Dual loop flex circuit for a linear actuator

#The present invention relates to data storage devices, or disk drives, for storing digital information, and more particularly, to a dual loop flex circuit for a voice coil actuator of a disk drive.

#Disk drives for storing electronic information are found in a wide variety of computer systems, including workstations, personal computers, and laptop and notebook computers. Such disk drives can be stand-alone units that are connected to a computer system by cable, or they can be internal units that occupy a slot, or bay, in the computer system. Laptop and notebook computers have relatively small bays in which to mount internal disk drives and other peripheral devices, as compared to the much larger bays available in most workstation and personal computer housings. The relatively small size of peripheral bays found in laptop and notebook computers, can place significant constraints on the designer of internal disk drives for use in such computers. Techniques that address and overcome the problems associated with these size constraints are therefore important.

#Disk drives of the type that accept removable disk cartridges have become increasingly popular. One disk drive product that has been very successful is the ZIP.TM. drive designed and manufactured by Iomega Corporation, the assignee of the present invention. ZIP.TM. drives accept removable disk cartridges that contain a flexible magnetic storage medium upon which information can be written and read. The disk-shaped storage medium is mounted on a hub that rotates freely within the cartridge. A spindle motor within the ZIP.TM. drive engages the cartridge hub when the cartridge is inserted into the drive in order to rotate the storage medium at relatively high speeds. A shutter on the front edge of the cartridge is moved to the side during insertion into the drive, thereby exposing an opening through which the read/write heads of the drive move to access the recording surfaces of the rotating storage medium. The shutter covers the head access opening when the cartridge is outside of the drive, to prevent dust and other contaminants from entering the cartridge and settling on the recording surfaces of the storage medium.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first side of an actuator carriage assembly in cooperation with the preferred embodiment of the dual loop flex circuit.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the second side of an actuator carriage assembly in cooperation with a preferred embodiment of the dual loop flex circuit.

#FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the underside of an actuator carriage assembly in cooperation with a preferred embodiment of the dual loop flex circuit.

#Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a perspective view of a first side of an actuator carriage assembly 10 in cooperation with the preferred embodiment of the dual loop flex circuit 65. The actuator carriage assembly 10 comprises a carriage 16 having a front bearing 18, a voice coil 20, arms 30 having a proximal end 32 and a distal end 34, load beams 46 having a proximal end 47 and a distal end 48, read/write heads 40, a center rod 50 having a center axis C-C', and an amplifier chip 80.

#The voice coil 20 surrounds the carriage 16. The proximal end 32 of the arm 30 is attached to the carriage 16, the proximal end 47 of the load beams 46 are attached to the distal end 34 of the arms 30, and the read/write heads 40 are attached to the distal end 48 of the load beams 46. The carriage 16, the voice coil 20, the arms 30, and the load beams 46 are all centered around and move along the center rod 50 having a center axis C-C'. The carriage 16 surrounds the center rod 50 and rides on bushings in the central bore 18 of the carriage 16.

#The preferred embodiment of the dual loop flex circuit 65 comprises a first (left) flex circuit loop 60 and a second (right) flex circuit loop 70, each connected to their respective sides of the carriage 16 (the terms "left" and "right" are used throughout this specification for illustrative purposes only and are not meant to limit the scope of the claimed invention in any way). As shown in FIG. 1, the left flex circuit loop 60 is connected to the left side of the carriage 16 proximate the amplifier chip 80 and comprises a left solder pad 68, a left connecting tab 64, signal on traces 62 going to and from the read/write heads 40 and power lines 82 for the amplifier chip 80.