Electro-mechanical latch

In a disk drive having a rotatably mounted actuator, an electro-mechanical latch for latching said actuator in a parked position and for allowing rotational displacement of said actuator during read/write access of said disk drive, said actuator being adapted to be engaged by said electro-mechanical latch, said latch comprising:

• a solenoid including an armature movable from a normally biased first position to a second position in response to an electrical current applied to said solenoid, said armature when in said first position being adapted to engage said actuator to hold said actuator in a parked position, said armature when in such second position being non-interactive with said actuator;
• means for holding said armature in said second position a response to said armature being moved to said second position upon application of such current to allow subsequent removal of said current;
• and
• means for releasing holding of said armature in response to said actuator returning to said parked position whereby said armature returns to said normally biased first position to latch said actuator.

An electro-mechanical latch comprising:

• a solenoid, including an armature movable from a normally biased first position to a second position in response to an electrical current applied to said solenoid, said armature when in said first position being adapted to latch device in a parked position, said armature when in second position being non-interactive with said device;
• a first lever rotatable between a normally biased engaging position and a release position about a first axis of rotation, said first lever having a first arm extending radially from said axis and a second arm extending radially from said axis, said first arm having a distal end adapted to engage said armature when said armature is moved into said second position in response to said current to allow subsequent removal of said current;
• and
• a second lever rotatable between a set position and a triggering position about a second axis of rotation, said second lever having a first arm extending radially from said second axis and a second arm extending radially from said second axis, said first arm of said second lever having a distal end and occupying said parked position, said device upon entering said parked position displacing said distal end of said first arm of said second lever to move said second lever into said triggering position, said second arm of said first lever and said second arm of said second lever each having a distal end operatively coupled to each other such that such first lever is moved to said release position in response to said second lever being moved into said triggering position whereby said armature returns to said second position to latch said device.