U.S. patent application number 09/725106 was filed with the patent office on 2001-05-03 for magnetic disk drive having arm displacement limit mechanism for shock resistance.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hitachi, Ltd.. Invention is credited to Higuchi, Shinsuke, Iida, Akira, Matsumoto, Masaaki.
Application Number | 20010000681 09/725106 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 17928483 |
Filed Date | 2001-05-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010000681 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Iida, Akira ; et
al. |
May 3, 2001 |
Magnetic disk drive having arm displacement limit mechanism for
shock resistance
Abstract
In a magnetic disk drive which comprises a magnetic head slider,
a magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting the
magnetic head slider and moving it to a predetermined position, and
a load/unload mechanism for detaching the magnetic head slider from
the surface of a magnetic disk or moving it thereto, when the
magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk surface for
unloading, the magnetic head slider support mechanism is restrained
against displacement in at least one direction perpendicular to the
magnetic disk surface by a restraining part which is provided at a
position, on other than the load/unload mechanism, between the
magnetic head slider and a pivot of the magnetic head slider
support mechanism. Thus, it is possible to enhance impact
resistance of the magnetic disk drive during non-ration.
Inventors: |
Iida, Akira; (Odawara-shi,
JP) ; Matsumoto, Masaaki; (Odawara-shi, JP) ;
Higuchi, Shinsuke; (Odawara-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MATTINGLY, STANGER & MALUR
104 East Hume Avenue
Alexandria
VA
22301
US
|
Assignee: |
Hitachi, Ltd.
|
Family ID: |
17928483 |
Appl. No.: |
09/725106 |
Filed: |
November 29, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09725106 |
Nov 29, 2000 |
|
|
|
09185075 |
Nov 3, 1998 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
360/255 ;
G9B/33.024; G9B/5.181; G9B/5.198 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 5/5582 20130101;
G11B 5/54 20130101; G11B 33/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
360/255 |
International
Class: |
G11B 005/54 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 6, 1997 |
JP |
9-304053 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting said magnetic
head slider and moving said magnetic head slider to a predetermined
position; and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic
head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said
magnetic head slider thereto; a restraining part; wherein, when
said magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk
surface for unloading, said magnetic head slider support mechanism
is restrained against displacement in at least one direction
perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by said restraining part
which is provided at a position, on other than said load/unload
mechanism, between said magnetic head slider and a pivot of said
magnetic head slider support mechanism.
2. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting said magnetic
head slider and moving said magnetic head slider to a predetermined
position; and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic
head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said
magnetic head slider thereto; a restraining part wherein, when said
magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk surface for
unloading, said magnetic head slider support mechanism is
restrained against displacement larger than a certain degree in at
least one direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by
said restraining part which is provided at a position, on other
than said load/unload mechanism, between said magnetic head slider
and a pivot of said magnetic head slider support mechanism.
3. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting said magnetic
head slider and moving said magnetic head slider to a predetermined
position; and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic
head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said
magnetic head slider thereto; a restraining part; wherein, when
said magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk
surface for unloading, said magnetic head slider support mechanism
is restrained against displacement in at least one direction
perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by said restraining part
which is provided at a position, on other than said load/unload
mechanism, between said magnetic head slider and a pivot of said
magnetic head slider support mechanism, and wherein said
restraining part is kept out of contact with said head slider
support mechanism when no impact is applied to said magnetic disk
drive.
4. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
support spring for supporting said magnetic head slider; a guide
arm for mounting said support spring and moving said magnetic head
slider via said support spring to the surface of a magnetic disk;
and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic head slider
from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said magnetic head
slider thereto; a restraining part wherein said guide arm is
restrained by said restraining part against displacement in at
least one direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface when
said magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk
surface for unloading.
5. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
support spring for supporting said magnetic head slider; a guide
arm for mounting said support spring and moving said magnetic head
slider via said support spring to the surface of a magnetic disk;
and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic head slider
from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said magnetic head
slider thereto; a restraining part; wherein said guide arm is
restrained against displacement in at least one direction
perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by said restraining part
in a space narrower than that between the magnetic disk surface and
said guide arm facing the magnetic disk surface when said magnetic
head slider is detached from the magnetic disk surface for
unloading.
6. A magnetic disk drive comprising: a magnetic head slider; a
support spring for supporting said magnetic head slider; a guide
arm for mounting said support spring and moving said magnetic head
slider via said support spring to the surface of a magnetic disk;
and a load/unload mechanism for detaching said magnetic head slider
from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving said magnetic head
slider thereto; a restraining part; wherein said guide arm is
restrained by said restraining part against displacement in at
least one direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface when
said magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk
surface for unloading, and wherein said restraining part is kept
out of contact with said guide arm when no impact is applied to
said magnetic disk drive.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive used as
an external storage of a computer system or the like.
2. A conventional magnetic disk drive adopts a contact start-stop
(CSS) method in which a magnetic head slider comes into contact
with a magnetic disk when disk drive operation is stopped and the
magnetic head slider floats on a layer of air current produced by
rotation of the magnetic disk when disk drive operation is started
for writing or reading information on the magnetic disk. This
method, however, gives rise to such a problem that adherence may
occur between the magnetic head slider and the magnetic disk or the
surface of the magnetic disk may be damaged when an impact is
applied to it by the magnetic head slider. To circumvent these
disadvantages, it has been proposed to provide a load/unload
mechanism which mechanically brings the magnetic head slider out of
contact with the magnetic disk.
3. In Japanese unexamined Patent Publication No. 60579/1994, there
is disclosed a load/unload method in which a support spring is
shifted over a slant surface upward for loading/unloading
operation. Another load/unload method in which the magnetic head
slider is moved to a turnout position for loading/unloading
operation is found in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application No.
119733/1994.
4. In a small-sized magnetic disk drive contained in a recent
portable computer, it is required to provide higher impact
resistance than ever before. However, a magnetic head slider
support mechanism is designed to have a thinner structure for
implementing a slimmer magnetic disk drive or increasing the number
of mounted magnetic disks.
5. In the conventional art, although a load/unload arm support
member restrains the vicinity of the magnetic head slider against
at least displacement in a direction of approaching the magnetic
disk, free displacement in a direction perpendicular to the
magnetic disk surface may occur on other parts. Therefore, if the
magnetic disk drive receives an intense impact, the magnetic head
slider support mechanism undergoes significant displacement, which
may cause deformation of the support spring or damage to the
magnetic disk due to impacting contact between the magnetic head
slider support mechanism and the magnetic disk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
6. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
magnetic disk drive in which impact resistance thereof is enhanced
by suppressing significant displacement of a magnetic head slider
mechanism due to an impact to be applied when a magnetic head
slider is detached from the surface of a magnetic disk at the time
of unloading.
7. In accomplishing this object of the present invention and
according to one aspect thereof, there is provided a magnetic disk
drive which comprises a load/unload mechanism for detaching a
magnetic head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk, wherein a
magnetic head slider support mechanism is restrained by a
restraining part against displacement in a direction perpendicular
to the magnetic disk surface when the magnetic head slider is
unloaded.
8. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a magnetic disk drive which comprises a load/unload
mechanism for detaching a magnetic head slider from the surface of
a magnetic disk, wherein a magnetic head slider support mechanism
is restrained by a restraining part against displacement in a
direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface when the
magnetic head slider is unloaded, and wherein the restraining part
is kept out of contact with the magnetic head slider support
mechanism while no impact is applied to the magnetic disk
drive.
9. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a magnetic disk drive which comprises a load/unload
mechanism for detaching a magnetic head slider from the surface of
a magnetic disk, wherein a guide arm is restrained by a restraining
part against displacement in a direction perpendicular to the
magnetic disk surface when the magnetic head slider is
unloaded.
