International Business Machines Corporation

Jeffrey Fred Boigenzahn

Richard Edward Lagergren

James M Rigotti

Lyle R Tufty

Darrell Eugene Bratvold

Douglas W Johnson

Brian Lee Rappel

Dale E Goodman

Todd Phillip Fracek

Gregory Allen Lyons

Michael Scott Good

Jerome Thomas Coffey

Randy J Bornhorst

Dale C Goeke

John Jeffrey Stephenson

Todd Barry Anderson

Marvin A Schlimmer

Amy L Warner

Bryan W Bicknese

Zine-Eddine Boutaghou

Charles Allan Brown

John Beck

Lowell James Berg

Herman Russell Wendt

Luke A Cossette

Daniel C Stucky

A data zone optimization method and architecture for optimizing the location of the data zone on a data storage disk is disclosed. The data zone is preferably biased toward the outer diameter of the disk, and is referenced to a data zone starting location established proximate a load/unload ramp apparatus. An optimum starting location for the data zone of an initially unformatted data storage disk is preferably determined by contacting the load/unload ramp with the transducer assembly, disengaging the transducer assembly from the ramp, and writing servo information indicative of the data zone starting location at a disk location proximate the ramp and transducer assembly contact point. Servo information indicative of the data zone is written at inner diameter disk location with respect to the optimum data zone starting location. The optimized data zone architecture may have a predetermined or variable data storage capacity.

Method and apparatus for a real and positional optimization of a storage disk data zone

A data storage disk drive is provided with a spindle which supports a plurality of disks having at least one magnetic disk surface to form a spindle assembly for rotation of the disk surfaces about a common axis and a rotary actuator which supports magnetic transducers for movement in unison about respective disk surfaces. The disk drive includes a disk drive enclosure having die-cast generated predetermined zero draft geometries for mounting the spindle motor shaft and the actuator bearing shaft. The enclosure includes a base casting and a cover casting, each casting including structure for locating and retaining electrical connectors used for connecting to a planar electronics card located outside the drive enclosure. The disk drive includes an effective and easily manufacturable electrical path from a flex circuit to an actuator comb. The disk drive includes a tubular chemical breather filter arranged with integral housing and diffusion channels formed in the cover casting.

Structure and enclosure assembly for a disk drive

A data storage disk drive is provided with a spindle which supports at least one disk having at least one magnetic disk surface to form a spindle assembly for rotation of the disk surfaces about a common axis and a rotary actuator which supports at least one magnetic tranducers for movement about respective disk surfaces. The enclosure includes a base casting and a cover casting. The base casting include predetermined registration surfaces for mounting the spindle and the rotary actuator and having a mating face. The cover casting has a mating face for engaging the base mating face to define the disk drive enclosure for enclosing the spindle, the at least one disk surface, the at least one magnetic transducer and the actuator. The mating faces extend along the length of the disk drive enclosure. The base casting including a locational and retention cast pocket structure for locating and retaining electrical connector and a flexible cable used for connecting to a planar electronics card located outside the drive enclosure.

Enclosure assembly for a disk with a locational and retention cast

An apparatus for mounting an actuator of a data storage system to a housing which uses a single mounting screw. The mounting screw is disposed within an aperture provided on the housing cover and a central bore of the actuator shaft, and secures the actuator shaft to a housing cover and base casting. A mounting boss is disposed on the base casting and adapted for registering with the actuator shaft and receiving the mounting screw. Efficient top-down assembly of standard and small form factor data storage systems is facilitated by employment of the novel actuator mounting apparatus.

Actuator mounting apparatus for top-down data storage system assembly

A direct access storage device (DASD) includes a plurality of motion limiters and/or a continuous motion limiter projecting from at least one of the base and cover, each motion limiter having faces disposed in close proximity to and confronting opposite surfaces of a data storage disk adjacent a peripheral portion of the disk that does not contain data. Preferably, the motion limiters are disposed at several points about the periphery of the disk, and may be incorporated in a load/unload ramp and/or side rails of the DASD. The faces of the motion limiters are disposed relative to the disk so that when the DASD is subjected to an acceleration, the disk contacts at least one of the faces only at the peripheral portion of the disk, outside the data zone. Accordingly, the motion limiters prevent data zone and spindle bearing damage when the DASD is dropped.

Direct access storage device having a disk motion limiter for preventing

A method and an apparatus for optimizing movement of a disk drive's head actuator arm away from a magnetic latch that holds the arm in a parked position at the Inner Diameter (ID) of a disk. Current energizing of the arm's actuator motor moves the arm away from the magnetic latch and is controlled to compensate for any change in magnetic holding force. When the disk drive is powered up, a current pulse of one polarity is applied to the actuator motor. This initial current pulse normally moves the arm away from the magnetic latch and is followed by a current pulse of the opposite polarity to decelerate movement of the arm. If this initial sequence fails to move the arm away from the magnetic latch, the magnitude of the two current pulses is increased, and the opposite polarity pulse is followed by a small magnitude current of the one polarity. The read signal from the head is monitored to indicate that the arm has moved into the disk's central databand area, and then into the disk's Outer Diameter (OD) area. At this point, the magnitude of current of the one polarity is increased in small steps to gently bring the arm into contact with the disk drive's OD crash stop. The current of the one polarity is then decreased in small steps, and the arm gently moves away from the OD crash stop. The head signal is monitored until the head is positioned at a selected track.

