Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-26
2001-02-27
Korzuch, William R. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
Disk record
C360S245200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06195236
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive having a magnetic head assembly mounted to a carriage arm, and more particularly to an improved method of mounting the magnetic head assembly which enables high recording density and assures high reliability.
Many magnetic disk drives accommodate a number of magnetic disks, and are provided with plural magnetic heads for reading and writing data. In known drives, one magnetic head corresponds to each surface of each magnetic disk. Each magnetic head is mounted at an end portion of a spring arm which, in turn, is attached to an end portion of a carriage arm. The carriage arm is a part of an actuator assembly. When an actuator of the actuator assembly is activated, the carriage arm moves, together with the magnetic head, along a radial direction of the magnetic disk medium.
A conventional method of fixing a magnetic head assembly to a carriage arm will now be explained with reference to
FIGS. 26A-26C
. In particular,
FIG. 26A
illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mounting portion when the magnetic head assembly is mounted to the carriage arm. A mounting hole
970
a
formed at the mounting portion
970
of each arm of the carriage arm
978
is provided to receive a cylindrical projected portion
989
b
of the magnetic head assembly
971
from both sides. Next, as shown in
FIG. 26B
, the carriage arm
978
is arranged between the dampers
911
,
912
. Each damper
911
,
912
is respectively provided with a plurality of pressing plates
911
a
,
912
a
which are arranged like the teeth of a comb. Specifically, the upper surface of the pressing plate
911
a
and the lower surface of the pressing plate
912
a
are respectively tapered such that the dampers
911
and
912
mesh with one another. In this manner, each arm of the carriage arm
978
is held between the lower surface of the pressing plates
911
a
and the upper surface of the pressing plates
912
a.
Further, as shown in
FIG. 26C
, the mounting portion
970
of the carriage arm
978
is held between the pressing plate
911
a
and pressing plate
912
a
. Under this condition, a caulking ball
913
is forcibly inserted using a caulking pin
914
into a caulking hole
989
a
formed in the head spacer
989
. The caulking hole
989
a
is aligned with a hole
984
a
formed in the upper most arm of the magnetic head assembly
971
. Together, these holes define a though hole (best seen in FIG.
23
B). In particular, the caulking ball
913
is pressed into the caulking hole
989
a
via the hole
984
a
. Further, when the caulking ball
913
is provided into the caulking hole
989
a
, the cylindrical projected portion
989
b
expands its external diameter and is pressed against the internal surface of the mounting hole
970
a
of the carriage arm. In this manner, the magnetic head assembly
971
is fixed to the end portion of the carriage arm
978
to form the magnetic head arm.
However, once the magnetic head assembly is fixed to the carriage arm, it is difficult to remove the magnetic head assembly from the carriage arm to replace the magnetic head. Further, replacement of the magnetic head independent of the spring arm is virtually impossible due of the likelihood of damaging the spring arm. Accordingly, the use of a conventional caulk ball to fix the magnetic head assembly to the carriage arm results in a lowering of the fabrication yield, and decreased ease of maintenance.
In addition, the force generated by the caulk ball as it passes through the mounting hole is disadvantageous in that it tends to deform the head spacer. Moreover, as the caulk ball passes through the mounting hole, friction between the ball and head spacer generates dust which may subsequently cause a head crash.
Alternatively, instead of using a caulk ball, the magnetic head assembly may be attached to the carriage arm using screws. The use of screws makes it feasible to replace the magnetic head independent of the arm. However, the use of screws requires increased spacing between the head arms of the carriage arm to provide access for installation and removal. The recent trend towards smaller disk drives having increasingly higher recording density makes it increasingly desirable to reduce the size of the magnetic head assembly including reducing the interval between the head arms of the carriage arm. In addition, the relatively high mass of screws makes it difficult to maintain the low mass characteristics required to realize a high speed actuator. Thus, the use of screws is increasingly impractical.
Accordingly, in response to the problems discussed above, one object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic head assembly which can easily and accurately be fixed to an actuator assembly of the magnetic head assembly and which can be reduced in size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk drive incorporating a magnetic head assembly which can easily and accurately be fixed to an actuator assembly of the magnetic head assembly, and to provide a method of fabricating the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk drive comprising a magnetic head arm which can precisely and easily fix a magnetic head assembly and an actuator assembly and can be reduced in size.
Another object of the present invention to provide a method of fabricating the same magnetic disk drive.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic head assembly including a spring arm having a magnetic head, a cylindrical portion provided on the spring arm and a thin plate member having a trapezoidal cross-section and being provided at the end portion of the cylindrical portion.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The above objects are met or exceeded by the magnetic head assembly according to one aspect of the present invention which includes a spring arm having a cylindrical portion, a magnetic head, and a thin plate spring having a trapezoidal shape cross-section provided at an end portion of the cylindrical portion.
The above objects are also met by a magnetic disk drive according to another aspect of the present invention includes a carriage arm defining a mounting hole, a cylindrical member provided on a first end of a spring arm, and having a diameter which exceeds the diameter of the mounting hole, the cylindrical member being removably engaged to an inner surface of the carriage arm within the mounting hole, a thin plate member having a trapezoidal shaped cross-section provided at one end of the cylindrical member, and a magnetic head assembly provided on a second end of the spring arm. The cylindrical member has a trapezoidal shaped cross-section which is inverse in shape to the shape of the thin plate member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4027865 (1977-06-01), Greenwood et al.
patent: 5172286 (1992-12-01), Jurgenson
patent: 5185683 (1993-02-01), Oberg et al.
patent: 5602698 (1997-02-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 5689389 (1997-11-01), Braunheim
patent: 5706574 (1998-01-01), Shimanuki
patent: 5715117 (1998-02-01), Brooks
patent: 5796555 (1998-08-01), Aoyagi et al.
Arai Hisato
Furukawa Tsuyoshi
Hamada Yasuhiro
Hiraoka Shinji
Fujitsu Limited
Greer Burns & Crain Ltd.
Korzuch William R.
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