Patent US5124867A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5124867A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Actuator returning and holding device for a disk unit
Assignee: HGST Netherlands BV
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Filing: 1991-07-19
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Granted: 1992-06-23
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Expires: 2011-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A ferromagnetic body is attached or embodied within the actuator arm in a disk drive. The ferromagnetic body is positioned so that the magnets of the voice coil motor attract the ferromagnetic body and produce a force to move the actuator arm so the read/write head attached thereto lands in the landing region of the disk in the event of a power interruption.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroki Kitahori
- 👤 Toshiaki Komatsuzaki
- 👤 Yoshimi Masuda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:55
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B19/00; G11B19/20; G11B21/00; G11B21/16; G11B21/22
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
256 words
An apparatus for storing data comprising: a housing; a disk mounted to said housing having a data recording region and a landing region; a rotary actuator pivotably mounted to said housing on an axis, said actuator having a first end and a second end; a head attached to one of said first and second ends of said actuator; a coil attached to the other of said first and second ends of said actuator; a magnetic circuit located near said coil, said magnetic circuit acting with said coil to move the actuator so said head attached to said actuator is moved to various selected positions over said disk; first means for moving said actuator toward the landing region; and second means for moving said actuator toward the landing region, said first and second means producing forces which vary as the actuator moves from a position away from the landing zone toward the landing zone, said first and second means acting to move said actuator to the landing region, said second means including a ferromagnetic body attached to said actuator so that it is attracted to a region exposed to strong leakage fluxes from said magnetic circuit so as to move the head attached to said actuator from a position over said data recording region to a position over said landing region when the head is neither reading or writing data on said disk, the attraction between said ferromagnetic body and the region exposed to strong leakage fluxes becoming stronger as the actuator moves toward the landing zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
256 words
An apparatus for storing data comprising: a housing; a disk mounted to said housing having a data recording region and a landing region; a rotary actuator pivotably mounted to said housing on an axis, said actuator having a first end and a second end; a head attached to one of said first and second ends of said actuator; a coil attached to the other of said first and second ends of said actuator; a magnetic circuit located near said coil, said magnetic circuit acting with said coil to move the actuator so said head attached to said actuator is moved to various selected positions over said disk; first means for moving said actuator toward the landing region; and second means for moving said actuator toward the landing region, said first and second means producing forces which vary as the actuator moves from a position away from the landing zone toward the landing zone, said first and second means acting to move said actuator to the landing region, said second means including a ferromagnetic body attached to said actuator so that it is attracted to a region exposed to strong leakage fluxes from said magnetic circuit so as to move the head attached to said actuator from a position over said data recording region to a position over said landing region when the head is neither reading or writing data on said disk, the attraction between said ferromagnetic body and the region exposed to strong leakage fluxes becoming stronger as the actuator moves toward the landing zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ferromagnetic body is located on said actuator to produce a moment about said axis that moves the head in the direction of the landing region when the magnetic body is attracted to the region of strong leakage fluxes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first means for moving said actuator toward the landing region further comprises a member attached to the actuator arm at one end and to the housing at the other end, said member positioned so that is produces a moment about the axis so that the actuator is moved toward the landing region.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said member is a flexible cable for carrying signals to and from said head, said cable having a curve therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first means for moving said actuator toward the landing region further comprises means for generating a current in said coil from the spinning of the disk, said current causing the actuator arm to move toward the landing region of the disk.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ferromagnetic body is attached to said actuator such that an arc representing the path of travel of the ferromagnetic body as the ferromagnetic body rotates about the axis intersects said region of strong leakage fluxes.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first means for moving said actuator and the second means for moving said actuator produce a substantially constant force on said actuator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the landing region is located toward the center of the disk.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for positioning a head attached to a rotating actuator arm over the landing portion of a disk in a disk drive which has a magnetic circuit which is used to rotate the actuator arm, aid disk drive also having a flexible cable attached to said actuator arm and a portion of an actuator motor used to rotate the actuator attached to said actuator, said method comprising the steps of: determining areas near the magnetic circuit have a higher magnetic flux than other areas within the disk drive; attaching a ferromagnetic body to the actuator arm so that it intersects the area of higher magnetic flux when the head is over the landing region of the disk, said ferromagnetic body being drawn toward the area having the higher magnetic flux and causing the actuator arm to move toward the landing portion of the disk when the head is neither reading or writing data on the disk, the attraction between said ferromagnetic body and the area of higher magnetic flux becoming stronger as the actuator arm moves toward the landing region; attaching the flexible cable to said actuator so as to produce a force causing the head attached to the actuator to move toward the landing region of the disk; and producing a current in the actuator motor to move the head attached to the actuator to move toward the landing region of the disk.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
235 words
A method for positioning a head attached to a rotating actuator arm over the landing portion of a disk in a disk drive which has a magnetic circuit which is used to rotate the actuator arm, aid disk drive also having a flexible cable attached to said actuator arm and a portion of an actuator motor used to rotate the actuator attached to said actuator, said method comprising the steps of: determining areas near the magnetic circuit have a higher magnetic flux than other areas within the disk drive; attaching a ferromagnetic body to the actuator arm so that it intersects the area of higher magnetic flux when the head is over the landing region of the disk, said ferromagnetic body being drawn toward the area having the higher magnetic flux and causing the actuator arm to move toward the landing portion of the disk when the head is neither reading or writing data on the disk, the attraction between said ferromagnetic body and the area of higher magnetic flux becoming stronger as the actuator arm moves toward the landing region; attaching the flexible cable to said actuator so as to produce a force causing the head attached to the actuator to move toward the landing region of the disk; and producing a current in the actuator motor to move the head attached to the actuator to move toward the landing region of the disk.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-23 | 1995-12-23 | 1996-06-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-23 | 1999-12-23 | 2000-06-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-23 | 2003-12-23 | 2004-06-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |