Gary L Kunkel

US Patent:

8139323, Mar 20, 2012

Filed:

Feb 5, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/701362

Inventors:

Marsha Anne Huha - Minneapolis MN, US
Ki Myung Lee - Eden Prairie MN, US
Anil Junuthula Reddy - Minneapolis MN, US
Ying Dong - Eden Prairie MN, US
Gary Joseph Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
Matthew Aaron Carper - Minneapolis MN, US
Andrew David Frenz - Minneapolis MN, US
John L. Brand - Burnsville MN, US
Quinn Jay Haddock - Longmont CO, US

Assignee:

Seagate Technology LLC - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G11B 5/33
G11B 5/40

US Classification:

3602343, 4288151, 3602351

Abstract:

An apparatus includes a slider body having a leading edge and an opposite trailing edge, as well as a top face and a bottom face each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge. The slider body further includes a plurality of protrusions extending from the bottom face, a first recess defined on one of the protrusions, and a sacrificial layer deposited on the slider body in the recess. A bottom surface of the sacrificial layer extends at least as far from the bottom face as bottom surfaces of the plurality of protrusions. In another aspect, a first blocking feature is located at a first uptrack edge on an air bearing surface of a slider, with the first blocking feature being substantially continuous along the first uptrack edge and protruding outwardly from the air bearing surface to reduce particle interaction with the air bearing surface.

US Patent:

8488278, Jul 16, 2013

Filed:

Oct 23, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/604827

Inventors:

Gary Joseph Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
Quinn J. Haddock - Longmont CO, US

Assignee:

Seagate Technology LLC - Scotts Valley CA

International Classification:

G11B 5/60

US Classification:

3602367

Abstract:

In a disc drive, a slider having electronic communication with the surface of a data disc, the slider having a first up-track mill transition that has a transition mill to remove oblique mill transitions so that the transition has a substantially perpendicular portion that impacts contaminant particles on or near the disc surface. In other embodiments, other edges of the slider have transition mills to remove oblique transition mills from possible impact with such particles.

US Patent:

20120120519, May 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 17, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/299094

Inventors:

Gary J. Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
Huazhou Lou - Eden Prairie MN, US
Declan Macken - Prior Lake MN, US
Timothy W. Stoebe - Minnetonka MN, US

Assignee:

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G11B 21/12
G11B 5/02
G11B 5/455

US Classification:

360 59, 360128, 360 75, G9B 5145, G9B 21021, G9B 5026

Abstract:

A temperature sensor of a head transducer measures temperature near or at the close point. The measured temperature varies in response to changes in spacing between the head transducer and a magnetic recording medium. A detector is coupled to the temperature sensor and is configured to detect a change in a DC component of the measured temperature indicative of onset of contact between the head transducer and the medium. Another head transducer configuration includes a sensor having a sensing element with a high temperature coefficient of resistance to interact with asperities of the medium. Electrically conductive leads are connected to the sensing element and have a low temperature coefficient of resistance relative to that of the sensing element, such thermally induced resistance changes in the leads have a negligible effect on a response of the sensing element to contact with the asperities.

US Patent:

20120120527, May 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 17, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/299082

Inventors:

Gary J. Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
John L. Brand - Burnsville MN, US

Assignee:

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G11B 5/127
G11B 5/60

US Classification:

3602354, 360110, G9B 504, G9B 5229

Abstract:

A multi-stage sensor is situated on the head transducer and configured to interact with a magnetic recording medium. A first sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor has a temperature coefficient of resistance. A second sensor stage of the multi-stage sensor is coupled to the first sensor and has a temperature coefficient of resistance. The first sensor stage is configured to preferentially sense asperities of the media relative to the second sensor stage, and the second sensor stage configured to preferentially sense proximity to, and contact with, a surface of the media relative to the first sensor stage. The first and second sensor stages may be connected in series or in parallel.

US Patent:

20120120982, May 17, 2012

Filed:

Nov 17, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/298712

Inventors:

Manuel Anaya-Dufresne - Edina MN, US
Brian W. Karr - Savage MN, US
Gary J. Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
Zhen Wei - Maple Grove MN, US

Assignee:

Seagate Technology LLC - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G01K 13/00

US Classification:

374141, 374E13001

Abstract:

A sensor supported by a head transducer has a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and a sensor resistance. The sensor operates at a temperature above ambient and is responsive to changes in sensor-medium spacing. Conductive contacts connected to the sensor have a contact resistance and a cross-sectional area adjacent to the sensor larger than that of the sensor, such that the contact resistance is small relative to the sensor resistance and negligibly contributes to a signal generated by the sensor. A multiplicity of head transducers each support a TCR sensor and a power source can supply bias power to each sensor of each head to maintain each sensor at a fixed temperature above an ambient temperature in the presence of heat transfer changes impacting the sensors. A TCR sensor of a head transducer can include a track-oriented TCR sensor wire for sensing one or both of asperities of the medium.

US Patent:

20200116650, Apr 16, 2020

Filed:

Oct 16, 2018

Appl. No.:

16/161387

Inventors:

- Cupertino CA, US
Zhiyu Chen - Eagan MN, US
Gary Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US

International Classification:

G01N 21/88
G06T 7/00

Abstract:

Various defects in an electronic assembly can be intelligently identified with a system having at least a server connected to a first capture module and a second capture module. The first capture module may be positioned proximal a first manufacturing line while the second capture module is positioned proximal a second manufacturing line. Images can be collected of first and second electronic assemblies by respective first and second capture modules prior to the images being sent to a classification module of the server where at least one defect is automatically detected in each of the first and second electronic assemblies concurrently with the classification module.

US Patent:

20180040341, Feb 8, 2018

Filed:

Oct 13, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/783178

Inventors:

- Cupertino CA, US
Joseph Michael Stephan - Eden Prairie MN, US
The Ngoc Nguyen - Lakeville MN, US
Neil Zuckerman - Eden Prairie MN, US
Gary J. Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US
Douglas H. Cole - Burnsville MN, US
Michael A. Seigler - Eden Prairie MN, US
Chris Rea - Edina MN, US

International Classification:

G11B 5/40
G11B 5/84
G11B 5/72
G11B 5/31
G11B 5/10
G11B 5/60
G11B 5/62
G11B 5/255
G11B 5/65
G11B 5/00

Abstract:

A magnetic device including: a magnetic reader; a magnetic writer; and a variable overcoat, the variable overcoat positioned over at least the magnetic reader and writer, the variable overcoat having an overcoat layer, the overcoat layer having a substantially constant thickness and material; and at least one disparate overcoat portion, the disparate overcoat portion having a different thickness, a different material, or both, than the overcoat layer.

US Patent:

20170061993, Mar 2, 2017

Filed:

Aug 28, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/839608

Inventors:

- Cupertino CA, US
Gary J. Kunkel - Minneapolis MN, US

International Classification:

G11B 5/17

Abstract:

A data writer may suspend a transducing head from an actuator. The transducing head can consist of a writer coil positioned proximal a write pole. A protruding signal may be passed through the write coil to contact a data storage medium with the transducing head. A write signal can be passed through the write coil to write a data bit on the data storage medium.