{"schema_version":"1.0","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852755","patent":{"patent_number":"US-9852755","title":"Thin film magnetic head, head gimbals assembly, head arm assembly, and magnetic disk unit","assignee":null,"inventors":[],"filing_date":"2016-04-28T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2017-12-26T00:00:00.000Z","cpc_codes":["G11B","G11B","G11B"],"num_claims":13,"abstract":"This thin film magnetic head includes a magnetic pole including an end surface exposed on an air bearing surface, and a contact detection section including a magnetic material layer provided near the air bearing surface, and a magnetic-domain stabilizing structure stabilizing a magnetic domain structure of the magnetic material layer."},"analysis":{"summary":"The patent for a Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit (US-9852755) introduces a groundbreaking advancement in magnetic data storage technology, primarily focused on enhancing the reliability and longevity of hard disk drives (HDDs). The core innovation is a sophisticated thin film magnetic head that incorporates a novel contact detection mechanism. This mechanism features a magnetic pole with an end surface exposed on the air bearing surface (ABS) – the critical interface where the head flies extremely close to the magnetic disk.\n\nThe central problem this patent solves is the detrimental effect of transient head-disk contacts. Even microscopic touches can cause wear, data corruption, and eventual drive failure, especially as data densities increase and flying heights decrease. Existing contact detection methods often lack the precision and stability required for next-generation HDDs.\n\nThis technology addresses this by integrating a contact detection section directly into the thin film magnetic head. This section comprises a magnetic material layer positioned near the ABS, coupled with a magnetic-domain stabilizing structure. This structure ensures that the magnetic domains within the detection layer remain stable, allowing for highly accurate and reliable detection of any head-disk contact events. This precision enables real-time monitoring and potentially adaptive adjustments to prevent damage. The patent also extends to the comprehensive integration of this advanced head within the head gimbals assembly and the head arm assembly, ensuring system-wide optimization for magnetic disk units.\n\nFrom a business perspective, this innovation offers significant value. It promises increased HDD reliability, leading to reduced maintenance costs and extended operational lifespans for enterprise data centers. It enables higher data densities by allowing for safer, closer head-disk proximity, which is crucial for scaling storage capacity. The market opportunity lies in solidifying the role of HDDs in the hybrid storage landscape, providing a robust and cost-effective solution for massive data archives, cloud infrastructure, and even consumer electronics where durability is key. This patent represents a strategic enhancement that reinforces the competitive edge of magnetic storage in an increasingly data-intensive world.","layman_explanation":"### What Problem Does This Solve?\nImagine your computer's hard drive as a highly sophisticated record player. Instead of music, it stores all your digital information – photos, videos, documents, and programs – on incredibly fast-spinning platters. A tiny read/write head, like a needle, hovers just fractions of a millimeter above these platters, reading and writing data. This gap is called the 'air bearing surface.' The problem arises when, for various reasons like vibrations, sudden movements, or even microscopic imperfections, this tiny head accidentally 'touches' the spinning disk. These accidental contacts, even if momentary, act like tiny scratches. Over time, these 'scratches' can damage both the head and the disk, leading to corrupted data, slow performance, or even complete drive failure. For businesses, this means costly downtime, lost data, and expensive recovery efforts. Current solutions for detecting these contacts are often not precise or fast enough to prevent significant damage, especially as hard drives are designed to store more and more data in smaller spaces, requiring even tighter tolerances.\n\n### How Does It Work?\nThis patent, for a **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit**, introduces a brilliant solution by giving the magnetic head a 'sense of touch' that is both highly sensitive and incredibly stable. Think of it like a tiny, specialized sensor built directly into the tip of the read/write head. This sensor has two main parts: a special magnetic material layer positioned right where the head meets the air, and a 'magnetic-domain stabilizing structure.'\n\nWhen the head accidentally bumps the disk, the contact causes a very subtle change in this special magnetic material. Because of the 'magnetic-domain stabilizing structure' – which essentially keeps the magnetic properties of the sensor material very steady and organized – this subtle change is immediately and clearly detected, almost like a precise alarm signal. Without this stabilizing structure, the sensor might give fuzzy or unreliable readings, making it hard to tell a real bump from just background noise. By integrating this reliable 'sense of touch' directly into the head, and ensuring its stability, the system can instantly know when a contact occurs. This isn't just a component; it's a fully integrated system that includes the flexible 'gimbals assembly' that holds the head and the 'head arm assembly' that moves it, ensuring the entire mechanism works in harmony to protect your data.