US 6,477,000 B1 · Actuator arm disc snubber with unitary construction

Abstract

An apparatus and method for minimizing damage to a disc drive assembly subjected to non-operational shock. The disc drive has rotatable discs upon which data can be written and read by read/write heads supported by and controllable by an actuator assembly having actuator arms moveable over the complete data containing surfaces of the discs. A disc snubber is supported in apertures in the actuator arms, the disc snubber having bumper arms radially extending to nest the outer perimeters of the discs when the disc drive assembly is in its non-operational mode. The disc snubber is in clearing relationship to the discs in the operational mode. The disc snubber is disposed to dampen disc deflection caused by non-operational shock, thereby avoiding deleterious actuator arm/disc contact.

Claims13

Dependent claims

In a disc drive assembly comprising a rotatable disc and an actuator assembly comprising an actuator body rotatable about an actuator axis and first and second actuator arms which project from the actuator body to support first and second heads, respectively, adjacent oppositely disposed data recording surfaces of the disc, a disc snubber comprising:

a snubber body disposed between the actuator arms at a location beyond an outer radius of the disc and in a clearing relationship with the actuator body so that a gap is formed as an intervening space between the snubber body and the actuator body, and the first and second actuator arms first and second bumper arms adjacent the first and second actuator arms, respectively, which extend from the snubber body to a location within the outer radius of the disc to limit deflection of the outer radius of the disc.

A disc drive assembly, comprising:

a base deck supporting a spindle motor assembly;
a rotatable disc connected to the spindle motor assembly for rotation about a central axis, the disc having oppositely disposed data recording surfaces and an outer radius;
an actuator assembly supported by the base deck and comprising an actuator body configured for rotation about an axis parallel to the central axis of the disc and a pair of actuator arms which extend from the actuator body and which are moveable adjacent the data recording surfaces;
and
a disc snubber supported by the actuator arms and comprising:
a snubber body disposed between the actuator arms beyond the outer radius of the disc and in a clearing relationship with the actuator body so that a gap is formed so an intervening space between the snubber body and the actuator body, and the first and second actuator arms
a pair of bumper arms supported by, and extending from, the snubber body toward the disc, the disc snubber selectively positionable by the actuator assembly in a first position and a second position, the bumper arms in the first position being disposed beyond the outer radius of the disc, and the bumper arms in the second position being disposed within the outer radius of the disc.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Actuator arm disc snubber with unitary construction

Life of this patent

Actuator arm disc snubber with unitary construction

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13