10. According to other aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a magnetic disk drive which comprises a load/unload
mechanism for detaching a magnetic head slider from the surface of
a magnetic disk, wherein a guide arm is restrained against
displacement in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk
surface by a restraining part in a space narrower than that between
the magnetic disk surface and the guide arm facing the magnetic
disk surface when the magnetic head slider is unloaded.
11. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a magnetic disk drive which comprises a load/unload
mechanism for detaching a magnetic head slider from the surface of
a magnetic disk, wherein a guide arm is restrained by a restraining
part against displacement in a direction perpendicular to the
magnetic disk surface when the magnetic head slider is detached
from the magnetic disk surface for unloading, and wherein the
restraining part is kept out of contact with the guide arm while no
impact is applied to the magnetic disk drive.
12. The above and other objects, features and advantages of the
present invention will become more apparent from the following
description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
13. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a magnetic disk drive
in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
14. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG.
1, showing an unload state of the magnetic disk drive;
15. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a tabbed support spring;
16. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing a magnetic disk drive
in another preferred embodiment of the present invention;
17. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG.
1, showing an unload state of the magnetic disk drive;
18. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG.
1, showing an unload state of the magnetic disk drive;
19. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG.
1, showing another preferred embodiment of a magnetic disk drive
according to the present invention;
20. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG.
1, showing another preferred embodiment of a magnetic disk drive
according to the present invention;
21. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of operations of a magnetic
disk drive in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;
22. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of operations of a magnetic
disk drive in the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;
23. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of operations of a
conventional magnetic disk drive;
24. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of operations of the
conventional magnetic disk drive;
25. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG.
1, showing another preferred embodiment of a magnetic disk drive
according to the present invention; and
26. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG.
1, showing another preferred embodiment of a magnetic disk drive
according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
27. The present invention will now be described in detail by way of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
28. In FIG. 1, there is shown a schematic diagram indicating a
preferred embodiment of a magnetic disk drive 9 of the present
invention in a magnetic head slider unload state, and in FIG. 2,
there is shown an enlarged cross-sectional view of a load/unload
part 10, taken along line A-A for illustrating the unload state.
Referring to FIG. 1, a magnetic head slider 2 is mounted on a guide
arm 4 via a support spring 3, and the guide arm 4 is driven for
turning around a pivot 6 by a voice coil motor 7, thus moving the
magnetic head slider 2 to a predetermined position above the
surface of a magnetic disk 1. The support spring 3 and the guide
arm 4 are arranged to form a magnetic head slider support
mechanism. The magnetic head slider support mechanism, the pivot 6
and the voice coil motor 7 are structured to form a head access
mechanism 5. At a peripheral position of the magnetic disk 1, the
load/unload part 10 is disposed for loading/unloading the magnetic
head slider 2.
29. Referring to FIG. 2, the load/unload part 10 comprises a
load/unload arm 10a having a slant surface end on the side of the
magnetic disk 1 and a load/unload arm support member 10b for
supporting the load/unload arm 10a. The magnetic head slider 2 is
unloaded in the following manner of operation: First, the magnetic
head slider 2 is moved toward the periphery of the magnetic disk 1
by the head access mechanism 5. Then, when it is further moved to
the outer circular side of the magnetic disk 1, the support spring
3 is shifted onto the slant surface end of the load/unload arm 10a,
i.e., the support spring 3 is raised over the slant surface end of
the load/unload arm 10a. The length and angle of the slant surface
end of the load/unload arm 10a are arranged so that the magnetic
head slider 2 is detached from the surface of the magnetic disk 1
before it comes off the magnetic disk 1. Therefore, when the
support spring 3 is shifted beyond the slant surface end of the
load/unload arm 10a and halted at a stop position on a flat surface
part thereof, the magnetic head slider 2 is positioned apart from
the surface of the magnetic disk 1 to complete an unloading
operation. In a loading operation of the magnetic head slider 2,
the magnetic head slider 2 is moved from the stop position toward
the inner circular side of the magnetic disk 1. Through a reverse
sequence of the unloading operation mentioned above, the magnetic
head slider 2 is loaded. It is to be understood that the magnetic
head slider 2 may be detached from the magnetic disk 1 in any
method other than that shown in FIG. 2. For instance, instead of
the support spring 3 which is shifted over the slant surface end of
the load/unload arm 10a, a tab 13 may be formed at the end of the
magnetic head slider support mechanism as shown in FIG. 3 so that
it will be shifted over the slant surface end of the load/unload
arm 10a for loading/unloading operation. There may also be provided
an loading/unloading arrangement which includes a part of the end
of the magnetic head slider support mechanism or a mechanism for
restraining the magnetic head slider 2 against displacement in a
direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic disk 1.
