Seagate Technology Incorporated

Conner Peripherals, Inc.

Miniscribe Corporation

Prairietek Corporation

Terry G Johnson

James H Morehouse

John H Blagaila

David M Furay

Thomas L Andrews

H Ross Chessman

Roy A Applequist

Thomas L Andrews, Jr

Richard M Altobellis

Robert F Hoppe

Glade N Bagnell

James O Jacques

David H Furay

A disk drive apparatus is disclosed for primary use with portable, laptop or other information storage systems. The disk drive apparatus includes one or more about 2.5 inch hard disks. The disk drive apparatus also has electronics, including hardware and software, for detecting a lapse of first and second predetermined time intervals since a last disk access. The disk drive apparatus also includes power conservation means which power down a first portion of disk drive components after a first predetermined time interval has elapsed and for powering down a second portion of disk drive components after a second predetermined time interval has elapsed.

Disk drive apparatus with power conservation capability

Disk drive apparatus with cam and follower for unloading heads

A disk drive apparatus is disclosed for primary use with portable, laptop or other information storage systems. The disk drive apparatus includes one or more about 2.5 inch hard disks. A rotary actuator is utilized and includes an arm assembly having a cam follower member for use in dynamically loading/unloading read/write head(s). The cam follower member moves along a ramp, which forms a cam surface, for loading/unloading. The spin motor assembly of the disk drive apparatus includes a rotor having a clamp ring that enables a more powerful spin motor to be incorporated, as well as facilitating and enhancing the connection of the hard disks to the spin motor. The disk drive apparatus also includes servo electronics responsive to a back emf generated signal for use in the servo operation, which use has the potential to increase the servo bandwidth. The accuracy of the servo operation is also enhanced by the use of a flexible circuit that prevents unwanted torque from being applied to the actuator during operation. The disk drive electronics also includes hardware and software for reducing power consumption.

Disk drive apparatus using dynamic loading/unloading

In a device for retrieving and recording (read/write) information on at least one rigid disk, a stepping motor servo system operated in an open-loop manner is provided to rapidly and accurately position read/write heads relative to the disk. A fixed guide shaft adjacent to and transverse to the motor shaft carries a carriage slidably thereon, preferably on oil impregnated bearings, the carriage member including a gear rack and the stepping motor having a pinion gear thereon interfacing with the gear rack. A preload bearing is urged against the carriage at a position between the guide shaft and the pinion gear such that the carriage is rotated around the guide shaft into engagement with the pinion gear at the rack portion thereof. The stepping motor is preferably fixed to the device chassis at a position and location spaced from the pinion gear a distance corresponding to the distance of a preferred spring steel head support arm utilized to carry the read/write head, to compensate for thermal expansion differences between the chassis material, and the spring steel head support arm.

Method and apparatus for storing and retrieving information

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

Terry G Johnson