High performance disk drive actuator

Claim 1

An electromagnetic linear actuator comprising: a coil and cart assembly including a cart having a longitudinal axis and adapted at one end to support an element which is to be positioned along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis, and a direct current coil mounted at the other end of said cart opposite the end adapted to support the element to be positioned, said coil having a longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of the cart and having a cross section in a plane normal to its longitudinal axis which essentially matches the cross section of the end of said cart at which said coil is mounted, and said coil being mounted on said cart so that the center of gravity of the coil and the center of gravity of the cart are each on a line coincident with the cart longitudinal axis; an actuator housing including magnetic means having an air gap for receiving said coil and for passing magnetic flux through said coil normal to the surface of the windings thereof, whereby an electrical excitation in said coil results in movement of said coil and cart assembly along the cart longitudinal axis in a direction dependent upon the polarity of the electrical excitation; and support means affixed to the actuator housing, said support means engaging the the surface of said cart and being symmetrically disposed around the center of gravity of a moving-mass assembly comprising the coil and cart assembly and the element to be positioned when affixed to the coil and cart assembly such that said coil is suspended in the air gap of said magnetic means and said coil and cart assembly is supported to allow lineal movement thereof in either direction along the cart longitudinal axis and inhibit roll, pitch, and yaw movements of the coil and cart assembly.