International Business Machines Corporation

Michael E Nard

Donovan M Janssen

Alan J Kirton

Leroy Rose

William J Friehauf

A flexible disk drive head access mechanism optimized for automated manufacture is disclosed. The mechanism is a complete subassembly. As such, the mechanism can be handled by a robot, as the mechanism is automatically mounted to the disk drive's main frame member. The mechanism comprises a stepping motor having a metal output pulley which is wrapped by a metal band. The middle of the band is welded to the motor's output pulley. The two free ends of the band are welded to a flexible, low-mass band tensioner. This tensioner is a thin, elongated member which includes a U-shaped portion which is operable to tension the band about the pulley. Attachment of the ends of the band to the tensioner not only tensions the band, but also operates to bend the tensioner slightly toward the pulley, thus causing the band to self-center itself in a 360.degree. wrap about the pulley. In this way, rotary to linear output from the mechanism is assured. The low mass of the tensioner insures that the band is not damaged as the motor is handled by the robot, leaving the band and its tensioner unsupported and free to move. A damping arm is welded to the tensioner and operates to damp vibration of the tensioner when the mechanism is at the far end of its head access stroke. In this way, read/write errors are minimized.

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Longmont, CO, United States of America

Michael E Nard