ROBERT MITCHELL GIBBS, JR
Pilots at Wasach Dr, Longmont, CO

6362937, Mar 26, 2002

Dec 22, 1999

09/470564

Robert M. Gibbs - Longmont CO
Bruce J. Oxley - Boulder CO

Seagate Technology LLC - CA

G11B 554

3602561, 360 9702

An apparatus for accelerating and concentrating wind generated by spinning discs in a disc drive includes a stationary air vane member mounted on a disc drive base plate beneath a bottom disc. The air vane member preferably has a rib with an upper edge in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of the disc adjacent a bottom surface of the disc and curves from the inner diameter of the disc to the outer diameter in the direction of rotation of the disc. The rib terminates adjacent a wind actuated pivoting air filter latch which holds an actuator assembly in a parked position when the drive is de-energized. This arrangement accelerates and concentrates the wind at the latch apparatus to increase wind force on the pivoting air filter latch to move the latch to an unlatched position when the rotating discs reach normal operating speed to permit the actuator to move from the parked position.

6507462, Jan 14, 2003

Oct 12, 2000

09/689471

Robert Mitchell Gibbs - Longmont CO
Aaron Steve Macpherson - Fort Collins CO

Seagate Technology LLC - Scotts Valley CA

G11B 2108

3602647

A disc drive having a base plate and an information storage disc supported for rotation by a drive motor on the base plate. The disc drive further includes a rotary actuator assembly mounted on the base plate adjacent the information storage disc. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm carrying a transducer at a distal end thereof and a voice coil motor operably attached to the actuator arm for movement of the transducer over the disc. The voice coil motor has a vertically extending shroud flange positioned adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the disc, whereby the shroud flange directs air-flow along the peripheral edge of the disc during drive operation.