US 7,095,593 B2 · Apparatus with head and head support device having rotation supporting point

Abstract

A head support device is thin and assures excellent flexibility and shock resistance while applying a sufficient load to a head. A disk drive uses the head support device. The head support device comprises a support arm, a head disposed at one end of the support arm, which is mounted on a head slider so as to be opposed to a recording medium, an elastic member such as a plate spring which provides the support arm an activating force in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium when the support arm comes to a rotational center in vertical rotation against the recording medium, and a holder connected to the elastic member. When an external impact force is applied to the head slider, with a distance from an action point of load that activates the head slider toward the recording medium to an immovable point in the rotation of the head slider in a direction of pitch being Lo, and a length of head slider in a direction of air flow being Ls, then 0.5<Lo<Ls<2.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a head;
a head support device including
(i) a support arm, with said head at one end of said support arm,
(ii) an elastic member near another end of said support arm, and
(iii) a first base arm,
with an end of said elastic member being fixed to said first base arm, and one of said support arm and said first base arm having a rotation supporting point;
a head slider on which said head is mounted, with said head slider being disposed at said one end of said support arm via a flexure;
and
a balancer at said another end of said support arm such that said rotation supporting point is between said balancer and said head slider,
wherein said head slider has a length Ls in a direction of air flow from an air inflow end of said head slider to an air outflow end of said head slider and exhibits an immovable point when said head slider is rotated in a direction of pitch, such that when an external impact force is applied to said head slider, with a distance from an action point of a load, that activates said head slider toward the recording medium, to the immovable point being Lo, 0.5<Lo/Ls<2.

7 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a head;
a head support device including
(i) a support arm, with said head at one end of said support arm,
(ii) an elastic member near another end of said support arm, and
(iii) a first base arm,
with an end of said elastic member being fixed to said first base arm, and one of said support arm and said first base arm having a rotation supporting point;
a head slider on which said head is mounted, with said head slider being disposed at said one end of said support arm via a flexure;
and
a balancer at said another end of said support arm such that said rotation supporting point is between said balancer and said head slider,
wherein said head slider has a length Ls in a direction of air flow from an air inflow end of said head slider to an air outflow end of said head slider, exhibits an immovable point when said head slider is rotated in a direction of pitch, and exhibits a pitch angle θp when said head slider is afloat over a surface of a recording medium whereby a distance Xt is defined between the surface of the recording medium and the air outflow end of said head slider, such that when an external impact force is applied to said head slider, with a distance from an action point of a load, that activates said head slider toward the recording medium, to the immovable point being Lo,
1≦Lo/Ld≦2.5,
wherein Ld=(Ls/2)+(Xt/tan(θp)).

9 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a head;
a head support device including
(i) a support arm, with said head at one end of said support arm,
(ii) an elastic member near another end of said support arm, and
(iii) a first base arm,
with an end of said elastic member being fixed to said first base arm, and one of said support arm and said first base arm having a rotation supporting point;
a head slider on which said head is mounted, with said head slider being disposed at said one end of said support arm via a flexure;
a balancer at said another end of said support arm such that said rotation supporting point is between said balancer and said head slider;
a positive pressure generating section on a surface of said head slider that is to oppose a recording medium, said positive pressure generating section including
(i) a first positive pressure generator spaced a predetermined distance from an air inflow end of said head slider, said first positive pressure generator being perpendicular to a direction of air flow to be created, and
(ii) a second positive pressure generator spaced a predetermined distance from an air outflow end of said head slider, said second positive pressure generator being at a widthwise center of said head slider and perpendicular to the direction of air flow to be created;
and
a negative pressure generator between said first positive pressure generator and said second positive pressure generator, said negative pressure generator being formed so that a center of negative force, when generated to activate said head slider toward the recording medium, is positioned closer to said air outflow end of said head slider than to an action point of the negative force.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus with head and head support device having rotation supporting point

Life of this patent

Apparatus with head and head support device having rotation supporting point

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31