US 2008/0186632 A1 · ACTUATOR LATCH SYSTEM OF HARD DISK DRIVE

Abstract

An actuator latch system of a hard disk drive (HDD) retains a rotatable swing arm of the HDD in place when a magnetic head of the HDD is parked. The actuator latch system includes a portion of the swing arm that defines a notch at an end portion of a swing arm, and a latch lever that has first and second hooks at one end thereof. The latch lever is disposed on the base member adjacent the end portion of the swing arm and is supported so as to be rotatable. The first hook is disposed to contact the swing arm within a short period of time after a shock transmitted to the swing arm while the magnetic head is parked causes the swing arm to rotate in one direction. Thus, the impulse on the swing arm is minimized and the reliability of the actuator latch system is enhanced.

Claims6

Dependent claims

In a hard disk drive (HDD) having a base, a swing arm supported on the base so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a magnetic head supported by the swing arm, an actuator latch system comprising:

a member integral with the swing arm and defining a notch at a rear end portion of the swing arm;
and
a latch lever disposed adjacent the rear end portion of the swing arm when the swing arm is in a position at which the magnetic head is parked, the latch lever being mounted to the base so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the latch lever having first and second hooks at one end thereof, each of the hooks and the notch facing in opposite directions, whereby the hooks selectively engage said member within the notch when the HDD experiences shocks while the magnetic head is parked, to thereby retain the swing arm in a position at which the magnetic head remains parked.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Actuator latch system of hard disk drive

Life of this patent

Actuator latch system of hard disk drive

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6