# US 10,319,396 B2 · Transducer bar translation system and method of translating a transducer bar > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,319,396 B2 - Document ID: US10319396B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/184,576 - Filed: 2016-06-16 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-16 - Assignees: Seagate Technology LLC - Applicants: Seagate Technology LLC - Inventors: Glenn Johnson; Kevin Mayer; Peter Gunderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10319396B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/1272: {Assembling or shaping of elements (G11B5/1278 takes precedence)} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A plurality of transducer bars may be concurrently translated from a first orientation to a second orientation by a translation system that has first and second plates. The first plate can have a plurality of first notches with each first notch shaped to hold a transducer bar in a horizontal orientation. The second plate can have a plurality of second notches with each second notch shaped to translate the transducer bar from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a first plate having a plurality of first notches with each first notch shaped to hold a transducer bar in a horizontal orientation; and a second plate having a plurality of second notches with each second notch shaped with a varying width to translate the transducer bar from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second plates have recesses respectively filled with a bumper feature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the bumper feature comprises a different material than the first plate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first notches are separated and parallel to one another on the first plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the second notches has a vertical sidewall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the second notches has a first surface orientated parallel to a top surface of the first plate and a second surface angled with respect to the top surface of the first plate. ### Claim 7 A system comprising: a first plate having a plurality of first notches with each first notch shaped to hold a transducer bar in a horizontal orientation with vacuum pressure; and a second plate having a plurality of second notches with each second notch shaped with a varying width to translate the transducer bar from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein each transducing bar comprises a plurality of magnetoresistive data readers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the first plate is attached to a housing that defines a vacuum chamber contacting a side of the first plate opposite the first notches. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the vacuum chamber is connected to a pressure source via a tube. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein a portion of each of the first notches continuously extends completely through a thickness of the first plate. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: positioning a plurality of transducing bars in a plurality of first notches of a first plate, each first notch shaped to hold an individual transducer bar in a horizontal orientation; and translating each of the plurality of transducing bars from the horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation by moving each transducing bar from the first plate to a second plate having a plurality of second notches with each second notch shaped with a varying width to translate the transducer bar from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first plate retains each of the plurality of transducing bars in the horizontal orientation with continuous vacuum pressure. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second plates contact to move the each transducing bar from the first notches to the second notches. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of transducing bars are concurrently translated from the horizontal orientation to the vertical orientation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of transducing bars comprises 4 separate transducing bars. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising processing an air bearing for each of the plurality of transducing bars is positioned in the horizontal orientation prior to being moved to the second plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the transducing bars is moved from the first plate to the second plate only by gravity. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the first plate is inverted to move the plurality of transducing bars to the second plate. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of transducing bars is subsequently diced after being remounted from the vertical orientation to a secondary horizontal orientation.