Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.v.

International Business Machines Corporation

Hgst Netherlands, B.v.

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies

Karl Arthur Flechsig

Donald Ray Gillis

Norbert A Feliss

Sylvia Lui Lee

Ullal Vasant Nayak

Timothy C O'Sullivan

Chih-Kung Lee

Andrew Ching Tam

Peter Michael Baumgart

Thao Anh Nguyen

Shozo Saegusa

Wing P Leung

Reinhard Ferdinand Wolter

Michael F Lee

Remmelt Pit

Gurinder P Singh

Mike Suk

Oscar Jaime Ruiz

Timothy Carl Strand

Bernd Lamberts

Thomas A Gregory

Sanford A Bolasna

Iraj Kavosh

Donald E Horne

Craig K Yanagisawa

Michael Lee McGhee

Rohit P Ambekar

Tim Strand

Walter Gerald Woodworth

Aravind N Murthy

Josef Walian

Managing the flying height of a read-write head slider, such as in the context of a short or head switch seek, involves pre-heating the switched-to head while the active head is still performing a data read or write operation. Thus, both the active head and the switched-to head may be heated simultaneously, and once the switched-to head is switched to an active state upon the active head completing its corresponding operation, the switched-to head can immediately begin its operation with minimal or no further delay.

Preheating a hard disk drive head slider for head switch seek

Approaches are provided for a hard-disk drive (HDD) and a method for measuring the contact potential between head and disk interfaces within a hard-disk drive. In one example, a voltage bias is applied to a head slider at discrete increments, and the touchdown power is determined at each increment. The voltage bias at which the TDP maximizes equals the inverse polarity of the inherent contact potential between the head slider and disk, and this value may be used to apply a voltage that neutralizes the contact potential.

In-situ contact potential measurement in hard-disk drives

A device for detecting disk asperities. The device includes an optical glide head. The glide head is not required to physically contact a disk for detection of the disk asperities. The optical glide head includes a waveguide configured to transmit light onto the disk and receive reflected light from the disk.

Contactless optical glide head using at least two concurrent interference signals and a multi-channel light detector for detecting disk asperities

A head slider for a disk drive storage device. The head slider is adapted to fly at the target height above the disk, reduce contamination by preventing particles from being trapped under the head slider, fly well in helium at low velocity and obtain a manufacturing tolerance so that multiple head sliders may be produced and function properly. The head slider has an internal cavity that is substantially enclosed by the air bearing surface. There are two gaps in the air bearing surface that are misaligned relative to the leading edge. The gaps aid in preventing particles from entering the cavity.

Head slider and hard disk drive

Methods and apparatus for the calibration and use of test glide head gimbal assemblies are disclosed. Calibration is performed by pulse laser adjustment of the flexure mounted to the glide head, while the head is flying above a media test disk having asperities of known dimensions. The calibration process normalizes the fly heights of glide heads used to measure defects on both upper and lower surfaces of disk drive media, allowing upper and lower surfaces to be scanned simultaneously.

Dynamic test glide head calibration using laser adjustment

A system and method for monitoring the helium content of a disk cavity of a hard disk drive is disclosed. In one embodiment of the present invention, an oxygen sensor is placed in the disk cavity to monitor the level of oxygen in the cavity. With the measurement of oxygen in the disk cavity, the level of helium in the cavity is inferred. In one embodiment, if the amount of helium inferred from the oxygen level fell below 90%-95% of the gaseous content of the disk cavity, a user is automatically notified in order to maintain the hard disk drive in a timely manner.

Method and system for monitoring gas in sealed hard disk drives with feedback

A device for monitoring the condition of a power outlet and for reducing or interrupting power in the event that a condition of the outlet circuitry indicates that a potentially dangerous situation exists. The device can also include a reporting function to alert a user as to the existence of the dangerous condition.

