Apparatus to improve shock capability of disc drives
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorZINE-EDDINE BOUTAGHOU
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A head loading ramp structure, located near the inner diameter of the discs of a disc drive, for increasing the load applied to the heads by the head suspension when the heads are moved to a park location near the inner diameter of the discs. In a first embodiment, the ramp structure is stationary and a portion of the disc surface is accessed for normal read/write operations with the increased load applied. In a second embodiment, the ramp structure is moveable and engages the head suspension to increase the load applied to the heads only when the heads are parked during non-operational conditions. The ramp structure optionally includes disc snubber features to reduce disc coning and minimize the axial movement of the ramp structure in response to applied mechanical shocks.
Claims7
In a disc drive including one or more rigid discs mounted for rotation on a spindle motor and a vertically aligned array of head assemblies supported in cooperative relationship to surfaces of the discs by head suspensions, the head suspensions attached to a movable actuator which moves the head assemblies across the surfaces of the discs, a system for providing increased load force to the head assemblies comprising:
- a ramp structure extending over the discs for engaging upper surfaces of the head suspensions and encouraging the head assemblies toward the discs, when the head assemblies are moved to a park position near the inner diameter of the discs.
A disc drive including:
- one or more rigid discs mounted for rotation on a spindle motor, and
- a vertically aligned array of head assemblies supported in cooperative relationship to surfaces of the discs by head suspensions,
- the head suspensions attached to a movable actuator which moves the head assemblies across the surfaces of the discs, and
- means for providing increased load force to the head assemblies when the head assemblies are at a predefined park position.
In a disc drive including one or more rigid discs mounted for rotation on a spindle motor and a vertically aligned array of head assemblies supported in cooperative relationship to surfaces of the discs by head suspensions, the head suspensions attached to a movable actuator which moves the head assemblies across the surfaces of the discs and further comprising a head lifting feature extending distally beyond the head assembly, a system for providing increased load force to the head assemblies comprising:
- a ramp structure extending over the discs for engaging upper surfaces of the head lifting features and encouraging the head assemblies toward the discs, when the head assemblies are moved to a park position near the inner diameter of the discs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.