Seagate Technology Incorporated

CheeWai Seetoh

Andre Y Liem

Mo Xu

Joseph HengTung Lau

YiRen Hong

Niroot Jierapipatanakul

Jierapipatanakul Niroot

Michael JooChiang Toh

WaiOnn Chee

Yongjie Tang

ChorShan Cheng

Victor ChiSiang Choo

Tak Koon Ooi

Stephen KowChiew Kuan

Terang KongBeng Thia

Jeffrey SoonBeng Sim

KongBeng Thia

Longitudinal edges of an actuator arm are provided with stiffening elements in order to raise natural resonant frequencies of the arm so as to prevent resonance from occurring. The stiffening element is shaped and positioned so as to be able to individually 'tune' the natural resonant frequency of a given bending mode without significantly affecting the natural frequencies in other bending modes.

Method of making a data storage device having an actuator with a rail

There is provided a pre-amplifier with a baseplate configured for mounting to an actuator in a disc drive. The baseplate is directly fixed to the actuator at one point, with a damping layer between a second surface of the baseplate and the actuator. The damping layer helps to constrain the baseplate from rotational movement relative to the actuator. Preferably, the baseplate is fixed to the actuator by a grounding pin coupled to the baseplate.

Actuator arm damper with integrated pre-amplifier

An actuator assembly of a disc drive having an actuator arm rotatably mounted adjacent a data disc. The actuator arm has a top surface and a bottom surface, and includes a head gimbal assembly support portion located at one end of the actuator arm. The actuator assembly further includes an arm circuit fastened to the top surface of the actuator arm. The actuator assembly may additionally include a head gimbal assembly that electrically couples the data transducer and the arm circuit. The gimbal circuit is partially routed along the head gimbal assembly and over the top surface of the actuator arm. Alignment apertures on the arm circuit and the head gimbal circuit and alignment pins on the actuator arm may be used for positioning of the circuits over the top surface of the actuator arm.

Actuator system for disc drive

The present invention provides a method to determine and to locate the position of the imbalance torque of an actuator in a disc drive. There are several steps performing different functions in the method. The first step of the method performs the function of obtaining a difference in the voice coil motor (VCM) current of the disc drive in the X orientation and in the Y orientation with the VCM current of the disc drive when the disc drive is placed flat. The second step performs the function of obtaining the square of each difference in VCM current. The third step performs the function of obtaining the imbalance by adding the square of the VCM current and subsequent square root of the addition. The valve of the imbalance torque is obtained by multiplying the imbalance with the torque constant. The fourth step performs the function of obtaining a division value of the VCM current in the X orientation or in the Y orientation with the VCM current of the disc drive when the disc drive is placed flat. The fifth step performs the function of obtaining the angle between the x-axis and the distance of the imbalance torque of the actuator from the pivot centre and measuring the mass of the actuator. The sixth step performs the function of obtaining the cosine or sine of the angle and multiple either angle with the mass of the actuator. The position of the imbalance torque is located and determined either from dividing the divided value in X orientation in the fourth step with the cosine angle in the sixth step or dividing the divided value in Y orientation in the fourth step with the sine angle in the sixth step.

Drive level actuator imbalance torque test

A crash stop assembly limits pivotal movement of an actuator assembly mounted on a base plate of a disc drive. The disc drive includes a signal channel extending from the actuator assembly to a disc drive circuit board, and the crash stop assembly includes a connector bracket secured to the base plate and supporting the signal channel. The crash stop assembly further includes a crash stop secured to the connector bracket and extending therefrom, and the crash stop includes a contact surface that contacts the actuator assembly to limit pivotal movement of the actuator assembly.

Crash stop assembly in a disc drive

Disc drives are made with an actuator designed with at least one asymmetrical arm having two masses that move out of phase. The arm is modified by removing a portion of the higher-energy (longitudinal) side, the one with the greater total time-averaged strain energy. This modification reduces the phase difference between the first and the second arm, particularly for a relevant frequency range of interest. Disc drives made by this method exhibit a generally reduced out-of-phase motion, enhancing performance during seeking and track following, especially for arms with two heads that interact with surfaces of opposing discs.

Disc drive with actuator arm configured for reduced out-of-phase motion

A voice coil for a head positional assembly of a disc drive. The voice coil including a dampener which dampens vibrations occurring in the voice coil. The dampener includes a constraint material and a viscoelastic material.

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Singapore, Singapore

CheeWai Seetoh