Bernhard Te Hiller

6452753, Sep 17, 2002

Aug 6, 2001

09/923500

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA
Dick Yaeger - Sunnyvale CA

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

G11B 554

3602547

This invention generally relates to dynamic load/unload technology in magnetic disk drive assemblies and, more particularly, to a combination of load/unload ramps with shipping combs and/or limiters, such as disk, tab, flexure, suspension or arm limiters, to provide protection to the head assemblies, arms and disks of the magnetic disk drive assemblies.

6587299, Jul 1, 2003

Jan 28, 2000

09/493735

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA
Glenn Albert - Longmont CO
Dennis Chen - Milpitas CA

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

G11B 1546

360 7303, 360 75, 318254

A method for overcoming a stiction condition in a disk drive is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of: (1) providing a plurality of disks each having a pair of disk surfaces, each of the disk surfaces having a corresponding actuator arm assembly including a head; (2) providing a spin motor for rotating said plurality of disks when a stiction condition does not exist; (3) providing a voice coil motor for positioning said heads relative to said disk surfaces when a stiction condition does not exist; (3) providing a microprocessor for controlling application of a voice coil motor current to said voice coil motor and for controlling application of a spin motor current to said spin motor; (4) applying a spin motor current to said spin motor; (5) sensing that the spin motor is not rotating said plurality of disks and, hence, a stiction condition exists; (6) applying a first oscillating current to said voice coil motor in response to said stiction condition, said first oscillating current having a fixed frequency and a first amplitude; (7) determining whether said spin motor is rotating in response to said first oscillating current; and, (8) continuing to apply said first oscillating current for at least one commutation state of said spin motor after determining that said spin motor is rotating in response to said first oscillating current.

6903902, Jun 7, 2005

May 31, 2002

10/159827

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

G11B021/22

3602543

Compositions and materials for use in load/unload ramps in magnetic disk drive assemblies are disclosed, particularly compositions or materials to improve at least one of the desired characteristics of low wear, low cost, high mechanical stability and high moldability. Thermoplastic polymers, such as acetal homopolyrners, acetal copolymers, polyetherimides, polyphenylene sulfides, and polysulfones, are combined with other compositions, such as polyaramides, to improve the characteristics of a load/unload ramp constructed therefrom. Additionally, another material may be added, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene or perfluoropolyether.

6950272, Sep 27, 2005

Nov 14, 2000

09/712878

Mark Rice - San Jose CA, US
Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US
Richard Yaeger - Sunnyvale CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

G11B005/596

360 7806, 360 75

A method and apparatus for reducing the acoustic output of a computer disk drive during a load or unload operation are provided. According to the invention, a pulse train having pulse widths that vary from one pulse to the next is provided to a voice coil motor while the transducer head is being loaded to or unloaded from the surface of the disk. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a proportional term equal to the inverse of the pulse width is supplied to the controller such that, with all other inputs to the controller being equal, a pulse train having pulses of equal total power are produced. By providing pulses of varying widths, the acoustic output of the disk drive is spread among multiple frequencies, and the amplitude at any one frequency is diminished as compared to a pulse train having pulses of equal width.

6985333, Jan 10, 2006

Sep 23, 2002

10/252297

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US
Erhard Schreck - San Jose CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

G11B 5/60
G11B 5/54

3602355, 3602542, 3602346, 3602451

The present invention generally relates to a disk drive and methods for operating the same. A venting assembly of this disk drive generally includes a slider having an air bearing surface system for generating positive pressure to urge the slider away from a data storage disk, and a suction cavity for generating negative pressure to urge the slider toward the surface of the disk. The slider of the venting assembly also generally includes a first venting hole extending through the slider within the suction cavity. A first valve of the venting assembly is generally associated with the first venting hole to at least assist in controlling airflow through the same. Contact between a load beam of the venting assembly and a corresponding load/unload ramp of the disk drive during unloading of the slider generally tends to open the first valve and substantially dissipate the negative pressure within the suction cavity.

7355816, Apr 8, 2008

Apr 6, 2005

11/101080

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Scotts Valley CA

G11B 5/54
C08L 59/02

360240, 360254, 525400, 525420

Compositions and materials for use in load/unload ramps in magnetic disk drive assemblies are disclosed, particularly compositions or materials to improve at least one of the desired characteristics of low wear, low cost, high mechanical stability and high moldability. Thermoplastic polymers, such as acetal homopolymers, acetal copolymers, polyetherimides, polyphenylene sulfides, and polysulfones, are combined with other compositions, such as polyaramides, to improve the characteristics of a load/unload ramp constructed therefrom. Additionally, another material may be added, such as a polytetrafluoroethylene or perfluoropolyether.

7511914, Mar 31, 2009

Mar 29, 2007

11/693415

Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US
Andrew LeFebvre - Campbell CA, US
Francis Crimi - Los Altos CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Scotts Valley CA

G11B 21/02

360 75

A controller is provided having a circuit that uses non-repeatable run-out data and temperature data to provide a compensation for a fly height of a head. A disk drive may also be provided having a head for reading data from a disk, a thermistor, and a controller for controlling a fly height of the head based on temperature data obtained from the thermistor to refine a pressure determination. A method can include estimating a first pressure by the use of non-repeatable run-out data and temperature data corresponding to a disk drive.

7573674, Aug 11, 2009

Dec 20, 2005

11/314515

Larry E. Wittig - Lexington MA, US
Michael Mallary - Sterling MA, US
Paul A. Keenan - Harrisville RI, US
William Dale Robertson - Charlton MA, US
Bernhard Hiller - San Jose CA, US

Maxtor Corporation - Longmont CO

B32B 3/00

360 9912

A disk drive includes a drive housing and a storage disk rotatably coupled to the drive housing. In one embodiment, the storage disk includes a first substrate, a spaced-apart second substrate, a damping layer and a rigid substrate spacer. The first substrate is formed from a first material having a first composition and the second substrate is formed from a second material having a second composition. The damping layer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate. The rigid substrate spacer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate, and is formed from a third material having a third composition that is different from the first composition and the second composition. In one embodiment, the first composition is different than the second composition. The first substrate has a first thickness and the second substrate has a second thickness that can be different than the second thickness.