A machine which provides for both leaf stripping and grading can be used to process plants, such as burley tobacco plants, by continuously moving the plants in a first direction while simultaneously varying the position of the plants in a second direction relative to a defoliating apparatus. The plants may be moved horizontally through a machine by a transporter engaging the plant stalks while the vertical distance between the transporter (and thus the plants) is varied relative to the defoliating apparatus. The transporter and defoliating apparatus may be positioned at an angle to one another. Due to the changing amount of vertical distance, leaves from different sections of the plants, such as leaves at different stalk heights, can be contacted and removed at different corresponding horizontal locations in the machine. Accordingly, leaves can be graded based on the location(s) from which they are retrieved after removal.

A spreader assembly for a combine harvester, the assembly including a pair of disks configured to be rotated such that chaff material dropped onto the disks is spread about the combine harvester, wherein each disk is operably connected to its own motor and a spreader frame assembly. The spreader frame assembly includes a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester, a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, and at least one disk support configured to support at least one of the pair of disks. The spreader frame assembly further defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with the flow of windrowing material.

A combine side-shaking control system and a method for controlling operation of a side-shaking mechanism in a combine. The control system includes at least one sieve for separating crop material from other materials and a movable side-shaking mechanism coupled to the at least one sieve and configured to move the at least one sieve in a side-to-side motion. The control system also includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one operating condition of a combine system. The control system further includes a controller for receiving the at least one operating condition and causing the side-shaking mechanism to stop moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion or start moving the at least one sieve in the side-to-side motion based on the at least one operating condition.

A granular material stirring apparatus for breaking up clumps of a granular material in an interior of a storage bin comprises a base assembly for resting on a floor of the bin, an agitation rotor rotatably mounted on the base assembly, and a rotation device connected to the rotatable agitation rotor to cause the agitation rotor to rotate with respect to the base assembly. The agitation rotor may include a central member rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and a plurality of stirrer members extending substantially radially outwardly from the central member to rotate about the substantially horizontal axis.

An intake feeder system having a stone separator mounted between a crop elevator and the mouth of a threshing mechanism disposed longitudinally in a combine harvester. The stone separator includes a rotary feed beater and a sump disposed beneath the feed beater. The feed beater serves to advance crop raised by the elevator along a crop flow path towards the mouth of the threshing mechanism and to propel stones in the crop into the sump. A duct is provided in parallel with the crop flow path for connecting a space above the rotary feed beater to the mouth of the threshing mechanism.

A counter knife bank assembly of a chopper assembly for an agricultural combine is provided that can pass obstructions without damaging the knife blades of the knife blade assembly. The counter knife bank assembly includes a knife bank and a lever assembly connected to the knife bank. The knife bank is moveable between a first position and a second position relative to a stationary frame of the chopper assembly. The lever assembly includes an extension member having a first end connected to the knife bank, a biasing member connected to the extension member, and an abutment member. The abutment member is engaged with the biasing member and is biased against a stationary support member of the counter knife bank assembly for articulation therewith.

A driver assistance system for an agricultural working machine includes at least one control/regulating unit designed to adjust and monitor working parameters, quality parameters or both, of the agricultural working machine in an automatable manner based on use of a family of characteristics stored in the control/regulating unit. A selectable process implementation strategy is specified in order to automatically monitor or adjust at least one working parameter or quality parameter or both of the agricultural working machine. The driver assistance system suggests that the process implementation strategy be changed at least when the specified setpoint value of one or more of the quality parameters cannot be reached within the preselected process implementation strategy.

A combine side-shaking control system includes a sieve for separating crop material from other materials and configured to move in a fore-aft direction. At least one side-shaking assembly includes a mounting device attached to a combine chassis, a lower plate configured to rotate about a lower plate axis and an upper plate configured to (i) have an upper plate rotational motion and rotate responsive to the rotation of the lower plate and (ii) have an upper plate substantially linear motion in a substantially linear direction. A fixed arm is rotatably coupled to the upper plate and attached to the sieve. An actuation device is configured to rotate the lower plate about the lower plate axis. Responsive to the rotation of the upper plate, the sieve is controlled to move diagonal to the fore-aft direction in the substantially linear direction of the upper plate substantially linear motion.

