Seagate Technology Incorporated

Nordson Corporation

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Seagate Technologies, Inc.

Lalouette Design, LLC

Marc Jacques Lalouette

Ravikumar S Narayanan

Francis J Lombardi, Iii

James D Pisula, Jr

Bruce Williams

Robert J Elshof

Nigel Frank Misso

ChoonKiat Lim

James Hart Smith

Dave Paul McReynolds

Todd Warren Kube

Dana P Eddings

Tom Konetski

Jonathan Hofland

Tracy Kint Thede

Thomas John Konetski

A disk drive enclosure may comprise a tray-less chassis comprising a backplane and defining an opening configured to receive a disk drive. A door may be coupled to the tray-less chassis and configured to enclose the disk drive within the opening when the door is closed. An elastomeric element may be configured to bias the disk drive against the backplane when the door is closed and may be further configured to provide damping so as to dissipate energy imparted to the tray-less chassis during the operation of the disk drive.

Drive bias and damping for trayless disk drive enclosures

A data storage device (DSD) is disclosed comprising a SATA connector and control circuitry comprising a communication module for communicating with a host. At least one pin of the SATA connector is evaluated to detect a host type. When the host type is SATA, the communication module is configured to operate according to a SATA protocol, and when the host type is non-SATA, the communication module is configured to operate according to a non-SATA protocol.

Data storage device evaluating a SATA connector to detect a non-SATA host

A latch assembly for connection of conduit, the assembly comprising a female portion and a male portion, wherein each of the female portion and the male portion have a shell and a connection device. The connection device of the female portion includes a connection assembly with a molded-in slot, a release button, and a raised rib or alternatively is a connection opening. The connection device of the male portion includes a cantilevered region with a ramped engagement feature or alternatively is a raised cantilevered release button. When connected the cantilevered region or button deflects to accommodate the female portion until the ramped engagement feature or button engages the molded-in slot or connection opening, thus releasing the deflection. Depressing the release button disengages the latch allowing separation of the assembly.

Latch assembly for joining two conduits

A method and article of manufacture for protecting a device from damage caused by physical shocks during shipment, handling, and use of the device are disclosed. A shock-absorbing container is provided with a foam material provided around the device when it is placed in the container. An opening in the container is aligned with respect to the device so as to expose a physical interface of a bay to the physical interface of the device in the container. The device and container are proportioned so that when the container, containing the device, is slid into a bay of a device array or data processing system, the physical interface directly connects with a mating physical interface in the bay without requiring an interposer between the physical interface of the device and the physical interface of the array or data processing system.

Package structure for soft mounting direct connect storage device

A removable disc drive cartridge providing an improved combination of shock protection and electrical alignment (registration) of a enclosed removable disc drive.

Removable disc drive cartridge with improved registration

An actuator pivot assembly in a data storage device includes a base, a cover attached to the base, and a shaft mounted on the base and extending upward into a hole defined by the cover. A sheet on top of the cover spans the hole, and an adhesive layer beneath the sheet adheres the sheet to the cover and to the shaft, thereby securing the actuator shaft to the cover, damping vibrations in the actuator pivot assembly, and sealing the hole defined by the cover. These functions are performed while saving space, reducing costs and simplifying assembly of the data storage device.

Adhesive sheet shaft support in a data storage device

Herein is disclosed a method and apparatus for coupling a disc to a hub, so as to dampen radial vibrations of the disc. A hub rotates and is coupled to a magnetically encodable disc via a flexible joint. The flexible joint may be made out of a viscoelatic adhesive. There exists no rigid coupling between the disc and the hub, meaning that radial vibrations of the hub result in compression or decompression of the flexible joint, rather than in translation of the disc. The disc may be coupled to the hub by applying a viscoelastic adhesive to a hub, and applying a disc to the viscoelastic adhesive without otherwise rigidly coupling the disc to the hub.

Viscoelastic disc clamp using adhesive with radial compliance

Apparatus and method for adjusting an actuator mechanical response characteristic in a data handling system, such as a disc drive. An actuator rotates about a pivot system to move a read/write head adjacent a recording surface, the pivot system comprising a stationary shaft and a bearing asesmbly comprising a stationary inner race coupled to the shaft and a rotatable outer race coupled to the actuator. A fastener is provided to engage the shaft and apply an initial amount of axially directed force on the inner race. A broad spectrum excitation is applied to the actuator and a mechanical response characteristic of the actuator is measured. The fastener is repetitively adjusted to increase the amount of axially directed force until the measured mechanical response characteristic of the actuator reaches a desired level.

Controlling mechanical response characteristics of a disc drive actuator by adjusting a fastener engaging the actuator shaft to vary axial force on the bearing assembly

An apparatus and method for making a solderless electrical connection between a plurality of electrical contact pads on a disc drive printed circuit board (disc drive PCB) and a plurality of electrical contact pads on a external printed circuit board (external PCB). The apparatus and method involve or include a connector which is operable for mounting directly on the disc drive PCB. The connector preferably includes a plurality of electrically conductive pins operable for simultaneously connecting the contact pads on the disc drive PCB to the contact pads on the external PCB when the connector is mounted to the disc drive PCB and the disc drive is mounted to the external PCB.

Surface mount connector

A method of measuring the vibration of an actuator assembly in a disc drive in the plane of rotation of the actuator assembly and determining the resonance behavior of the actuator assembly from the measured vibrations is disclosed. The method involves use of a laser to measure the vibrational behavior of the actuator assembly in the rotational plane. A method is described for adjusting the resonance behavior of the actuator assembly during the manufacturing process without the use of glue or extra parts. The resonance behavior is determined and the preload on the bearings in the actuator assembly is adjusted until a desired resonance behavior is achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

Marc Jacques Lalouette