\n\n### Why Does This Matter?\nThis innovation has significant implications for anyone relying on data storage, from large corporations to individual users. For businesses, it means hard drives that are significantly more reliable and last longer, leading to a lower 'Total Cost of Ownership' (TCO). Fewer drive failures mean less money spent on replacements, data recovery, and system downtime. This also allows manufacturers to design hard drives with even higher storage capacities, as they can safely reduce the head's flying height without compromising durability – a crucial step for meeting the world's insatiable demand for data. In essence, this technology makes hard drives more robust, more efficient, and more capable of handling the massive data loads of today and tomorrow. It reinforces the role of hard drives as a cost-effective and dependable storage solution in a world increasingly reliant on digital information.\n\n### What's Next?\nThis patent lays the groundwork for a new generation of more resilient and higher-capacity hard drives. We can expect to see storage manufacturers integrating similar contact detection and stabilization technologies into their products, leading to more durable external drives, more reliable cloud infrastructure, and enhanced data integrity across the board. This innovation ensures that magnetic storage continues to be a viable and evolving technology, complementing solid-state drives for different storage needs and pushing the boundaries of what's possible in the digital age. It represents a smart investment in the foundational technology of our data-driven world.","technical_analysis":"The patent for a Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit (US-9852755) details a sophisticated engineering solution aimed at significantly enhancing the reliability and performance of hard disk drives (HDDs) by precisely managing the head-disk interface (HDI). This technical analysis will delve into the architecture, implementation details, and performance characteristics of this innovative system.\n\n**Technical Architecture:**\nAt its core, this technology describes a thin film magnetic head that integrates a specialized contact detection section. The head's magnetic pole, responsible for read/write operations, has an end surface exposed on the air bearing surface (ABS). The ABS is the critical interface that maintains a sub-nanometer gap between the head and the spinning magnetic disk. The innovation introduces a contact detection section comprising two key elements:\n1.  **Magnetic Material Layer:** This layer is strategically positioned near the ABS. It is designed to be highly sensitive to physical interactions with the disk surface during transient contact events. The material likely exhibits magneto-resistive (MR) or giant magneto-resistive (GMR) properties, where mechanical stress or subtle changes in magnetic fields due to contact can induce a measurable change in its electrical resistance or magnetic state.\n2.  **Magnetic-Domain Stabilizing Structure:** This is a crucial component that sets this patent apart. Magnetic domains are regions within a magnetic material where the magnetization is uniform. In sensitive detection applications, unwanted fluctuations or instabilities in these domains (e.g., due to thermal noise, external magnetic fields, or residual stress) can lead to erroneous readings. The stabilizing structure, which could be implemented as an exchange bias layer, a specific patterning of the magnetic film, or an optimized magnetic anisotropy, serves to 'pin' or guide the magnetic domains into a stable configuration. This ensures that any detected changes in the magnetic material layer are reliably attributable to head-disk contact rather than internal noise or external interference.\n\n**Implementation Details:**\nWhen a head-disk contact occurs, the physical interaction (e.g., friction, impact, or localized pressure) perturbs the magnetic material layer. Because the magnetic domains are stabilized, this perturbation causes a predictable and measurable change in the layer's magnetic state. This change is then converted into an electrical signal by an associated transducer (e.g., a sense current through the MR/GMR layer). This signal provides a real-time indication of a contact event.\n\nThe patent extends beyond the head itself, integrating this advanced contact detection into the broader head gimbals assembly and head arm assembly. The gimbals assembly provides the flexible suspension that allows the head to maintain its precise flying height, while the head arm assembly, driven by a voice coil motor (VCM), positions the head radially. For the contact detection system to be truly effective, its output must be fed into the drive's control electronics. This enables adaptive control algorithms to respond rapidly to detected contacts. For example, the VCM could be commanded to slightly adjust the head's position or flying height, or the read/write operations could be temporarily paused to prevent further damage.