Method and apparatus for rotary load/unload slider positioning
AssigneePhase Metrics
InventorChristopher Lacey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A slider is mounted to a rotary drive mechanism. The slider is loaded, i.e., moved toward and positioned near a disk surface, by rotary movement of the rotary drive mechanism in a first rotary direction. Similarly, the slider is unloaded, i.e., moved away from the disk surface, by rotary movement of the rotary drive mechanism in a second rotary direction which is the reverse direction of the first rotary direction.
Claims16
A slider positioning apparatus for positioning a slider relative to a first plane corresponding to a surface of a disk comprising:
- a slider attached to a suspension near a distal end of said suspension, said suspension having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a rotary load/unload arm having a rotation axis which is substantially parallel to said first plane about which said rotary load/unload arm rotates, wherein said suspension is mounted to said rotary load/unload arm such that said suspension longitudinal axis forms an angle with said rotary load/unload arm rotation axis and said slider is positioned adjacent said first plane at a separation distance from said first plane, said separation distance increasing as said rotary load/unload arm rotates about said rotation axis in a first direction and decreasing as said rotary load/unload arm rotates about said rotation axis in a second direction which is opposite said first direction.
A method for changing the distance between a surface of a disk and a slider attached to a distal end of a slider suspension having a longitudinal axis, said method comprising the steps of:
- mounting said slider suspension on a rotary load/unload arm having a rotation axis which is substantially parallel to said surface of said disk such that said slider suspension longitudinal axis forms an angle with said rotary load/unload arm rotation axis;
- and
- rotating said rotary load/unload arm about said rotation axis thereby changing the distance between said surface of said disk and said slider.
A slider positioning apparatus for positioning a slider (12) relative to a surface of a disk (10) wherein the slider (12) is attached to a suspension member (13) near a distal end of a longitudinal axis of the suspension member, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotary load/unload arm (17) having a rotation axis which is substantially parallel to said surface of said disk about which said rotary load/unload arm rotates, wherein the suspension member (13) is attached to said rotary load/unload arm (17) such that the suspension member (13) longitudinal axis forms an angle with said rotary load/unload arm (17) rotation axis.
A slider positioning apparatus for positioning a slider relative to a first plane corresponding to a surface of a disk comprising:
- a slider attached to a suspension near a distal end of said suspension, said suspension having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a rotary load/unload arm having a rotation axis about which said rotary load/unload arm rotates, wherein said suspension is mounted to said rotary load/unload arm such that said rotary load/unload arm rotation axis intersects said suspension longitudinal axis and said slider is positioned adjacent said first plane at a separation distance from said first plane, said separation distance increasing as said rotary load/unload arm rotates about said rotation axis in a first direction and decreasing as said rotary load/unload arm rotates about said rotation axis in a second direction which is opposite said first direction.
A method for changing the distance between a surface of a disk and a slider attached to a distal end of a slider suspension having a longitudinal axis, said method comprising the steps of:
- mounting said slider suspension on a rotary load/unload arm having a rotation axis such that said slider suspension longitudinal axis intersects said rotary load/unload arm rotation axis;
- and
- rotating said rotary load/unload arm about said rotation axis thereby changing the distance between said surface of said disk and said slider.
A slider positioning apparatus for positioning a slider (12) relative to a surface of a disk (10) wherein the slider (12) is attached to a suspension member (13) near a distal end of a longitudinal axis of the suspension member, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotary load/unload arm (17) having a rotation axis about which said rotary load/unload arm rotates, wherein the suspension member (13) is attached to said rotary load/unload arm (17) such that the suspension member (13) longitudinal axis intersects said rotary load/unload arm (17) rotation axis.
An apparatus for positioning a slider relative to a surface of a disk wherein the slider is attached to a suspension member having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:
- a rotary arm having a rotation axis about which said rotary arm rotates, said rotary arm further comprising a portion configured for attachment of the slider suspension member thereto, wherein said rotary arm rotation axis intersects said slider member longitudinal axis such that rotation of said rotary arm in a first direction about said rotation axis moves said slider away from the surface of the disk and rotation of said rotary arm in a second direction about said rotation axis which is opposite said first direction, moves said slider toward the surface of the disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.