Dual direction power and data transfer protocol and safety detection

A hybrid drive system for integrated vehicle stability control. Specifically, the hybrid drive system includes a multi-wheeled vehicle, a drop-in electric drive motor, and a master controller. The multi-wheeled vehicle is originally configured for propulsion using an internal combustion engine. That is, the present invention is suitable for powering legacy vehicles. The internal combustion engine capable of driving at least one wheel of the multi-wheeled vehicle. The remaining wheels of the multi-wheeled vehicle are not driven by the internal combustion engine. The drop-in electric drive motor is adapted to independently drive at least one remaining wheel on the multi-wheeled vehicle. The master controller is coupled to the drop-in electric drive motor. The master controller controls speeds of the remaining wheels driven by the electric drive motor to provide propulsion and overall stability management for the multi-wheeled vehicle.

Flexible hybrid drive system for vehicle stability control

Magnetic disk drives and associated methods are described for performing an active flying height compensation process for a slider of a magnetic disk drive. For the flying height compensation process, a control system in the disk drive detects a reduction in flying height of a slider in the disk drive. The control system then calculates a compensation heating power to apply to one or more heating elements that are fabricated in the slider to compensate for the reduction in flying height. The control system then applies the compensation heating power to the heating element(s) in the slider to alter the ABS (i.e., generate a protrusion) and increase the flying height of the slider.

Active compensation of flying height in magnetic disk drives

A shock and vibration resistant hard disk drive has a plurality of fluid damping isolation devices disposed between the drive and a supporting frame. The isolation devices are capsules containing either gasses or liquids enclosed in a flexible membrane that spring back to its original shape after the shock or vibration event has transpired. Variation of fluid properties such as density, viscosity, and pressure allow for custom tuning of the vibration and shock performance. In addition, variation of membrane chemistry and thickness of the membrane also allows for further customization. A fuel cell is provided and the isolation devices may provide the energy source for the fuel cell.

Method and apparatus for providing a fluid damping structure with fuel cell for a hard disk drive and vibration sensitive electronic devices

A shock and vibration resistant hard disk drive has a plurality of fluid damping isolation devices disposed between the drive and a supporting frame. The isolation devices are capsules containing either gasses or liquids enclosed in a flexible membrane. Variation of fluid properties such as density, viscosity, and pressure allow for custom tuning of the vibration and shock performance.

Fluid damping structure for hard disk drives and vibration sensitive electronic devices

A magnetic storage system according to one embodiment includes a magnetic disk having a load zone and a data area; at least one head for reading from and writing to the magnetic disk; and a slider for supporting the head. The load zone is created by: creating a load zone marker on the disk, the load zone marker indicating a position of a load zone of the disk; reading the load zone marker for determining a position of the load zone on the disk; and storing the position of the load zone. The head is loaded on the load zone during subsequent load operations. Methods are also presented.

Load/unload systems and methods for maximizing disk writeable area

A medical monitor is disclosed for implantation in a human body for monitoring biological activity and states as detected by implanted sensors. The medical monitor includes a primary disk drive and a secondary disk drive, where the secondary disk drive mirrors the primary disk drive. An enclosure surrounds at least one of the primary and secondary drives. A transmitter and receiver for produces and transmits signals. The medical monitor is in communication with the sensors, by which information on biological activity and states is stored on the primary disk drive, and the secondary disk drive.

Hard disk drive medical monitor with mirrored HDDs

Embodiments of the present invention recite a method for removing particles from a magnetic head support assembly of a hard disk drive. In one embodiment, a load/unload operation of the magnetic head support assembly is initiated. Particles are dislodged from the magnetic head support assembly by moving it across a physical feature of the load/unload ramp of the hard disk drive. This causes an acceleration of the magnetic head support assembly in a direction substantially perpendicular to its normal plane of movement which dislodges the particles. The particles are then conveyed away from the magnetic head support assembly in an airstream generated by the rotation of the disk pack of the hard disk drive.

Shock induced cleaning for hard disk drives

A medical monitor is disclosed for implantation in a human body for monitoring biological activity and states as detected by implanted sensors. The medical monitor includes at least one hard disk drive. A transmitter and receiver produces and receives signals. The medical monitor is in communication with the sensors, by which information on biological activity and states is stored on the at least one disk drive. An enclosure surrounds the at least one hard disk drive. An alert mechanism which is used to signal the user of medical and maintenance conditions is included.

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Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Karl Arthur Flechsig