Hard disk drive voice coil actuator latch
AssigneeHGST Netherlands B.V.
InventorsAkinori Takayama, Hiromitsu Masuda, Shinichi Kimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A voice coil actuator utilizes an eddy current magnet configured for positioning proximal to the outer perimeter side face of one or more recording disk, and which cooperates with the conductive side face to generate an eddy current force to rotate a latch lever to an unlatched position. Embodiments may include an end cam on a base on which the latch lever is rotatably disposed, and the latch lever includes a cam follower capable of rotatably engaging with the end cam, whereby the magnetic attraction between the eddy current magnet and the voice coil actuator yoke generates a latch bias force which causes the end cam and cam follower to engage or mesh in order to hold the latch lever in a latched position.
Claims15
A hard disk drive (HDD) comprising:
- one or more recording disk media rotatably mounted on a spindle;
- a head slider comprising a read/write head configured to read from and to write to said one or more disk media;
- a voice coil actuator configured to move said head slider to access portions of said one or more disk media;
- and
- a voice coil actuator latch mechanism comprising:
- a latch lever rotatably disposed on a base, and
- an eddy current magnet positioned proximal to the outer perimeter side face of said one or more disk media and which, when said one or more disk media spins, cooperates with said outer perimeter side face of said disk media in generating an eddy current force to rotate said latch lever to an unlatched position.
A voice coil actuator latch mechanism comprising:
- a latch lever rotatably disposed on a base;
- and
- an eddy current magnet mounted in mechanical connection with said latch lever and which, when positioned proximal to the outer perimeter side face of one or more spinning magnetic-recording disks, cooperates with said outer perimeter side face of said one or more disks in generating an eddy current force to rotate said latch lever to an unlatched position.
A method for operating a voice coil actuator latch mechanism in a hard disk drive, the method comprising:
- rotating one or more recording disk media rotatably mounted on a spindle, causing an eddy current magnet positioned proximal to the outer perimeter side face of said one or more disk media to cooperate with said outer perimeter side face of said disk media in generating an eddy current force that rotates a latch lever of said latch mechanism to an unlatched position to allow said voice coil actuator to move a head slider to access portions of said one or more disk media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.