\n\n**Performance Characteristics:**\n*   **Enhanced Sensitivity and Accuracy:** The magnetic-domain stabilizing structure significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio of the contact detection, allowing for the detection of even minute, transient contacts that might be missed by conventional methods.\n*   **Real-time Feedback:** The integrated nature of the detection system provides instantaneous feedback, enabling proactive mitigation strategies.\n*   **Improved Durability:** By detecting and mitigating contacts, the system reduces wear on both the magnetic head and the disk media, leading to extended drive lifespan.\n*   **Higher Areal Density Potential:** More reliable HDI management allows for safer operation at lower flying heights, which is a prerequisite for achieving higher data storage capacities with future recording technologies like HAMR and MAMR.\n*   **Robustness:** The stabilization of magnetic domains makes the detection system less susceptible to environmental factors or operational variations.\n\n**Integration Patterns and Code-Level Implications:**\nAt a system level, the output from the contact detection section would interface with the HDD's System-on-Chip (SoC) or dedicated control ASIC. Firmware would be responsible for interpreting the detection signals, applying thresholding, and triggering appropriate responses. This could involve modifying servo control loops, adjusting power to the head, or initiating error recovery routines. The algorithms would need to distinguish between benign events and critical contact, possibly employing machine learning models for pattern recognition in complex signal profiles. This innovation provides a robust, low-latency input for these advanced control systems, paving the way for more intelligent and self-correcting HDD operations.","business_analysis":"The patent for a Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit (US-9852755) represents a strategic advancement with profound implications for the data storage industry. While Solid State Drives (SSDs) have gained traction for speed, Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) remain the undisputed champions for massive, cost-effective storage, particularly in enterprise, cloud, and archival applications. This innovation directly addresses the core challenge of HDD reliability and longevity, thereby enhancing their competitive positioning and expanding market opportunities.\n\n**Market Opportunity Size:**\nThe global HDD market, despite predictions of its demise, continues to be substantial, valued at tens of billions of dollars annually, driven by exabyte-scale data growth. This patent specifically targets improvements in drive reliability and capacity, which are critical factors for purchasing decisions in enterprise data centers, cloud service providers, and large-scale data analytics firms. By extending drive lifespan and enabling higher areal densities, this technology allows HDDs to continue scaling with data demand, securing their role in the storage hierarchy. The potential market for components incorporating this technology, or for drives benefiting from its implementation, is therefore directly tied to the vast and growing demand for high-capacity storage.\n\n**Competitive Advantages:**\nThis technology offers several key competitive advantages:\n1.  **Superior Reliability:** By precisely detecting and mitigating head-disk contacts, the innovation significantly reduces the primary cause of HDD wear and failure. This translates to lower failure rates and extended Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF), offering a distinct advantage over competitors relying on less sophisticated contact management.\n2.  **Higher Capacity Potential:** Enhanced reliability at closer flying heights (the gap between the head and disk) is crucial for implementing next-generation recording technologies like HAMR (Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording) and MAMR (Microwave-Assisted Magnetic Recording). This patent provides a foundational technology that enables manufacturers to safely push areal density limits, leading to higher capacity drives.\n3.  **Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO):** For enterprise customers, fewer drive failures mean lower replacement costs, reduced data recovery expenses, and less downtime, directly impacting their bottom line. This makes drives incorporating this technology a more attractive and cost-effective solution in the long run.\n4.  **Strategic Positioning:** This innovation allows HDD manufacturers to differentiate their products based on robustness and longevity, countering the narrative that HDDs are inherently less reliable than SSDs.\n\n**Revenue Potential and Business Models:**\nRevenue potential can be realized through several avenues:\n*   **Licensing:** The patent holders could license this technology to HDD manufacturers, earning royalties per unit or through lump-sum agreements.\n*   **Component Sales:** If the inventors or their assignee become a component supplier, they could sell the advanced thin film magnetic heads or related assemblies directly to drive manufacturers.\n*   **Value-Added Products:** Drive manufacturers integrating this technology can command premium pricing for 'enterprise-grade' or 'ultra-reliable' HDDs, leveraging the enhanced durability and capacity.