Kris Victo Schouterden

US Patent:

6407880, Jun 18, 2002

Filed:

Mar 28, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/535780

Inventors:

Donald R. Gillis - San Jose CA
Kris Schouterden - Los Gatos CA
Ullal Vasant Nayak - San Jose CA
Reinhard F. Wolter - Saratoga CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 1702

US Classification:

360 9702

Abstract:

A computer system hard disk drive contains magnetic heads for reading data to and writing data from storage media disks. The heads are coupled to an electrical source that thermally excites the heads during non-operation of the disk drive in order to raise the temperature of the heads. The temperature increase induces a mechanism such as a local, low humidity barrier at each of the heads. When the disk drive is stored in harsh environmental atmospheres, such as high temperatures and high humidity, the mechanism or low humidity barrier is sufficient to overcome the ambient conditions and reduce environmental corrosion of the heads.

US Patent:

6603628, Aug 5, 2003

Filed:

Nov 1, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/704420

Inventors:

Donald Ray Gillis - San Jose CA
Bernd Lamberts - Cupertino CA
Kris Victor Schouterden - Los Gatos CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 2102

US Classification:

360 75, 360 69, 360 31, 360 66

Abstract:

A magnetic recording disk drive with a magnetoresisitive (MR) read head and a control unit comprising an operating pressure logic function that is responsive to a thermoresistive signal contained in the feedback signal from the MR read head. The thermal conductivity of the air inside of the hard disk drive is effected by the air pressure. Fluctuation in the thermal conductance from the MR read head to its surroundings inside of the hard drive affects the temperature of the MR head, thus affecting the thermoresistivity of the MR read head. Based on a thermoresistive signal, the temperature of the head may be determined, which in turn is applied to determine the pressure, based on a predetermined relationship between the MR read head temperature, internal pressure, and internal operating temperature.

US Patent:

6618221, Sep 9, 2003

Filed:

May 7, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/850653

Inventors:

Donald Ray Gillis - San Jose CA
Kris Victor Schouterden - Los Gatos CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G11B 3314

US Classification:

360 9702, 360137, 360 69

Abstract:

A disk drive having an actuator-activated pumping mechanism is disclosed. The pumping mechanism creates a low pressure operating environment for the disk drive in order to enhance the performance of the drive at higher rotational operating speeds. Through the use of an engaging element, the actuator motor acts to drive a pumping element. This design does not use a separate electrical motor to evacuate the disk drive housing. Instead, the natural motion of the actuator provides the necessary power to drive the pumping element.

US Patent:

6683743, Jan 27, 2004

Filed:

Jan 10, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/758415

Inventors:

Donald Ray Gillis - San Jose CA
Mike Suk - San Jose CA
Kris Victor Schouterden - Los Gatos CA

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B 2102

US Classification:

360 75, 360 7806

Abstract:

A method for controlling the velocity of an actuator arm in a hard disk drive includes moving the actuator arm to an inner limit or outer limit of motion. Then the power to the actuator coil, which drives the actuator arm, is reduced to zero and the actuator arm is released. Bends in the flexible cable connected to the actuator arm can cause the actuator arm to move toward the outer limit of motion. As the actuator arm moves due to the flexible cable, the velocity contribution of the flexible cable is measured and stored. Thereafter, the velocity of the actuator arm, during emergency power shut off, normal unload of the disk drive, or normal load of the disk drive, is decreased or increased by an amount equal to the cable-induced velocity to compensate for the velocity contribution of the flexible cable.

US Patent:

6700726, Mar 2, 2004

Filed:

Nov 27, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/723005

Inventors:

Donald Ray Gillis - San Jose CA
Bernd Lamberts - Cupertino CA
Kris Victor Schouterden - Los Gatos CA

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storages Technologies Nethlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B 2102

US Classification:

360 75, 360 69, 360 31

Abstract:

A disk drive controller controls a vacuum pump to establish a vacuum within a disk drive housing to conserve power while ensuring that the head of the drive does not crash into the disk. The controller compares actual spindle power to a predetermined maximum power threshold and actual fly height to a calibration fly height to control the pump. The calibration values are derived by comparing no-load and loaded values for a parameter, e. g. , error rate, disk temperature, and so on.

US Patent:

6934101, Aug 23, 2005

Filed:

Jun 27, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/607599

Inventors:

Walton Fong - San Jose CA, US
Donald R. Gillis - San Jose CA, US
Remmelt Pit - Cupertino CA, US
Kris Schouterden - San Jose CA, US
Mike Suk - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B027/36

US Classification:

360 31, 360 741

Abstract:

A method for burnishing a slider in a disk drive in which the disk is rotated in the opposite or reverse direction from that used to develop the air-bearing and to read and write data is described. Rotating the disk in the reverse direction results in no air-bearing being formed and the slider being in contact with the disk surface. The burnishing removes material over the magnetic transducers in the slider which separate the transducers from the disk resulting in greater sensitivity. Optionally the stopping point for burnishing can be determined by monitoring measurable parameters such as the change in the MR resistance (MRR), i. e. , ΔMRR/MRR until a selected range is achieved. The invention can be used to remove an overcoat from the air-bearing surface of the slider, remove protruding areas from the slider and to remove debris from the disk surface.

US Patent:

7094129, Aug 22, 2006

Filed:

Feb 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/065319

Inventors:

Donald Ray Gillis - San Jose CA, US
Kris Victor Schouterden - Los Gatos CA, US

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

B24B 39/00

US Classification:

451 8, 451 41, 2960303, 29 9001

Abstract:

A slider burnishing method is introduced, in which the slider is brought into a predetermined surface contact with the rotating disk for a specified period. The predetermined surface contact end the specified time period are selected together with the surface condition of the rotating hard disk, such that smoothened slider surface is abrasively formed. The smoothened slider surface is substantially parallel to the disk surface and thus provides reduced contact pressure during eventual operational contacting. In addition, the smoothened slider surface creates a constant gap together with the disk surface, which enhances the aerodynamic properties of the air bearing surface and stabilizes a small fly height.

US Patent:

7446966, Nov 4, 2008

Filed:

Nov 30, 2004

Appl. No.:

11/000105

Inventors:

Indukumar Chenchu Kalahasthi - San Jose CA, US
Guo Mian - Fremont CA, US
Kris Schouterden - San Jose CA, US
Joseph Emanuel Silva - Hollister CA, US
Christopher David Wiederholt - Rochester MN, US
Douglas M. Zuercher - Byron MN, US

Assignee:

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V. - Amsterdam

International Classification:

G11B 27/36
G11B 5/09

US Classification:

360 31, 360 46

Abstract:

A method is presented for writing data to a surface of a magnetic disk in a disk drive. The method includes determining a number of sector groups into which sectors of the data to be written will be grouped, loading registers with current values, kick-latching values, and precompensation values for each of said sector groups, and applying the current values, kick-latching values, and precompensation values for each of the sector groups to the write head while writing data to the sector groups of the recording media.