Method and apparatus for moving a disk drive actuator away from a

A Direct Access Storage Device (DASD), either magnetic or optical, wherein the chamber which encloses the disk, actuator and electrical connections is sealed from the outside conditions by disposing a seal or gasket about a connector which is surface mounted on a flex cable and disposing the connector in a passage through the base of the DASD. The flex cable is disposed adjacent the inner surface of the cover, and a tail portion of the flex cable is folded to an orientation to position the tail so that it may be attached to an actuator or similar mechanism within the DASD. The tail is maintained in its proper orientation once inserted into a slot formed into the base member. The slot side walls constrain the tail without the need to have the tail fixedly attached to the base member at any point and thereby easing assembly, disassembly, rework and/or repair of the DASD. Compressive forces exerted on the flex cable by the cover and cover screws effectively ground the flex cable through a grounding tab engaged with the base. Further, the compressive forces exerted by the cover against the flex cable, gasket, and base member insure an effective seal of the internal chamber of the DASD from the exterior conditions.

Direct access storage device with improved reliability flex cable

A novel inertial actuator latch assembly adapted for use within the compact housing configuration of a very small form factor data storage system comprises an actuator latch and a separate latch spring. A portion of an inertia member of the actuator latch extends over a portion of a surface of the data storage disk and is separated therefrom by a clearance gap having a size typically on the order of tenths of a millimeter. A novel tilt limiting apparatus prevents deleterious contact between the inertia member and the sensitive surface of the data storage disk in response to a strong external rotational shock force being exerted on the data storage system housing. Automatic registration and coupling features provide for easy and efficient installation of the tilt limiting inertial actuator latch assembly in a top-down assembly process.

Tilt limiting inertial actuator latch for a data storage system

A disk drive or direct access storage device (DASD) of the type having multiple disks and multiple actuator arms, both the disks and the actuator arms assembled in a stacked manner, advantageously assembled with the locating surface or flange of the actuator disposed on the opposite side of the stacked actuator arms from the side of the disk stack having the locating surface or flange for the disk hub. This opposite flange design results in a substantial reduction in the effects of tolerance buildup and therefore permits the design of the disk drive equal in all other respects to a conventional same side flange arrangement, but permitting additional disks, lower height, less tightly defined tolerances on components or the use of cheaper manufacturing techniques and technologies for recording data.

Direct access storage device with opposing actuator and spindle flanges

A resilient and compliant shock rail is provided on the sides of the bottom cover for a PCMCIA standard Direct Access Storage Device. The shock rails, being of a resilient and easily deformable material, lengthen the impact time and attenuates the shock forces exerted on the DASD, thereby bringing the deceleration forces to acceptable levels. The shock rail may be further provided with low friction surfaces by bonding thin metal plates to the top and bottom surfaces of the shock rails to ease insertion and withdrawal of the PCMCIA DASD. The shock rail is provided with reinforcing members to insure that the keying scheme required for proper insertion is effective.

Compliant rail for shock protection of a PCMCIA DASD

A data storage disk drive is provided with a spindle which supports a plurality of disks having at least one magnetic disk surface to form a spindle assembly for rotation of the disk surfaces about a common axis and a rotary actuator which supports magnetic transducers for movement in unison about respective disk surfaces. The disk drive includes a voltage reference tab provided for quick assembly and removal from an actuator comb. The voltage reference tab maintains the magneto-resistive transducers and the magnetic disks at the same reference voltage potential thus minimizing electrical discharge from the transducer to the disk. The voltage reference tab is a copper tab having symmetrical slots about a fastening hole to facilitate the bending operation and to reduce the rate at which heat is conducted during the soldering process. The tab maintains the voltage reference potential between the head and disk through an extension of the flex cable attached to the actuator.

A fastening structure is provided to secure a shaft between parallel walls of a box shaped casting which will secure ans locate the shaft without inducing a distortion of the casting walls. One end of the shaft is secured to the adjacent wall and the other end of the shaft is secured through a wall opening using an annular slug and a deformable washer which is compressed by a bolt attached axially to the shaft end to cause the deformed washer to engage the surfaces defining the wall opening. The uniform axisymmetric expansion of the washer does not affect the position of the shaft and the radial fore secures the shaft end without influencing the structure of the casting.

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Pine Island, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey Fred Boigenzahn