A combine side-shaking control system that includes a sieve for separating crop material from other material, located in a plane having an X dimension and a Y dimension and configured to move in a fore-aft direction in the X dimension, in a side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and in an up-down direction in a Z dimension. The system also includes a side-shaking assembly configured to move the sieve in the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension. The fixed arm is attached to the sieve and configured to move with the sieve in (i) the fore-aft direction in the X dimension, (ii) the side-to-side direction in the Y dimension and (iii) the up-down direction in the Z dimension. The side-shaking coupling portion comprises a moving portion configured to move in a diagonal direction having a fore-aft component in the X dimension and an up-down component in the Z dimension.

A biomass feed system includes a device to propel an airborne flow of the biomass along a trajectory within a collection device. At least one air flow port is disposed and operable in cooperation with at least one fan for discharging a flow of air for creating a blanket of pressurized air within the interior cavity beneath the trajectory for supporting and extending a distance of travel of the biomass within the collection device. The collection device can include an air flow outlet adjacent to a terminal end of the trajectory, to and through which the pressurized air will flow, in a manner for lifting and carrying at least some of the airborne biomass farther into the interior cavity. And, vanes or other elements can be provided to used to achieve better sideward distribution.

A double function, hand operated meat tenderizer includes a handle with a blade segment clamped inside said handle; a generally flat plate attached to said handle by at least one slidably moving cylinder attached to a compressed spring, comprising at least one seat including a releasably attached spigot of the cylinder, wherein an end face of said plate is provided with a plurality of projections and flow-through slots aligned in evenly spaced relation, parallel to the spring axis, and wherein in a position of rest, ends of said blades are retracted in said flow-through slots.

Method and apparatus are provided for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device or processing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package and wherein the organ or organs are separated from the organ package. The organ package is spatially oriented by the processing device without notably breaking tissue connections in the package, and in a preselected order so as to cause the harvesting of organs from the package to occur in a preselected sequence that depends on the location of the organ package in the processing device or processing line.

A method for filling sausages with a paste-like substance by means of a filling machine and to a filling machine for performing this method, including a sensor unit capable of determining at least one parameter that varies differently for different paste-like substances as a function of time. Depending on the at least one determined parameter, a controller determines whether a measure to be implemented on one or more wearing parts is necessary, the wearing parts wearing out at different times depending on the different paste-like substances.

A knife includes a body that includes a handle section, a substantially circular blade housing section, and a blade including a cutting edge having substantially the same radius of curvature of the blade housing. The substantially circular blade housing section extends substantially perpendicular from the handle section. The blade extends longitudinally out of the blade housing at a position substantially 180° away from the position of the handle section along the circumference of the blade housing and terminates in a sharp point. The width of the blade at the portion immediately adjacent to the blade housing and opposite the blade point is substantially equal to the diameter of the blade housing.

A casing brake assembly for applying a frictional force to a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing arranged on a filling tube of an apparatus used for filling and closing said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing and for limiting the movement of said tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing at least while being filled, wherein the filling tube has a circular cross-section, the casing brake assembly comprising a housing and at least a first brake body and at least a second brake body, wherein at least the second brake body is reversibly movable relative to the first brake body between a releasing position and a braking position about said common central axis wherein, in releasing position, the brake bodies are forming a ring, which has an open segment, wherein the filling tube is pivotable through the open segment, and wherein, in braking position, the brake bodies are forming a substantially closed ring.

In a method for removing blood released during filleting from the backbone and the indentations therein in the region of the vertebrae of fish that are conveyed in a row with the head forwards and the belly downwards, the removal of blood is carried out at the same time and in the same place as the cutting of the backbone. The backbone, which is freed of ray bones and rib bones, is guided through a cutting gap and is cut clear on the belly side of the fish over the entire length of the fish as far as the root of the dorsal fin to leave a backbone stump. The fish fillet flesh is covered by covering surfaces which converge at the cutting gap and of which at least two covering surfaces form the cutting gap. Pressurized cleaning fluid is sprayed onto the backbone that is guided between the covering surfaces through the cutting gap during cutting. A device for removing said released blood comprises a backbone cutting device having two backbone cutting circular blades, which are arranged obliquely in an inverted V shape and form the covering surfaces, and having fish guiding means forming covering surfaces that cover the fish fillet flesh. A cleaning device comprises at least one cleaning nozzle aligned with the cutting gap. An actuating device actuates the cleaning device and the backbone cutting device simultaneously. The covering surfaces protect the fish fillet flesh from being sprayed with the cleaning fluid.

The invention relates to a packaging plant for packing sausages or other objects, comprising a manufacturing device, a buffer device, a feeding device, an insertion device, and a packaging machine, the buffer device comprising a length-variable transport section, and a method for operating a packaging plant according to the invention.