30. In the unload state in which the magnetic head slider 2 is
detached from the magnetic disk 1, the guide arm 4 is restrained by
a restraining part 11 in the vicinity of the support spring 3
against displacement in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic
disk surface as shown in FIG. 1. It is generally advantageous to
restrain a region which may undergo significant displacement due to
an impact. On the magnetic head slider support mechanism, a part in
the vicinity of the magnetic head slider 2 is restrained by the
load/unload arm 10a against displacement, and a part in the
vicinity of the pivot 6 is restrained by the pivot 6 against
displacement. Therefore, for preventing displacement effectively, a
region between these parts on the magnetic head slider support
mechanism is to be restrained. For instance, when an impact is
applied, the support spring 3 may be pulled forcedly toward the
guide arm 4 to cause displacement. In this case, a part of the
support spring 3 in the vicinity of the guide arm 4 undergoes the
largest degree of displacement. Since the strength of the support
spring 3 is lower than that of the guide arm 4, the guide arm 4 is
to be restrained in the vicinity of the support spring 3 subjected
to the largest degree of displacement as in the present preferred
embodiment. Although the restraining part 11 is secured to a base 8
in the arrangement shown in FIG. 2, there may also be provided such
an arrangement that the restraining part is mounted on the
load/unload part 10 as shown in FIG. 4 or it is formed integrally
with the load/unload part 10. Further, on the magnetic head slider
support mechanism except the guide arm 4, a plurality of points may
be restrained by the restraining part 11.
31. FIG. 5 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line
B-B in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view
taken along line C-C in FIG. 1. The following describes the
restraining part 11 in further detail. In FIGS. 5 and 6, the
magnetic head slider 2 is unloaded by the load/unload part 10. The
restraining part 11 comprises a restraining arm support member 11b
secured to the base 8 and a restraining arm 11a extended out of the
restraining arm support member 11b toward the magnetic disk 1.
Although the restraining arm 11a is extended out of the restraining
arm support member 11b toward the magnetic disk 1, the restraining
arm 11a is located so that interference with the periphery of the
magnetic disk 1 will not occur. There is also provided a
disposition in which the vicinity of the mounting part of the
support spring 3 will be caught on a part of the guide arm 4
extended outside the magnetic disk 1 at the time of unloading. For
implementing the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is
required to use a considerably high level of metal working
precision and assembling accuracy. Still more, since the guide arm
4 comes into contact with the restraining arm 11a, abrasion powder
may be produced in loading/unloading operation to cause degradation
in reliability of the magnetic disk drive. To circumvent this,
there may be provided such an arrangement shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
In this arrangement, the guide arm 4 does not come into contact
with the restraining arm 11a at the time of loading/unloading
unlike that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and a maximum space between the
restraining arm 11a and the guide arm 4 is narrower than a space
between the guide arm 4 and the magnetic disk 1. The space between
the restraining arm 11a and the guide arm 4 is preferably reduced
to an extent that the guide arm does not come into contact with the
restraining arm 11a in loading/unloading operation. Accordingly, it
is possible to carry out the present invention without having to
use a high level of metal working precision and assembling
accuracy.
32. Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, there are shown conditions that
impact force 12 is applied in the unload state indicated in FIGS. 7
and 8. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, when impact force 12 is
applied in the arrow direction, the vicinity of the mounting part
of the support spring 3 on the guide arm 4 is brought nearest the
magnetic disk 1 since the magnetic head slider 2 and the support
spring 3 in the vicinity thereof are restrained by the load/unload
part 10 against displacement in an approaching direction
perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic disk 1. However, since
the space between the restraining arm 11a and the guide arm 4 is
narrower than that between the guide arm 4 and the magnetic disk 1,
the guide arm 4 comes into contact with the restraining arm 11a
before the support spring 3 and the guide arm 4 are brought into
contact with the magnetic disk 1. Accordingly, displacement due to
contact between the support spring 3/guide arm 4 and the magnetic
disk 1 will not take place, thereby preventing damage to the
magnetic disk 1 which may be caused by contact between the support
spring 3/guide arm 4 and the magnetic disk 1. Further, since
displacement of the guide arm 4 is decreased, significant
displacement or plastic deformation of the support spring 3 can be
prevented to preclude variation in pressing load to be exerted on
the magnetic head slider 2 by the support spring 3 during operation
of the magnetic disk drive.
33. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, there are shown conditions in a
conventional arrangement in which the restraining part 11 for
restraining the guide arm 4 is not provided. As illustrated in
FIGS. 11 and 12, when impact force 12 is applied to cause
displacement of the magnetic head slider support mechanism, the
support spring 3 and the guide arm 4 are brought into contact with
the magnetic disk 1 in a disadvantageous fashion although contact
between the magnetic disk 1 and the magnetic head slider support
mechanism does not occur in the vicinity of the load/unload part
10. This may result in the magnetic disk 1 and the magnetic head
slider support mechanism being damaged.
34. Referring to FIG. 13, there is shown another preferred
embodiment in which the strength of the guide arm 4 is higher than
that in the embodiment presented in FIG. 7. When impact force is
applied, the support spring 3 undergoes displacement so that the
guide arm 4 will be pulled. In this embodiment, the restraining
part 11 is preferably provided on the support spring 3.
35. Referring to FIG. 14, there is shown another preferred
embodiment in which a restraining part 14 comprising a restraining
arm 14a and a restraining arm support member 14b is provided to
restrain the support spring 3 against displacement in addition to
the restraining part 11 for restraining the guide arm 4 against
displacement as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, displacement
of the magnetic head slider support mechanism can be reduced more
effectively than in the arrangement in which only the guide arm 4
is restrained. In particular, where the tab 13 shown in FIG. 3 is
formed for use in loading/unloading operation, a distance between
the load/unload part 10 and the restraining part 11 for restraining
the guide arm 4 becomes longer to increase a degree of possible
displacement of the magnetic head slider support mechanism. It is
therefore advantageous to provide the restraining part 14 for
restraining the support spring 3. In a load/unload method in which
the end of the magnetic head slider support mechanism and the
magnetic head slider 3 are restrained against displacement in a
direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic disk 4,
provision of this restraining part is also advantageous since
displacement on the intermediate part of the magnetic head slider
support mechanism tends to increase on occurrence of an impact.
36. In regard to the preferred embodiment mentioned above, it will
be obvious to those skilled in the art that the magnetic head
slider support mechanism may also be restrained against
displacement in a direction of moving apart from the magnetic
disk.
37. As set forth hereinabove, the present invention makes it
possible to enhance impact resistance of a magnetic disk drive
during non-operation for improvement in reliability thereof.
38. The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without
departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The
present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects
as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention
being indicated by the appended claims rather by the foregoing
description and all changes which come within the meaning and range
of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced
therein.
* * * * *