The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 15, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 14, 1999
Louis J. Fioravanti, Boulder, CO (US);
Seagate Technology LLC, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
A method for evaluating head flight characteristics in a disc drive includes placing a non-contact voltmeter (NCV) probe into close proximity to a disc, the probe sensing disc potential in relation to a quantity of electrical charge present on the disc. The disc is accelerated with the head initially remaining in contact with the disc, and the disc potential is monitored until a rotational velocity is achieved sufficient to cause the head to separate from the disc. A head take off velocity is thereafter determined in relation to a detected change in the measured disc potential. A head touchdown velocity is similarly determined by initially accelerating the disc to separate the head therefrom, and then monitoring the disc potential as the disc is decelerated to bring the head back into contact with the disc.