[Back to the Laser Patent Collection]
United States Patent RE37,145
Barenboim ,   et al. April 24, 2001
Apparatus for laser texturing disks

Abstract

A disk texturing tool is used, for example, to provide textured spots in an annular portion of both sides of a hardfile disk. Disks are moved into and out of the texturing process in cassettes, through two disk-handling stations. In each disk-handling station, a lifter raises each individual disk from the cassette. The individual disk is then transferred to a pick-and-place mechanism, which moves it to a spindle. The spindle spins and translates the disk, so that both sides of the disk are exposed to beams derived from a pulsed laser. The pick-and-place mechanism then returns the disk to the lifter, which lowers it into the cassette pocket from which it was taken. The pick-and-place mechanism simultaneously moves one disk from the lifter to the spindle and another from the spindle to the lifter. While disks are moved by the pick-and-place mechanism of one disk-handling station, a disk in the spindle of the other disk-handling station is exposed to the laser beams.

Inventors: Barenboim; Michael (Boca Raton, FL); Baumgart; Peter Michael (San Jose, CA); Chrusch; Peter Paul (Boynton Bch, FL); Karni; Benjamin (San Jose, CA); Kerstens; Pieter J. M. (Boca Raton, FL); Nguyen; Thao Anh (San Jose, CA); Seing; Hong S. (Boca Raton, FL); Tam; Andrew Ching (Saratoga, CA)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
Appl. No.: 374758
Filed: August 13, 1999
Related U.S. Patent Documents
  Patent No.: Issued: Appl. No.: Filed:
Reissue of: 05658475Aug 19, 1997613564Mar 11, 1996

Current U.S. Class: 219/121.77; 219/121.68; 219/121.82; 219/121.65
Intern'l Class: B23K 026/00
Field of Search: 219/121.77,121.6,121.68,121.76,121.82,121.83,121.74 425/174.4

References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4346284Aug., 1982Grollimund et al.219/121.
4574180Mar., 1986Kasner et al.219/121.
4638144Jan., 1987Latta, Jr.219/121.
4701591Oct., 1987Masaki et al.219/121.
4729766Mar., 1988Bergentz et al.219/121.
4964242Oct., 1990Ruble et al.451/306.
5062021Oct., 1991Ranjan et al.360/135.
5108781Apr., 1992Ranjan et al.427/556.
5425611Jun., 1995Hughes et al.414/217.
5486134Jan., 1996Jones et al.451/209.
5528922Jun., 1996Baumgart et al.73/1.
5539213Jul., 1996Meeks et al.250/559.
5567484Oct., 1996Baumgart et al.427/555.
5595768Jan., 1997Treves et al.425/174.
5981902Nov., 1999Arita et al.219/121.
6013336Jan., 2000Baumgart et al.427/555.

Primary Examiner: Heinrich; Samuel M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Davidge; Ronald V., Tomlin; Richard A.
[Back to the Laser Patent Collection]