Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Drum record
Patent
1990-10-04
1992-07-21
Severin, David J.
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Drum record
360137, G11B 2126
Patent
active
051328577
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to carries for magnetic head/arm assemblies as used in magnetic disk files and to methods of attaching such head/arm assemblies to the actuator mechanism of such disk files.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Magnetic read/write heads used to access data on magnetic disks generally incorporate a transducer element mounted on a slider which is attached to a flexure. These head assemblies are themselves mounted, by the free end of the flexure, on rigid support arms to form head/arm assemblies. The head/arm assemblies are attached to an actuator mechanism, the movement of which causes the translation of the heads over the surface of the rotating disks.
Conventionally, at the point of manufacture of the head assemblies, the assemblies are processed individually. The processing steps include cleaning and testing. The head assemblies are then individually loaded into trays for transportantion from the head manufacturer to the point of final assembly at the disk file manufacturer.
At the disk file manufacturer the individual head assemblies are normally attached to support arms and the resulting head/arm assemblies mounted onto the actuator mechanism. This is a delicate and time consuming process, involving individual handling of the various assemblies and head to head alignment.
It can be readily appreciated that the excessive handling of individual heads and head/arm assemblies can cause a reduction in yield and a need for rework of partly assembled disk files to replace damaged heads.
European patent application 0 234 442 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,748 describe disk files which include armstack units onto which are mounted individual transducer head flexure assemblies. The armstack unit is removably attached to the actuator mechanism allowing easy removal for replacement of individual head/arm assemblies. The assemblies are individually attached to the armstack unit away from the actuator mechanism with the correct centre to centre spacing of the heads for merge to the disk stack. The armstack unit is then attached to the actuator mechanism.
While these pre-assembled arm stack units provide a simple means for achieving the correct alignment of the heads ready for merging with the disk stacks, they do not remove the need for individual handling by the disk file manufacturer of both heads and head/arm assemblies. Nor do they provide protection for the heads, once they are assembled to the armstack unit.
Thus there is a requirement for reducing handling of the heads during manufacture and transportation and also facilitating assembly of head/arm assemblies to the actuator of a disk file.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the invention provides a head carrier for carrying a plurality of head/arm assemblies of the kind comprising a rigid arm portion supporting two flexures biased away from each other, each flexure in turn supporting at its free end a transducer bearing slider for cooperation with a disk of a disk file, such assemblies being mountable by their rigid arm portions in a moving actuator for moving them over the surface of such disks, the carrier comprising a protective partial enclosure for protecting the head/arm assemblies from damage when loaded in the carrier and said enclosure comprising location means for locating and supporting said head/arm assemblies in parallel spaced apart relationship at a pitch corresponding to their eventual location in the actuator so that the flexures and heads lie within the protective partial enclosure and at least a portion of the rigid arm projects outside the carrier to enable it to be mounted in such an actuator without removal of the carrier.
Preferably, said enclosure further comprises collapsing means acting on the two flexures so as to bring them together. In this way, the movement of the heads is further restricted thereby reducing the risk of damage and facilitating the subsequent merger of the heads with the disk stack.
Even though the head/arm assemblies are held relatively firmly in the carrier by
REFERENCES:
patent: 3080642 (1963-03-01), Woods et al.
patent: 4387409 (1983-06-01), Otavsky et al.
Dickie et al., "Disk File Actuator", IBM TDB, Mar. 1976, vol. 18, No. 10, pp. 3435-3436.
Russell-Smith John H.
Warn Ian S.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lathtinen Robert W.
Severin David J.
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