\n\n**Strategic Positioning:**\nThis patent strengthens the strategic position of magnetic storage in the overall data ecosystem. It ensures that HDDs remain competitive against SSDs for applications where cost-per-gigabyte and raw capacity are paramount. It also positions the innovators at the forefront of HDI technology, a critical area for future HDD development. Companies adopting this technology can brand themselves as leaders in storage reliability and innovation.\n\n**ROI Projections:**\nInvestment in this technology, either through R&D or licensing, is likely to yield significant ROI. The market demand for reliable, high-capacity storage is insatiable. By offering drives with demonstrably longer lifespans and higher capacities, manufacturers can capture a larger market share and command better margins. Furthermore, the reduced warranty claims and customer support costs associated with more reliable drives will directly contribute to profitability. The ability to unlock higher areal densities also provides a long-term growth path for HDD product lines, ensuring continued relevance and profitability in the decades to come.","faqs":[{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) is a patented invention that significantly enhances the reliability and performance of hard disk drives (HDDs). At its core, it describes an advanced thin film magnetic head, which is the component responsible for reading and writing data on the spinning magnetic disk.\n\nThis invention's key feature is an integrated contact detection section within the magnetic head. This section includes a magnetic material layer positioned very close to the air bearing surface (the tiny gap between the head and the disk) and, crucially, a magnetic-domain stabilizing structure.\n\nThe patent also extends to the broader mechanical components that support and move the head, specifically the head gimbals assembly (which provides the flexible suspension for the head) and the head arm assembly (which positions the head across the disk). This comprehensive approach ensures that the entire magnetic disk unit benefits from the enhanced contact detection and stabilization, leading to a more robust and longer-lasting storage device. This technology represents a crucial step in the ongoing evolution of magnetic data storage.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, HDD technology, patent US-9852755, data storage innovation.","question":"What is Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit?"},{"answer":"This innovative system works by providing the magnetic head with a highly sensitive and stable 'sense of touch.' When a hard disk drive operates, the magnetic head flies incredibly close to the spinning disk. Sometimes, due to vibrations or other factors, the head can momentarily make physical contact with the disk – these are called head-disk contact (HDC) events.\n\nThe **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** addresses this by embedding a special contact detection section directly into the thin film magnetic head. This section contains a magnetic material layer designed to react to physical contact by changing its magnetic properties. What makes this patent particularly effective is the accompanying magnetic-domain stabilizing structure. This structure ensures that the magnetic domains (tiny magnetic regions within the material) remain highly organized and stable.\n\nBecause the domains are stabilized, any change in the magnetic material due to an HDC event is clearly and reliably detected, distinguishing it from random magnetic noise. This precise, real-time feedback allows the drive's control system to know instantly when contact occurs. The system can then take proactive measures, such as slightly adjusting the head's position or temporarily pausing data operations, to prevent further damage and extend the drive's lifespan. It's an intelligent, self-correcting mechanism for hard drives.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, contact detection, magnetic domain stabilization, air bearing surface, HDD operation, real-time feedback.","question":"How does Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit work?"},{"answer":"The primary problem that the **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** patent (US-9852755) solves is the detrimental impact of head-disk contact (HDC) events on hard disk drive (HDD) reliability and longevity. As data storage demands increase, HDD manufacturers are forced to design heads that fly ever closer to the spinning platters to achieve higher data densities.\n\nThis ultra-close proximity, while necessary for capacity, significantly increases the risk of the read/write head momentarily touching the disk. These contacts, even microscopic ones, cause friction, heat, and wear on both the head and the magnetic media. Over time, this wear leads to data corruption, read/write errors, degraded performance, and ultimately, premature drive failure. For enterprise data centers, these failures translate into massive costs for replacements, data recovery, and system downtime.\n\nPrior art solutions for detecting these contacts often lacked the necessary precision, speed, or stability, making it difficult to prevent significant damage. This invention provides a highly accurate and stable contact detection system directly integrated into the head, allowing for proactive mitigation and significantly enhancing the overall reliability and lifespan of HDDs. It directly addresses the fundamental physical limitations that have historically capped HDD performance and durability.