A work hanging apparatus includes a hanger line continuously conveying hangers each having a hook, a robot that has a hand with which a work having a hole is held and transfers the held work to a hanging location set in the hanger line, a controller controlling a movement of the hand to catch the hook of one of the hangers with the hole of the held work at the hanging location, a hole deviation detector that detects a positional deviation of the hole of the work, an attitude deviation detector that detects an attitudinal deviation of the hanger, and a corrector that corrects the movement of the hand according to the positional and attitudinal deviations.

A method for processing poultry suspended by the feet from a conveyor hook is provided. The method and apparatus allow the quality of the poultry to be classified and graded in a simpler and more effective manner to realize higher yields or an extra added value. In one exemplary embodiment, a processing apparatus for a foot of the poultry is provided that includes a foot pad inspection apparatus.

The invention relates to a poultry defeathering apparatus and to a picking row for use in such an apparatus. The picking row comprises an elongate support part with a front side surface, a back side surface, a two interconnecting side surfaces interconnecting the front and back side surfaces. Said side surfaces extends in parallel to a length axis of the support part and a plurality of picking heads are arranged on the front side surface. At least one of the interconnecting side surfaces is convex, preferably being curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to half the height of the support part. In the apparatus, two or more picking rows are arranged side-by-side with the picking heads facing in substantially the same direction such that interconnecting side surfaces of neighboring picking rows face each other. In such a pair of interconnecting surfaces, at least one of them is convex.

The present invention relates to a device for processing carcasses of livestock such as cattle, pigs and sheep, comprising: at least two dressing tools for performing a dressing process on livestock carcasses, and a robot arm carrying the dressing tool. The invention also relates to a method for processing carcasses of livestock using such a device.

A knife having a hook incorporated into the blade for skinning, wherein the hook is a belly hook that is positioned on the belly side or under side of the knife opposite a finger guard area. Methods of the using the knife include steps for using the cutting edge to cut and using the hook to cut by pressure applied away from the user's body.

A food source information transferring system for a livestock meat-packing facility and a related method are disclosed. In one embodiment, the food source information transferring system is capable of reading tag-identifying information in a hook RFID tag incorporated in a hook that can be hung on a hook machine. An animal carcass attached to the hook then undergoes meat chopping, cutting, and/or packing operations in the meat-packing facility. For each meat package produced, a data set associated with the tag-identifying information in the hook RFID tag can be paired with a data set associated with a meat package label attached to the meat package. This dynamic and robust data association between the hook RFID tag and the meat package label enables a food source information database in the food source information transferring system to preserve and trace detailed food source information at various levels of meat production and processing.

Method and apparatus are provided for mechanically processing an organ or organs taken out from slaughtered poultry in a processing device or processing line, which organ or organs form part of an organ package and wherein said organ or organs are separated from the organ package. The organ package is spatially oriented by the processing device without notably breaking tissue connections in the package, and in a preselected order so as to cause harvesting of organs from the package to occur in a preselected sequence that depends on the location of the organ package in the processing device or processing line.

A portable plucking mechanism for birds, comprising a rotating head with a plurality of flexible protrusions operably connected to a motor, a plurality of arm members, and an attachment mechanism optionally comprising a trailer hitch receiver and an electrical connection to a power source. These components are connected with a plurality of articulable joints, allowing for optimal positioning of the rotating head (at the distal end of an arm member) in space relative to the position of the attachment mechanism (at the proximal end of another arm member). Thus, the user has convenient access regardless of terrain or obstacles, the ability to easily reposition the head, and the ability to manipulate the body of the bird with both hands, to frictionally engage a plurality of feathers with the rotating flexible protrusions, while minimizing damage to the meat of the bird.

Fuel cell membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cell polymer electrolyte membranes are provided comprising bound anionic functional groups and polyvalent cations, such as Mn or Ru cations, which demonstrate increased durability. Methods of making same are also provided.

A connecting structure for a secondary battery for electrically connecting a core pack where two or more unit cells are electrically connected and a protection circuit module made of the unit cells of the core pack and a PCB substrate. The connecting structure includes a metal plate having an electrode connecting unit connected to an electrode of each unit cell of the core pack and a circuit connecting unit connected to the protection circuit module; and a circuit terminal unit electrically connected to the circuit connecting unit by being located in a connection hole formed in the PCB substrate of the protection circuit module so that the upper and lower portions of the PCB substrate communicate with each other. The circuit connecting unit is coupled and electrically connected to the circuit terminal unit by means of a connection method which allows selective connection and separation.

