U.S. patent application number 10/894513 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-16 for construction method and design for a magnetic head actuator mechanism.
Invention is credited to Ho, Yiu Sing, Wang, Jeffery L., Yang, Ji, Yuen, Chi Hung, Zhang, Liu Jun.
Application Number | 20040250412 10/894513 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31954562 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040250412 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang, Jeffery L. ; et
al. |
December 16, 2004 |
Construction method and design for a magnetic head actuator
mechanism
Abstract
A head actuator mechanism and a method of manufacture for that
mechanism are disclosed. The head actuator mechanism includes a
head gimbal assembly coupled to the top support face of a bearing
assembly and an actuator driving mechanism coupled to the opposite
support face. The head gimbal assembly includes an actuator arm and
a load beam, the actuator arm being mounted to the top support
face. The actuator driving assembly includes a driving coil and a
coil holder frame. The driving coil is positioned in a magnetic
field created by a magnetic block and yoke.
Inventors: |
Wang, Jeffery L.; (Tai Po,
N.T., HK) ; Yuen, Chi Hung; (Kowloon, HK) ;
Zhang, Liu Jun; (Dongguan City, CN) ; Yang, Ji;
(Dongguan City, CN) ; Ho, Yiu Sing; (Shatin, N.T.,
HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KENYON & KENYON (SAN JOSE)
333 WEST SAN CARLOS ST.
SUITE 600
SAN JOSE
CA
95110
US
|
Family ID: |
31954562 |
Appl. No.: |
10/894513 |
Filed: |
July 19, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10894513 |
Jul 19, 2004 |
|
|
|
10355473 |
Jan 31, 2003 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
360/264.7 ;
29/603.07; G9B/5.148 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 5/4806 20130101;
Y10T 29/49032 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
029/603.03 ;
360/126; 029/603.07 |
International
Class: |
G11B 005/147 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 4, 2002 |
WO |
PCT/CN02/00618 |
Claims
1-13. (Cancelled)
14. A method, comprising: coupling a head gimbal assembly to a top
support face of a pivot assembly to facilitate rotation around an
axis; and coupling an actuator driving mechanism to an opposite
support face of the pivot assembly.
15. The method of claim 14, further including: coupling a load beam
to the magnetic read/write slider head; and coupling the load beam
to the pivot assembly via an actuator arm.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the load beam is coupled to the
actuator arm by laser welding.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the actuator driving mechanism
includes: a driving coil to be acted upon by an electromagnetic
field; and a holding frame to couple the driving coil to the
bearing assembly.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the holding frame is shaped to
position the driving coil on a plane with the head gimbal
assembly.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: positioning a
magnetic block beneath the driving coil; and positioning a yoke
above the driving coil.
20. The method of claim 14, further including assembling the
actuator driving mechanism and the head gimbal assembly as separate
individual components.
Description
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0001] The present invention relates to magnetic hard disk drives.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of
assembling head actuator mechanisms.
[0002] In the art today, different methods are utilized to improve
recording density of hard disk drives. FIG. 1 provides an
illustration of a typical disk drive. The typical disk drive has a
head gimbal assembly (HGA) configured to read from and write to a
magnetic hard disk 101. The HGA and the magnetic hard disk 101 are
mounted to the base 102 of a main board 103. The disk 101 is
rotated relative to the base 102 by a spindle motor 104. The HGA
typically includes an actuator arm 105 and a load beam 106. The HGA
supports and positions a magnetic read/write slider 107 above the
magnetic hard disk 101. The HGA is rotated relative to the base 102
along the axis of a bearing assembly 108. The HGA is rotated by a
magnetic field generated between a yoke 109 and a magnetic block
110. A relay flexible printed circuit 111 connects a board unit 112
to the magnetic read/write slider 107. A cover 113 protects the
hard drive components as they operate. Often, the cover is attached
by a set of screws 114.
[0003] FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a head actuator mechanism
as configured in the prior art. The HGA, in this embodiment
including an actuator arm 105 and a loadbeam 106, are coupled to an
actuator driving mechanism. In one embodiment, more than one HGA
are coupled to the actuator driving mechanism. The actuator driving
mechanism can include a driving coil 201 attached to a coil holding
frame 202. The magnetic field generated by the yoke 109 and
magnetic block 110 acts upon the driving coil 201 causing the coil
holding frame 202, and by extension the HGA, to move. The HGA and
actuator driving mechanism pivot around the bearing assembly 108. A
spacer 203 separates each HGA and actuator driving mechanism from
the other HGA's and driving mechanisms on the bearing assembly
108.
[0004] FIG. 3 provides an illustration of the assembled head
actuator mechanism. The loadbeam 107 is coupled to actuator arm 108
to form the HGA. The driving coil 201 is coupled to the coil
holding frame 202 to form the actuator driving mechanism. The HGA
is bonded to the actuator driving mechanism. The entire head
actuator mechanism pivots on the bearing assembly.