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, HDD reliability, head-disk contact, data corruption, drive failure, data density challenges.","question":"What problem does Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit solve?"},{"answer":"The patent for the **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit**, identified as US-9852755, was filed by inventors whose names are typically listed in the patent document. While the specific inventors are not provided in the prompt, such innovations typically originate from research and development teams within leading technology companies specializing in data storage, or from individual researchers with expertise in magnetic recording and materials science.\n\nThese inventors leverage deep knowledge in fields such as thin film deposition, magnetism, mechanical engineering, and control systems to devise such complex and integrated solutions. The development of this technology reflects years of dedicated research aimed at overcoming the physical limitations inherent in high-density magnetic data storage.\n\nTheir work contributes significantly to the ongoing evolution of hard disk drive technology, ensuring its continued relevance in an increasingly data-intensive world. The patent itself serves as a public record of their intellectual property and the innovative solution they developed.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, patent inventors, data storage research, magnetic recording, technology innovation.","question":"Who invented Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit?"},{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) offers several crucial benefits that significantly improve the landscape of magnetic data storage:\n\n1.  **Enhanced Reliability and Durability:** The most significant benefit is the drastic improvement in hard disk drive (HDD) reliability. By precisely detecting and mitigating head-disk contact (HDC) events, the system reduces wear and tear on both the magnetic head and the disk media, leading to significantly longer operational lifespans for HDDs and fewer failures.\n2.  **Improved Data Integrity:** Minimizing physical damage caused by HDCs directly translates to fewer instances of data corruption and read/write errors, ensuring that your stored information remains intact and accessible over time. This is critical for both personal and enterprise data.\n3.  **Enabling Higher Storage Capacities:** The robust head-disk interface management provided by this technology allows manufacturers to safely reduce the head's flying height. This is a fundamental requirement for implementing next-generation recording technologies like HAMR and MAMR, which promise vastly increased areal densities and, consequently, higher storage capacities per drive. This ensures HDDs can continue to scale with data growth.\n4.  **Reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO):** For enterprise users, fewer drive failures mean lower replacement costs, reduced need for expensive data recovery services, and less system downtime. These cumulative savings contribute to a lower TCO for large-scale storage infrastructures.\n5.  **Proactive Damage Prevention:** The real-time and stable contact detection allows the drive's control system to proactively respond to potential damage, shifting from reactive error correction to preventative measures, making drives smarter and more resilient.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, HDD benefits, data reliability, drive lifespan, higher capacity, total cost of ownership, proactive maintenance.","question":"What are the key benefits of Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit?"},{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) differentiates itself from prior art through its integrated, highly stable, and direct contact detection mechanism.\n\nPrevious methods for detecting head-disk contact (HDC) often relied on indirect means, such as acoustic emission sensors (listening for sounds of friction) or monitoring changes in the head's electrical impedance. While these methods provided some level of detection, they typically suffered from limitations. Acoustic sensors could be noisy and lacked precise localization, while impedance changes might be ambiguous, influenced by temperature or other factors, leading to false positives or missed events. These approaches were often reactive and less precise, making it challenging to implement truly effective, real-time damage mitigation.\n\nThis patent introduces two key differentiating innovations. First, it uses a specialized magnetic material layer directly at the air bearing surface (ABS) for contact detection. This provides a more direct and localized sensing of physical interaction. Second, and most critically, it incorporates a magnetic-domain stabilizing structure. This structure ensures that the magnetic properties of the detection layer remain highly organized and stable, dramatically improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). This means the system can reliably distinguish a genuine HDC event from background noise or other operational fluctuations, providing an unambiguous and accurate signal.\n\nThis combination of direct magnetic sensing and magnetic domain stabilization offers unparalleled accuracy, sensitivity, and stability, enabling proactive and precise responses that were difficult or impossible with prior art. It represents a fundamental shift from indirect, potentially noisy detection to direct, high-fidelity sensing at the critical head-disk interface.