A battery pack dehumidifier system for controlling the relative humidity within a battery pack enclosure is provided, the dehumidifier system including a desiccant that absorbs/adsorbs water vapor from the battery pack enclosure. The system heats and reactivates the desiccant at predetermined time intervals or when the humidity within the system reaches a preset level, thereby allowing the desiccant to regain its potential for absorbing/adsorbing water vapor.

The disclosed embodiments provide a battery pack for use with a portable electronic device. The battery pack includes a first set of cells with different capacities electrically coupled in a parallel configuration. Cells within the first set of cells may also have different thicknesses and/or dimensions. The first set of cells is arranged within the battery pack to facilitate efficient use of space within a portable electronic device. For example, the first set of cells may be arranged to accommodate components in the portable electronic device.

A battery pack, which can secure the strength of an outer case, minimize the thickness over the whole outer case and ensure a battery capacity of the battery pack, by forming a portion of a main wall of the outer case with a metal plate. The battery pack includes a core pack, a first case, and a second case. The first case has a periphery including a first resin molding part, and is configured to cover a first surface of the core pack. The second case has a periphery including a second molding part, and is configured to cover a second surface of the core pack. The first and second cases are connected with each other by a weld of the first and second molding parts.

In the present invention, there is provided a battery pack including first to fifth terminal portions sequentially arrayed at one side surface of a housing, wherein the first terminal portion formed on one end side of the one side surface is a positive electrode terminal, the fifth terminal portion formed on the other end side is a negative electrode terminal, the fourth terminal portion formed adjacently to the fifth terminal portion is an ID terminal, and the fourth terminal portion and the fifth terminal portion are proximate to each other; and a guide portion for guiding the loading and unloading of the battery pack into and from a battery mounting portion is formed substantially in the center of the one side surface in array with the terminal portions, and the third terminal portion arranged centrally is formed at a position deviated toward the one end side or the other end side.

An alkaline primary battery includes: a positive electrode 2 containing manganese dioxide; an alkaline electrolyte containing zinc oxide; a gelled negative electrode 3 containing zinc alloy particles, the alkaline electrolyte, and a gelling agent; and a negative electrode current collector 6 inserted in the gelled negative electrode. The gelled negative electrode 3 has a predetermined malleability such that when 4.0 g of the gelled negative electrode 3 formed into a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 15 mm is extended with 200 g of a load through 10 g of a flat plate, and then an upper surface of the extended gelled negative electrode 3 is approximated to a circle, this circle has a diameter ranging from 24 mm to 36 mm, both inclusive.

Electrode structures, and more specifically, electrode structures for use in electrochemical cells, are provided. The electrode structures described herein may include one or more protective layers. In one set of embodiments, a protective layer may be formed by exposing a lithium metal surface to a plasma comprising ions of a gas to form a ceramic layer on top of the lithium metal. The ceramic layer may be highly conductive to lithium ions and may protect the underlying lithium metal surface from reaction with components in the electrolyte. In some cases, the ions may be nitrogen ions and a lithium nitride layer may be formed on the lithium metal surface. In other embodiments, the protective layer may be formed by converting lithium to lithium nitride at high pressures. Other methods for forming protective layers are also provided.

Provided is a packaging material for electrochemical cells which has an identification mark that can be recognized from the outside and that is difficult to forge. The packaging material comprises a multilayer film which has a structure formed by laminating a base layer (11), an adhesive layer (13), a metal foil layer (12), an acid-modified polyolefin layer (14), and a heat-sealable layer (15) in this order, wherein the base layer (11) comprises both a oriented polyester film (11b) and a oriented nylon film (11e) with a printed layer (11c) provided on the surface of the oriented polyester film (11b) that faces the oriented nylon film (11e).

A bookbinding structure for binding a stack of sheets including an elongated substrate having a first surface on which a first, heat activated, adhesive matrix is disposed and a second surface on which a second, pressure activated adhesive is disposed. The first adhesive matrix will be used to binding an edge of the stack so as to form a bound book with no cover. The second adhesive matrix includes first and second spaced-apart segments which extend along the length of the substrate. First and second release liners are disposed over the first and second adhesive segments, with the release liners remaining in place until the stack of sheets have been bound with the bookbinding structure. One of the release liners is manually removed from the bound stack and the stack is positioned in a cover assembly with the edge of the stack being positioned opposite a spine section of the cover assembly. The remaining release liner prevents the cover assembly from prematurely attaching to the stack thereby enabling the user to more easily positioned the stack with in the assembly. The user then forces the cover assembly against the exposed adhesive segment thereby securing part of the cover assembly to the stack. The second release liner is then removed and pressure is applied to that part of the cover assembly opposite the exposed segment thereby completing the binding sequence.