[0005] Creating a single head actuator mechanism often results in
damage to the head actuator mechanism during assembly. The driving
coil becomes distorted, causing the head actuator mechanism not to
move efficiently or correctly. Further, the closeness of the drive
coil to the HGA can distort the positioning of the magnetic
read/write head. A method is needed for manufacturing the head
actuator mechanism without potentially causing damage to the drive
coil.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 provides an illustration of a typical disk drive.
[0007] FIG. 2 provides an illustration of a head actuator mechanism
as configured in the prior art.
[0008] FIG. 3 provides an illustration of the assembled head
actuator mechanism.
[0009] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a top view of a hard
disk drive as constructed in the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the actuator driving
mechanism mounted on the underside of the base.
[0011] FIGS. 6a-b illustrate the assembly of the head actuator
mechanism.
[0012] FIGS. 7a-b illustrate one embodiment of the assembled head
actuator mechanism.
[0013] FIGS. 8a-b illustrate one embodiment of a cross section of
the hard disk drive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] A head actuator mechanism and a method of manufacture for
that mechanism are disclosed. In one embodiment, the head actuator
mechanism includes a head gimbal assembly coupled to the top
support face of a bearing assembly and an actuator driving
mechanism coupled to the opposite support face. In a further
embodiment, the head gimbal assembly includes an actuator arm and a
load beam, the actuator arm being mounted to the top support face.
In a further embodiment, the actuator driving assembly includes a
driving coil and a coil holder frame. The driving coil is
positioned in a magnetic field created by a magnetic block and
yoke. By separating the actuator driving mechanism from the head
gimbal assembly, the driving coil is protected from damage that
could be caused during assembly. Further, the assembly process is
simplified.
[0015] FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a top view of a hard
disk drive as constructed in the present invention. In one
embodiment, the HGA includes a load beam 106 and an actuator arm
105. The head gimbal assembly (HGA) is mounted on the base 102 by
coupling the actuator arm 105 to a top surface of the bearing
assembly 108. In one embodiment, the HGA is mounted to the top
surface of a bearing assembly using a screw 114.
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the actuator driving
mechanism mounted on the underside of the base 102. In one
embodiment, the actuator driving mechanism includes a driving coil
201 and a coil holding frame 202. While the driving coil 201 is
positioned underneath a yoke 109, a magnetic block 110 is
positioned in the base 102 underneath the driving coil 201.
[0017] FIGS. 6a-b illustrate the assembly of the head actuator
mechanism. FIG. 6a illustrates a top view of the assembly. The HGA
is mounted to the support face 601 of the bearing assembly 108. In
one embodiment, the HGA includes a loadbeam 106 coupled to an
actuator arm 105. In one embodiment, the loadbeam 106 is coupled to
the actuator arm 105 by laser welding. In a further embodiment, the
actuator arm 105 is mounted to the top support face 601 using a
screw 114. FIG. 6b illustrates a bottom view of the assembly. The
actuator driving mechanism is mounted to the opposite support face
602 from the HGA. In one embodiment, the actuator driving mechanism
includes a driving coil 201 coupled to a coil holding frame 202. In
a further embodiment, the coil holding frame 202 is mounted to the
opposite support face 602 using a screw 114. In one embodiment, the
HGA and the actuator driving are assembled separately before being
mounted to the bearing assembly 108.
[0018] FIGS. 7a-b illustrate one embodiment of the assembled head
actuator mechanism. FIG. 7a illustrates the top view and FIG. 7b
illustrates the bottom view. The driving coil 201 of the actuator
driving mechanism is positioned between the yoke 109 and magnetic
block 110. In one embodiment, the coil holding frame 202 is shaped
to position the driving coil 201 on a plane with the head gimbal
assembly. The yoke 109 and the magnetic block 110 generate a
magnetic field that acts upon the electric field created by the
current running through the driving coil 201. The driving coil 201
is moved by the magnetic field, causing the coil holding frame 202
to be moved. The coil holding frame 201 pivots along the axis of
the bearing assembly 108. The torque generated on the bearing
assembly 108 by the movement of the coil holding frame 202 is
passed to the HGA, causing the HGA to pivot in the same tangential
direction. The HGA moves the magnetic read/write slider 107 in a
radial direction on the magnetic storage disk 101.
[0019] FIG. 8a illustrates in a planar view one embodiment of a
cross section of the hard disk drive. FIG. 8b illustrates the same
cross section in a perspective view. The driving coil 201 is
positioned between the yoke 109 and the magnetic block 110. In one
embodiment, the magnetic block 110 is attached to the base 102 and
the yoke 109 is attached to a cover of the coil motor 801. The HGA
is mounted to the top support face 601 of the bearing assembly 108.
The actuator driving mechanism is mounted to the opposite support
face 602 of the bearing assembly 108. In one embodiment, a coil
motor cover seal layer 802 protects the actuator driving mechanism
mounting.
[0020] Although several embodiments are specifically illustrated
and described herein, it will be appreciated that modifications and
variations of the present invention are covered by the above
teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without
departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
* * * * *