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US 6,487,052 B1Granted
Non-contact magnetic latch for disc drive actuator
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsAaron S. Macpherson, Robert A. Alt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a non-contact magnetic latch mechanism for holding a disc drive actuator in its park position. The latch includes a magnetically permeable element coupled to the actuator. The magnetically permeable element is positioned so as to be attracted to the magnetic field produced by the actuator voice coil magnets when the actuator is in or near its park position. The size, shape and location of the magnet may be selected so as to vary the latch torque and the range of influence of the latch on the actuator.
Claims7
A disc drive comprising:
- a rotatable actuator having a range of motion including a park position, the actuator further comprising a first end to which a first head is coupled and a second end;
- at least one voice coil magnet configured to rotate the actuator throughout its a range of motion when the disc drive is in use;
- and
- a magnetically permeable element configured to prevent the actuator from inadvertently rotating out of the park position, the magnetically permeable element being attached to said actuator at a position between the first and second ends thereof, the magnetically permeable element being configured to approach the at least one voice coil magnet as the actuator approaches the park position.
1 more element
A disc drive comprising:
- a rotatable actuator coupled to at least one head, the actuator having a range of motion including a park position;
- at least one voice coil magnet configured to rotate the actuator throughout its range of motion when the disc drive is in use;
- a magnetically permeable element attached to said actuator, the magnetically permeable element being configured to approach the at least one voice coil magnet as the actuator approaches the park position;
- and
- at least one ramp member configured to move the at least one head away from the first disc as the actuator approaches the park position and to support the head when the actuator is in the park position, in which the torque required to move the actuator away from the park position is substantially the same irrespective of the number of heads present in the disc drive.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.