Seagate Technology Incorporated

Mark Joseph Fernandes

Ramgopal Battu

Long Van Ngo

Narayanaswamy Pasupathy

An improved latch system for use in a disc drive is provided including an improved means for eliminating tolerances in the parked position of the actuator arm in the landing zone on the disc. According to this system, the latch system includes latch arm having a rotary engaging portion which engages a portion of the transducer support arm or actuator arm in the disc drive to prevent movement of the transducer when the shock appears; this latch arm is directly coupled to an air vane which extends parallel to the edge of the disc in a region nearly adjacent to the actuator arm and at a distance at a center of the disc which is just greater than the radius of the disc so that the vane extends partially along an arc or a line near to the edge of the disc. The latch arm and vane are arranged so that in the presence of disc rotation, wind generated by the disc presses against the vane, and the vane moves away from the disc. As it does so, the latch arm disengages the actuator arm, allowing it to move freely back and forth over the surface of the disc to locate the transducer over various tracks. When disc rotation ceases, the vane returns to its position adjacent the edge of the disc, and the transducer arm returns the transducer to the landing zone. When it does so, a pin which rises above the surface of the actuator arm engages the end of the latch arm. This pin rests against the end of the actuator arm and prevents further movement of the actuator arm under shock. Under normal conditions the accumulated tolerances between the final position of the wind vane, the latch arm, the pin, and the actuator arm which supports the pin would all need to be allowed for in defining the landing zone of the arm. According to the present invention however, an adjustable cam pin having a variable outer radius is supported on the actuator arm. When the assembly of the latch arm and actuator arm are complete the pin is rotated so that it rests firmly against the end of the latch arm; in this position, when the wind vane is at rest, the transducer supporting actuator arm rests exactly on the predefined landing zone, and assembly tolerances which would normally have to be incorporated into the landing zone can be eliminated.

Air vane latch incorporating a cam pin on the actuator

A latch system for use in a disc drive is provided wherein a latch system comprises a latch arm having an engaging portion for engaging an engaging transducer support arm for a disc drive to prevent movement of the transducer, and a wind vane that extends partially along an arc or a line near to the edge of the disc. The latch arm and vane are arranged so that in the presence of disc rotation wind presses against the vane, and the vane moves away from the disc. In order to make the vane effective and create sufficient torque or force against the surface of the vane, the top surface of the disc drive housing is depressed in the region of the disc which is upstream from the location of the vane, where by upstream is meant that the rotation of the disc causes wind to be generated which flows under the top portion of the housing and then impacts against the vane. By providing a specifically defined, depressed region in the top housing surface, sufficient torque is generated by the airflow as caused by rotation of a disc for the wind to open the vane when the disc drive is operating.

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Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America

Mark Joseph Fernandes