping forces in response to a common axial clamping force. The clamp is able to use a simple mechanism to generate both kinds of clamping forces from a single, axial actuating force. The clamping devices of the present invention are particularly useful for clamping cover and base deck components of a hard disk drive enclosure together to allow the components to be joined and sealed together using welding techniques.

Clamping device that develops both axial and circumferential clamping forces in response to a common axial clamping force

An apparatus and associated method are provided for an automated presentment assembly that sequentially feeds fasteners to an outlet and an escapement apparatus comprising a chuck that has a transport feature for selectively removing a fastener from the outlet and transporting the fastener to a tool station, the chuck being moveable between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position the transport feature is operably aligned with the outlet and at the second position the transport feature is displaced both linearly and rotationally from the first position.

Work piece presentment

In a robotic assembly, a body adapted for mounting on an arm is provided. A connection is adapted to couple the body and an end effector to allow deflection of the end effector with respect to the body between an open position and a closed position. A conduit allows fluid flow between the body and the end effector. A seal is adapted to engage the conduit to provide a fluid seal when the end effector is in the closed position and allow fluid flow when the end effector is in the open position. Further, end effector deflection can be detected based on the fluid flow and utilized to regulate movement of the robotic assembly.

End effector with collision detection sensor

An apparatus and associated method is provided for individually positioning first and second input links of a four-bar linkage to move first and second follower links pivotally joined therebetween in order to move a chuck supported by one of the follower links between a retracted position and an extended position.

Pick and place work piece flipper

An apparatus and associated method for rotary positioning is provided in an apparatus having an outer housing disposed around an inner housing, wherein at least one of the housings is rotatable with respect to the other housing. The rotary positioner also has a utility circuit having a first flexible circuit connected at one end to the outer housing and connected at an opposing end to the inner housing and forming a loop therebetween having a first u-shaped bend pointing in a first rotational direction in a space between the housings, and having a second flexible circuit connected at one end to the outer housing and connected at an opposing end to the inner housing and forming a loop therebetween having a second u-shaped bend pointing in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction in the space between the housings.

Rotary positioning

Method and apparatus for installing a support member to support a flexible element, such as a shipping comb used to support a flexible suspension assembly of a head-stack assembly (HSA). A robotic end effector configured to insert the support member to bias the flexible element. Prior to said insertion, an inspection assembly verifies at least one physical parameter of the member while the member is supported by the end effector. One or more computerized video images along at least one axis are preferably obtained by the inspection assembly, and machine readable code on the member is preferably decoded from said image(s). The end effector preferably includes a pair of opposing gripper fingers which engage the support member with variable compressive force during insertion. A cleaning assembly preferably cleans the support member prior to insertion, and a subsequent video image is preferably obtained after insertion to verify installation of the member.

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

John Rigsby