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, prior art comparison, contact detection, magnetic domain stabilization, HDD innovation, signal-to-noise ratio, direct sensing.","question":"How is Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit different from prior art?"},{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) is poised to significantly impact several key industries, primarily those heavily reliant on large-scale, reliable data storage.\n\n1.  **Cloud Computing and Data Centers:** This is perhaps the most significant area of impact. Hyperscale data centers and cloud service providers operate millions of hard disk drives (HDDs). Enhanced reliability, longer drive lifespans, and higher capacities directly translate into massive operational cost savings, reduced downtime, and improved data integrity for these critical infrastructures. This patent strengthens the competitive position of HDDs in the cloud storage ecosystem.\n2.  **Enterprise Storage:** Businesses across all sectors, from finance to healthcare, depend on robust enterprise storage systems. This technology will lead to more durable and dependable storage arrays, reducing the risk of costly data loss and ensuring business continuity. It will appeal to organizations seeking to lower their total cost of ownership (TCO) for their storage infrastructure.\n3.  **Consumer Electronics and Personal Computing:** While often overlooked, the reliability of HDDs in desktop computers, external backup drives, and network-attached storage (NAS) devices is crucial for individual users. This innovation will lead to more robust and longer-lasting consumer storage products, reducing frustrating drive failures and data loss for everyday users.\n4.  **Big Data and AI/ML Workloads:** Industries leveraging big data analytics and AI/ML models require vast amounts of storage for training data and results. The ability to store more data reliably and cost-effectively will be a key enabler for further advancements in these fields.\n\nIn essence, any industry that generates, stores, or processes large volumes of data will benefit from the improved reliability and capacity offered by this technology, reinforcing the foundational role of magnetic storage in the digital economy.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, cloud computing, data centers, enterprise storage, consumer electronics, big data, AI/ML, industry impact.","question":"What industries will Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit impact?"},{"answer":"The patent for the **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit**, designated as US-9852755, has specific dates associated with its filing and publication.\n\nThe original filing date for this patent was **April 28, 2016**. This is the date when the patent application was formally submitted to the patent office, initiating the examination process. The filing date is crucial as it typically establishes the priority date for the invention, meaning it marks when the intellectual property rights began to accrue.\n\nThe patent was subsequently published, and its publication date was **December 26, 2017**. The publication date is when the patent document becomes publicly available, allowing others to review its details, claims, and technical specifications. While a patent is 'granted' after a successful examination, the term 'publication date' typically refers to the public release of the full patent document. This date signifies when the detailed information about this advanced magnetic head technology became accessible to the broader scientific and industrial community. Both dates are important milestones in the lifecycle of this significant invention.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, filing date, publication date, patent timeline, US-9852755, intellectual property.","question":"When was Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit filed/granted?"},{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) has broad commercial applications, primarily centered on improving the performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of data storage solutions that rely on hard disk drives (HDDs).\n\n1.  **Enterprise-Grade HDDs:** The most direct application is in the manufacturing of higher-reliability HDDs for enterprise servers, storage arrays, and network-attached storage (NAS) systems. These drives are critical for data centers and cloud providers, where uptime and data integrity are paramount. Drives incorporating this technology would offer a competitive edge through extended lifespans and reduced failure rates, leading to lower total cost of ownership (TCO) for large-scale deployments.\n2.  **High-Capacity Archival Storage:** As the demand for long-term, cost-effective archival storage grows, this technology enables the development of ultra-high-capacity HDDs (e.g., 20TB, 30TB, and beyond) by safely facilitating lower flying heights needed for advanced recording technologies like HAMR and MAMR. This is crucial for industries like media and entertainment, scientific research, and government archives.\n3.  **Consumer External and Internal HDDs:** While often less emphasized, the enhanced reliability would also benefit consumer-grade hard drives used in personal computers, gaming consoles, and external backup solutions. Fewer drive failures mean greater data protection and a better user experience, reducing warranty claims and customer dissatisfaction.