An envelope has a top face, a bottom face and an open lower edge. A plurality of gift items are in a generally rectangular configuration. The gift items have a top surface, a bottom surface, a first end, and a second end. The gift items have a length and a width each less that the length and the width of the envelope. A plurality of adhesive stripes are adapted to attach the plurality of gift items end to end. In this manner the gift items are held end to end when the gift items are folded in a corrugated fashion and placed within the envelope. The gift items may be removed by pulling them out from the open lower edge of the envelope.

Disclosed are sets of ink components, and ink compositions, useful for printing markings, on security documents, that are relatively resistant to counterfeiting. Also disclosed are the security documents formed, a method of printing and a method of authenticating the printed material. The markings, formed of the ink compositions have a spectral response that deviates from a predicted spectral response when linearly additively combining spectral responses of components of the ink composition, so that it becomes difficult to reverse-engineer the ink composition from the markings. Use of plural different markings, with each marking being a microdot, increases difficulty in counterfeiting. By forming a template of spectral responses of the original pattern, spectral responses of a pattern on an unknown document can be compared to the spectral responses on the template for determining whether the unknown document is authentic. Formation of the markings is facilitated using an inkjet printer.

A pouch or holder has a friction-enhanced surface. The pouch has an opening to receive a cardboard backing of a writing pad. The sheets of paper of the writing pad overlie the upper surface of the pouch. The friction-enhanced material is located at the lower surface of the pouch. The pouch is closed at the bottom end and the side edges. The binding of the writing pad locates on the outside of the pouch.

A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion. At least a part of the central portion is directly adhered by the adhesive to the slip without intervening release coating between the adhesive and the slip or the central portion. Individualized indicia, such as an address, may be printed on a label area of the top face of the central portion, while other individualized indicia, such as the content of a package, may be printed on the back face of the slip. Masking indicia is preferably provided on one of the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner to inhibit viewing of the content indicia until the slip is removed from the package.

A hard laminate sheet for security booklets and method of making the same. The laminate sheet comprises at least two hard core layers (e.g. of polycarbonate) and a flexible component (e.g. nylon) there between and extending beyond an outer edge of the core layers to form a flexible band. The flexible component may be provided as an intermediate layer also comprising a hard component (e.g. of polycarbonate) juxtaposed with the flexible component and laminated to the adjacent core layers. The flexible component comprises a plurality of apertures within which material of the adjacent core layers is laminated together and affixes the flexible component to the laminate sheet. Additional hard core layers may be laminated to the core layers which sandwich the intermediate layer. Optionally, the laminate sheet may be used for a travel document (such as a passport) and may be laser engraved. Also, optionally, the laminate sheet may comprise a hard core inlay layer configured for containing a contactless integrated circuit chip and antenna or other electronic hardware.

A business form is provided which is particularly useful in shipping products where certain preprinted information can be provided and then individualized information is printed before the form is applied to a substrate. The form includes a face ply which has a pattern of adhesive applied to at least a portion of the inner face, and a release liner which includes a pattern of adhesive which exposes a portion of the release liner to direct adhesive contact to the face ply without intervening release coating to permanently adhere a part of the release liner to the face ply. The release liner has a surrounding protective border provided with release coating on the release face thereof and which is removed prior to application to the substrate, and a slip which remains with the form as applied to the substrate. The face ply includes lines of perforation defining a central portion. At least a part of the central portion is directly adhered by the adhesive to the slip without intervening release coating between the adhesive and the slip or the central portion. Individualized indicia, such as an address, may be printed on a label area of the top face of the central portion, while other individualized indicia, such as the content of a package, may be printed on the back face of the slip. Masking indicia is preferably provided on one of the inner face of the top ply or the release face of the release liner to inhibit viewing of the content indicia until the slip is removed from the package.

The Virtual Aggregation Processor enables end user devices to share a common wireless forward path of a multicast communication architecture in which the forward path delivered content is dynamically changed or modified based on a real-time, near-real-time, or delay-time basis via aggregated reverse path feedback from at least one of a plurality of end user devices. The Virtual Aggregation Processor periodically or continuously aggregates the feedback input received via the reverse path (having wired and/or wireless connectivity), modifies the forward path multi-media content, and delivers this dynamically modified multi-media content to the then connected population of end user devices via a wireless forward path multicast in a repetitive closed loop fashion.

