Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-27
2001-01-30
Young, Lee (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S469500, C360S099080, C360S098070, C310S06700R
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178618
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to a data storage system, and in particular embodiments to a system, apparatus, and method for constructing a pivot cartridge assembly in a hard disc drive.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern computers employ various forms of data storage systems for storing programs and data. For example, various forms of disc drive systems have been designed to operate under the control of a computer to record information and/or retrieve recorded information on one or more recording discs. Such disc drives include hard disc drives which employ recording discs that have magnetizable (hard) recording material, optical disc drives which employ recording discs that have optically readable recording material, magneto-optical (MO) disc drives which employ recording discs that have optically readable magnetizable recording material, or the like.
Within the disc drive system, one or more discs are rotated at a constant speed by a spindle motor. The data is stored on a plurality of tracks defined on the surface of the disc. As the discs rotate, actuator arms fixedly mounted on a pivot cartridge assembly move the electromagnetic heads from track to track under the control of a voice coil motor. Typically, the pivot cartridge assembly is supplied as a unitary component that is usually mounted onto the base of a disc drive. The actuator arms are supported from the pivot cartridge assembly and extend from the pivot cartridge assembly toward the disc.
The pivot cartridge assembly has a pivot bearing about which the actuator arms rotate. The pivot bearing is inserted into an aperture formed in the pivot cartridge assembly and is locked in place by a screw and glue. When coupled in this manner, the cartridge assembly and pivot bearing can exhibit some inter-component movements due to, for example, the difference in size of the aperture in the pivot cartridge relative to the pivot bearing diameter. In this manner, this locking technique can result in adverse vibrational movements of the pivot cartridge and pivot bearing, which can cause track misalignment problems.
More particularly, to allow the insertion of the pivot bearing into the pivot cartridge's aperture, the aperture's diameter must be larger than the bearing's diameter. During a disc drive's operation, the pivot bearing has a tendency to move or vibrate within the aperture. Such vibrations can cause the actuator arms to vibrate, preventing the alignment of the heads with the tracks. Additionally, the use of glue can cause outgassing. Outgassing can result in the formation of outgassed material deposits on disc and/or head surfaces which can interfere with the proper functioning of the head-disc interface.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method of constructing a pivot cartridge assembly without the need for a screw and glue.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
To overcome the limitations in the prior art described above, and to overcome other limitations that will become apparent upon reading and understanding the present specification, the specification discloses a preferred system, method, and apparatus for constructing a pivot cartridge assembly.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention involves the following steps. A pivot bearing and an actuator assembly are provided. The actuator assembly has an aperture for receiving the pivot bearing. The actuator assembly is heated until the aperture of the actuator assembly expands to accommodate the pivot bearing. The pivot bearing is inserted into the aperture of the heated actuator assembly.
When the actuator assembly cools, the aperture of the actuator assembly thermodynamically contracts and constricts around the pivot bearing, locking the bearing in place. As a result, the actuator assembly and pivot bearing have characteristics of a single rigid unit. An advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is to prevent pivot bearing vibrations during disc drive operation and improve the overall performance of the disc drive. A further advantage of an embodiment of the present invention is ease of manufacture.
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Heim Matthew Robert
Krum Richard Gene
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Seagate Technology LLC
Trinh Minh
Young Lee
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