Actuator assembly with orthogonal force generation

An actuator assembly for positioning a plurality of read/write heads above an information storage media, comprising:

• a carriage arm assembly movably mounted on a pivot and having a voice coil mounted on one end and a plurality of read/write heads mounted on the other end;
• and
• a magnetic means for applying a torquing force to the carriage arm assembly, the magnetic means comprising a first magnetic region and a second magnetic region, the second magnetic region having a polarity in a direction opposite to the first magnetic region;
• wherein the voice coil comprises an effective portion generating one pair of driving forces in a direction substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the read/write heads, and the voice coil being positioned with the effective portion crossing through the first and second magnetic regions.

An actuator assembly and information storage medium for positioning a plurality of read/write heads above the information storage medium, comprising:

• an information storage medium;
• a carriage arm assembly movably mounted on a pivot and having a voice coil mounted on one end and a plurality of read/write heads mounted on the other end;
• a magnetic device having a plurality of poles adapted to generate a magnetic field;
• wherein the voice coil comprises one effective portion adapted to interact with the magnetic field and to generate one pair of driving forces in a direction substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the read/write heads across the information storage medium;
• wherein the magnetic device further comprises a first magnetic region and a second magnetic region, the second magnetic region having a polarity in a direction opposite to the first magnetic region, and the voice coil being positioned with the effective portion crossing through the first and second magnetic regions.

A method of positioning a plurality of read/write heads above an information storage medium, wherein the read/write heads are positioned at one end of a carriage arm moveably mounted on a pivot, the other end of the carriage arm having a voice coil, the method comprising:

• rotationally moving the information storage medium;
• defining a first magnetic region and a second magnetic region, the second magnetic region having a polarity in a direction opposite to the first magnetic region;
• providing the voice coil with an effective portion configured to generate one pair of driving forces in a direction substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the read/write heads;
• arranging the effective portion so as to cross through the first and second magnetic regions;
• and
• applying an electric current to the voice coil so that a torquing force carries the read/write heads to a predetermined position above the moving information storage medium.