Multi-cartridge control board with cartridge-external voice coil motor actuator components
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsRiyan A. Mendonsa, Brett R. Herdendorf, Jon D. Trantham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implementation of a system disclosed herein includes a control board including multiple cartridge slots and hardware for coupling each of the multiple cartridge slots to an associated storage cartridge. The system further includes multiple voice coil motor (VCM) actuator components mounted to the control board, each one of the multiple VCM actuator configured to contribute to an electromagnetic interaction that drives movement of an actuator arm within a storage cartridge coupled to one of the multiple cartridge slots.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a control board including multiple cartridge slots and hardware for removably coupling each of the multiple cartridge slots to an associated storage cartridge;
- and
- multiple voice coil motor (VCM) actuator components including multiple magnets mounted to the control board, each of the multiple magnets generating a magnetic field that contributes to an electromagnetic interaction that drives movement of an actuator arm of a storage cartridge coupled to one of the multiple cartridge slots.
A method comprising:
- receiving, at a control board, a drive access command identifying a logical address for a read or write operation, the control board including multiple cartridge slots and hardware for coupling each of multiple storage cartridges to an associated one of the multiple cartridge slots;
- identifying, based on the logical address, a target cartridge of the multiple storage cartridges;
- and
- transmitting a voice coil control signal from the control board to the target cartridge through a target slot of the multiple cartridge slots, the target cartridge having a voice coil motor (VCM) driven by the voice coil control signal and a magnetic field generated by a pair of magnets mounted on the control board at a position external to the target cartridge.
A system comprising:
- a control board including:
- multiple slots each coupled to an associated one of multiple storage devices;
- multiple magnets coupled to the control board, each one of the multiple magnets being positioned between an adjacent two of the multiple slots and configured to supply magnetic flux to power at least one voice coil motor receiving an electrical signal through one of the adjacent two slots;
- and
- shared control circuitry configured to selectively transmit a voice coil signal to a target slot of the multiple slots, the voice coil signal being generated based on a physical index of the slot.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.