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US4396966A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Low mass actuator system for magnetic recording disks with half strength end poles

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1980-12-31
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Granted: 1983-08-02
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Expires: 2000-12-31
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Abstract

Abstract A linear motor adapted for driving a magnetic recording head reciprocably across the surface of a magnetic recording disk in a disk file has its stator located between the disks. The stator includes parallel magnetic yokes composed of plates extending parallel to the disks. At least one of the plates carries an array of regularly spaced and alternating magnetic pole elements, rigidly secured to one yoke with a gap extending between the yokes including the alternating poles providing a space within which the armature reciprocates, from one magnetic polarity to the opposite a plurality of times per reciprocation of the armature. End poles are provided at each end of the array, which are matched to collect the return flux from the adjacent distal pole to reduce fringing flux which emanates towards the disks and the recording heads.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert A. Scranton
  • 👤 David A. Thompson
  • 👤 Thomas K. Worthington

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 21:07
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K41/00; H02K41/02; H02K41/03; H02K41/031; G; G11; G11B; G11B5/00; G11B5/48; G11B5/54; G11B5/55; G11B5/5521

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim 199 words
In a magnetic recording disk file including at least one magnetic recording disk, and a magnetic recording head, said head being driven reciprocably generally parallel to said disk from its center to its periphery by a linear actuator having a stator, said stator being located adjacent to the surface of a said disk in said disk file, said stator being constructed of a pair of magnetic yokes comprising parallel plates extending parallel to said disk, with at least one of said yokes carrying an array of regularly spaced and alternating polarity magnetic pole elements including end poles at each end of said stator, the improvement comprising provision at the ends of said array of alternating equal magnetic strength pole elements of said flux gathering end poles composed of permanent magnetic material, said end poles having a flux producing capacity and polarity matched with about half the magnetic capacity of said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles, said end poles serving to collect the return flux from said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles of said stator, whereby fringing magnetic fields extending into the space adjacent to said stator in which said disk files are located is minimized.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 199 words
In a magnetic recording disk file including at least one magnetic recording disk, and a magnetic recording head, said head being driven reciprocably generally parallel to said disk from its center to its periphery by a linear actuator having a stator, said stator being located adjacent to the surface of a said disk in said disk file, said stator being constructed of a pair of magnetic yokes comprising parallel plates extending parallel to said disk, with at least one of said yokes carrying an array of regularly spaced and alternating polarity magnetic pole elements including end poles at each end of said stator, the improvement comprising provision at the ends of said array of alternating equal magnetic strength pole elements of said flux gathering end poles composed of permanent magnetic material, said end poles having a flux producing capacity and polarity matched with about half the magnetic capacity of said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles, said end poles serving to collect the return flux from said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles of said stator, whereby fringing magnetic fields extending into the space adjacent to said stator in which said disk files are located is minimized.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A disk file in accordance with claim 1, wherein said end poles produce substantially half the quantity of flux of said alternating equal poles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
A disk file in accordance with claim 1 wherein said end poles are matched to collect the return flux from the adjacent alternating equal pole, whereby fringing flux which otherwise emanates towards the disk and recording head is reduced.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A disk file in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stator is on the order of about 10 mm thick.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
A disk file in accordance with claim 1, wherein said actuator is adapted to be employed with a stack of at least two disks and said stator is thin enough to be located between a pair of said disks within said stack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 141 words
In a linear actuator adapted for use with a magnetic recording disk file, said actuator having a stator, said stator being constructed of a pair of magnetic yokes comprising parallel plates, with at least one of said yokes carrying an array of regularly spaced and alternating polarity magnetic pole elements of substantially equal magnetic strength, plus, the improvement comprising provision at the ends of said array of alternating polarity equal magnetic strength pole elements of flux gathering end poles composed of permanent magnetic material, said end poles having a flux producing capacity matched with about half the magnetic capacity of poles adjacent to said end poles, said end poles serving to collect the return flux from said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles of said stator, whereby fringing magnetic fields extending into the space adjacent to said stator is minimized.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 141 words
In a linear actuator adapted for use with a magnetic recording disk file, said actuator having a stator, said stator being constructed of a pair of magnetic yokes comprising parallel plates, with at least one of said yokes carrying an array of regularly spaced and alternating polarity magnetic pole elements of substantially equal magnetic strength, plus, the improvement comprising provision at the ends of said array of alternating polarity equal magnetic strength pole elements of flux gathering end poles composed of permanent magnetic material, said end poles having a flux producing capacity matched with about half the magnetic capacity of poles adjacent to said end poles, said end poles serving to collect the return flux from said alternating poles adjacent to said end poles of said stator, whereby fringing magnetic fields extending into the space adjacent to said stator is minimized.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A linear actuator in accordance with claim 6 wherein said stator is on the order of about 10 mm thick.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 24 words
A disk file in accordance with claim 5 or 6 wherein said end poles produce half the quantity of flux of said alternating poles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 38 words
A linear actuator in accordance with claim 5 or 6, wherein said end poles are matched to collect the return flux from the adjacent alternating pole, whereby fringing flux which otherwise emanates outside of said stator is reduced.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4322762A Cited
US4314295A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-08-01 1987-01-31 1987-08-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-08-01 1991-01-31 1991-08-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-08-01 1995-01-31 1995-08-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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