Magnetic latch for disk drive actuator

Claim 2

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position and including a crash stop pin and latch means being directly incorporated into said crash stop pin, said latch means having a magnet and a pair of magnetic pole pieces abutting said magnet, said pole pieces being immovable with respect to said crash stop pin; a latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position, said latch actuator plate having a magnetically attractive element; and means for moving said actuator carriage between a free position, wherein said latch actuator plate is moved remote from said crash stop means, and a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flows through said magnetically attractive element such that said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said element.

Claim 3

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 1 wherein said actuator latch plate is made of magnetic steel.

Claim 4

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 1 wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap and the distance between said pole pieces and said magnetically attractive element defines a second gap.

Claim 5

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 3, wherein, in said free position of said actuator carriage, said second gap is greater than said first gap such that magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to minimize magnetic attraction to said element.

Claim 6

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 3, wherein, in said latched position of said actuator carriage, said first gap is greater than said second gap whereby magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flows through one of said pole pieces, through said latch actuator plate and returns to said magnet through the other of said pole pieces.

Claim 7

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 1 wherein said pole pieces are made of magnetic steel.

Claim 8

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means made of non-magnetic material for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position and including a crash stop pin and latch means being directly incorporated into said crash stop means; a magnetic latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position: said latch means having a magnet and a pair of pole pieces made of magnetic steel abutting said magnet, said pole pieces being immovable with respect to said crash stop pin, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap and the distance between said pole pieces and said latch actuator plate defines a second gap; and means for moving said actuator carriage between a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flows through said latch plate such that said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said latch plate, and a free position, wherein said second gap is greater than said first gap whereby magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to enable said latch plate to move freely remote from said crash stop means.

Claim 9

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means made of non-magnetic material for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position and including a crash stop pin and latch means being directly incorporated into said crash stop means; a magnetic latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position: said latch means having a magnet and a pair of pole pieces made of magnetic steel abutting said magnet, said pole pieces being immovable with respect to said crash stop pin, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap and the distance between said pole pieces and said latch actuator plate defines a second gap; and means for moving said actuator carriage between a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flows through said latch plate such that said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said latch plate, and a free position, wherein said second gap is greater than said first gap whereby magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to enable said latch plate to move freely remote from said crash stop means.

Claim 10

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position, and including a crash stop pin and latch means; a magnetic latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position; said latch means having a magnet and a pair of magnetic pole pieces immovable with respect to said crash stop pin with each pole piece abutting said magnet, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap and the distance between said pole pieces and said latch actuator plate defines a second gap; means for moving said actuator carriage between a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said latch actuator plate, and a free position, wherein said second gap is greater than said first gap whereby magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to enable said latch actuator plate to move freely remote from said crash stop means.

Claim 11

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position, and including a crash stop pin and latch means; a magnetic latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position; said latch means having a magnet and a pair of magnetic pole pieces immovable with respect to said crash stop pin with each pole piece abutting said magnet, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap and the distance between said pole pieces and said latch actuator plate defines a second gap; means for moving said actuator carriage between a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said latch actuator plate, and a free position, wherein said second gap is greater than said first gap whereby magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to enable said latch actuator plate to move freely remote from said crash stop means.

Claim 12

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 8 wherein said latch means is incorporated directly into said crash stop means.

Claim 13

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 8, wherein, in said latched position of said actuator carriage, said first gap is greater than said second gap whereby magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flows through one of said pole pieces, through said actuator latch plate and returns to said magnet through the other of said pole pieces.

Claim 14

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 8 wherein said pole pieces are made of magnetic steel.

Claim 15

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 8 wherein said actuator latch plate is made of magnetic steel.

Claim 16

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position and including a crash stop pin and a pair of magnetic pole pieces abutting a magnet, said pole pieces being immovable with respect to said crash stop pin, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap; a latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position, said latch actuator plate having a magnetically attractive element wherein the distance between said pole pieces and said magnetically attractive element defines a second gap; and means for moving said actuator carriage between a free position, wherein said latch actuator plate is moved remote from said crash stop means, and a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flow through said magnetically attractive element such that said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said element.

Claim 17

A limit stop/latching assembly in a disk storage system having a movable actuator carriage, said assembly comprising: crash stop means for limiting travel of said actuator carriage at a fixed stop position and including a crash stop pin and a pair of magnetic pole pieces abutting a magnet, said pole pieces being immovable with respect to said crash stop pin, wherein the distance between said pole pieces defines a first gap; a latch actuator plate extending from said actuator carriage and movable with said actuator carriage in a path of travel of said actuator carriage to abut said stop position, said latch actuator plate having a magnetically attractive element wherein the distance between said pole pieces and said magnetically attractive element defines a second gap; and means for moving said actuator carriage between a free position, wherein said latch actuator plate is moved remote from said crash stop means, and a latched position defining said fixed stop position, wherein magnetic flux emanating from said magnet flow through said magnetically attractive element such that said pole pieces are in magnetic contact with said element.

Claim 18

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 13, wherein, in said free position of said actuator carriage, said second gap is greater than said first gap such that magnetic flux is channeled substantially through said first gap to minimize magnetic attraction to said element.

Claim 19

The limit stop/latching assembly of claim 13, wherein, in said latched position of said actuator carriage, said first gap is greater than said second gap whereby magnetic flux emanating form said magnet flows through one of said pole pieces, through said latch actuator plate and returns to said magnet through the other of said pole pieces.