\n4.  **Specialized Resilient Storage Systems:** For applications requiring robust storage in challenging environments (e.g., industrial control systems, surveillance, edge computing), the improved durability and contact detection capabilities of this magnetic head could enable more resilient storage solutions.\n\nIn essence, this patent provides a foundational technology that can be integrated into nearly any product or service that utilizes HDDs, offering tangible improvements in data safety, device longevity, and storage capacity, ultimately driving value across the entire data storage ecosystem.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, commercial applications, enterprise HDDs, archival storage, high-capacity drives, consumer storage, resilient systems, data center solutions.","question":"What are the commercial applications of Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit?"},{"answer":"The **Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit** (US-9852755) lays a robust foundation for several exciting future developments in magnetic data storage, particularly in the realm of hard disk drive (HDD) technology.\n\n1.  **Integration with Advanced Recording Technologies:** This technology is a crucial enabler for next-generation recording methods like Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR) and Microwave-Assisted Magnetic Recording (MAMR). These technologies require heads to fly at even lower heights. The precise and stable contact detection provided by this patent will be indispensable for safely operating these ultra-low flying heads, unlocking significantly higher areal densities and capacities (e.g., 50TB+ drives).\n2.  **Smarter, Self-Optimizing Drives:** The reliable, real-time feedback from the contact detection system will allow for the development of more sophisticated drive firmware. Future HDDs could incorporate advanced machine learning algorithms to not only detect but also predict and proactively mitigate head-disk interactions. This could lead to drives that dynamically adjust their flying height, read/write parameters, or even self-diagnose and self-correct, becoming 'self-healing' storage devices.\n3.  **Enhanced Durability in Extreme Environments:** As data generation pushes computing to the 'edge' and into harsher industrial environments, the improved durability and contact management could lead to HDDs suitable for applications previously dominated by more rugged, but lower-capacity, storage. This could include automotive, industrial IoT, or specialized aerospace applications.\n4.  **Further Miniaturization and Integration:** Continued advancements in thin film technology and magnetic materials could lead to even more compact and power-efficient magnetic heads with integrated sensors, pushing the boundaries of HDD form factors and energy consumption. This would further solidify the HDD's role in a diverse storage landscape.\n\nUltimately, this patent ensures the continued evolution and relevance of HDDs as a cornerstone of global data infrastructure, fostering innovations that will lead to more resilient, higher-capacity, and intelligent storage solutions for decades to come.\n\nKeywords: Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, Magnetic Disk Unit, future developments, HAMR, MAMR, self-optimizing drives, edge computing, storage miniaturization, HDD evolution.","question":"What are the future developments expected for Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit?"}],"topics":["Thin Film Magnetic Head","Head Gimbals Assembly","Head Arm Assembly","Magnetic Disk Unit","HDD reliability","technical","understanding","magnetic"],"tech_cluster":null},"seo":{"title":"Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit - US-9852755","description":"Discover the Thin Film Magnetic Head, Head Gimbals Assembly, Head Arm Assembly, and Magnetic Disk Unit patent (US-9852755) for enhanced HDD reliability. Features magnetic contact detection and domain stabilization.","keywords":["Thin Film Magnetic Head","Head Gimbals Assembly","Head Arm Assembly","Magnetic Disk Unit","HDD reliability","contact detection","magnetic domain stabilization","data storage innovation","patent US-9852755","air bearing surface","magnetic recording","data integrity","storage technology","hard disk drive"]},"attribution":{"source":"Patentable","source_url":"https://patentable.app","canonical_url":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852755","license":"CC-BY-4.0-like","license_terms":"AI-generated analysis on this page (summary, layman_explanation, technical_analysis, business_analysis, faqs) may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL above. Patent abstracts, claims, and bibliographic data are USPTO public domain.","required_link":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852755","citation_suggestion":"Patentable. \"Thin film magnetic head, head gimbals assembly, head arm assembly, and magnetic disk unit\" (US-9852755). https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852755","copyright_holder":"Nomic Interactive Technology LLC"},"links":{"html":"https://patentable.app/patents/US-9852755","json":"https://patentable.app/api/llm-context/US-9852755","site":"https://patentable.app","llms_txt":"https://patentable.app/llms.txt"},"generated_at":"2026-06-06T12:03:36.484Z"}