A removable label guest book assembly provides a record of guests attending an event and removable labels to facilitate subsequent communication with those who attended the event. The guest book assembly includes a plurality of pages coupled together forming a book. A plurality of removable labels is coupled to the pages. The labels each have a writing surface configured for being written on by a writing implement. A plurality of recording sheets is provided. Each label has an associated recording sheet positioned between the label and the page. Thus, the recording sheet transfers writing on the writing surface of the label onto the associated page.

A system and method may provide sets or packets of playing cards for forming part or all of a hand of playing cards. Each set or packet may be formed before starting to form another set or packet. Sets or packets may be formed in respective playing card receiving compartments. The playing cards may be withdrawn from a plurality of playing card receiving compartments of an intermediary playing card receiver in random or pseudo-random fashion, which may, or may not, be based at least in part on the selected payout or house odds and/or house advantage.

A drive arrangement is disclosed for a motor vehicle power take off (PTO). The arrangement comprises a PTO shaft 104,158,207 of a known type intended for coupling to a power driven implement. An input shaft is arranged to be coupled to a rotary driver such as an engine. A continuously variable transmission such as 10 is coupled between the input and PTO shafts to transfer drive between them at a continuously variable ratio. In accordance with the invention, the continuously variable transmission is constructed and arranged such as to regulate torque and to automatically accommodate changes in speed at the PTO Shaft by virtue of changes in its drive ratio.

An unlocking controller is provided for an irreversible rotary transmission system having the irreversible rotary transmission system having an irreversible rotation transmission element arranged between an input shaft and an output shaft. The unlocking controller includes an input shaft rotation direction determination section and an unlocking torque setting section. The input shaft rotation direction determination section determines whether an input shaft rotational direction is the same as, or opposite to, a direction of the load torque of the output shaft. The unlocking torque setting section conducts an unlocking torque control that sets the unlocking torque a higher value when the input shaft rotational direction and the direction of the load torque of the output shaft are the same as while the lock is released, than when the input shaft rotational direction is opposite to the direction of the direction of the load torque of the output shaft.

Systems and methods are disclosed for isolated bands of fractional tracks in data storage devices, particularly devices employing shingled magnetic recording. In one embodiment, a device may comprise a data storage medium including a first data storage area including tracks overlapped in a shingled manner and having a first circumferential portion of a track to store data, a second data storage area, and a guard area disposed between the first data storage area and the second data storage area, the guard area including a second circumferential portion of the track as a partial guard track. In some embodiments, the guard area may include at least one sector in the first circumferential portion of the track, such that at least one sector of the guard area is interposed between data storage sectors of the first data storage area.

A method for reading a track of data may include positioning a read head at an initial position relative to the track of data and obtaining initial track signals, filtering the initial track signals, positioning the read head at an initial subsequent position relative to the track of data and obtaining initial subsequent track signals, and filtering the initial subsequent track signals. In an initial equalization, the filtered initial track signals and the filtered initial subsequent track signals are equalized to obtain equalized track signals. The read head is positioned at a further subsequent position relative to the track of data and further subsequent track signals are obtained The further subsequent track signals are filtered. In a subsequent equalization, previously obtained equalized track signals and the filtered further subsequent track signals are equalized. A storage device operating according to the method may have an equalizer in hardware or firmware.

Systems and methods are provided that may be implemented to provide a mechanical indicator to correlate magnetic disk drive IOP performance with features of mechanical and/or acoustic vibrational frequencies that are generated and captured or sensed outside of the disk drive itself. In one example, disk drive PES data may be collected concurrently with the capture of mechanical and/or acoustic vibrational data at different and progressive locations of vibration source, vibration path and vibration receiver in a disk drive operating environment, e.g., such as for disk drives installed within a server and/or storage chassis enclosure. In such case, PES threshold may be utilized to correlate performance of Drive IOP or drive servo-mechanical performance as a function of measured characteristics of vibration source/s that impart vibration to a disk drive.

Provided herein is an apparatus, including a clamping means for clamping at least one disk onto a hub at a mounting point on the hub for the at least one disk, wherein the clamping means is configured to sit wholly above the at least one disk; a seat in an outer perimeter of the hub configured to receive the clamping means; and a locking means for locking the clamping means onto the hub.