Nec Corporation

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Robert P Cloutier

Michael R Hatch

Ronald R Moon

Daniel E Barnard

Gregg J Uhlendorf

Michael W Null

Robert J Kobliska

Klaus-Peter Deyring

Thomas J Huber

James A McDonald, Iii

Bryan T Silbermann

Philip L Steiner

Christopher E Mann

An apparatus and process for detecting rotor position for improved motor start-up. The apparatus detects a target equilibrium position of the rotor using a fixed gain amplifier, window comparator and slope detector circuitry. The window comparator circuitry qualifies the peaks of the back EMF signal. Slope detector circuitry pinpoints the peak of the back EMF signal qualified by the window comparator. The technique utilizes the steps of energizing the phase windings of said motor, detecting the target equilibrium position, and then accelerating the motor through a commutation process.

Apparatus and method for detecting rotor position in a sensorless and

When a rotary-actuator voice coil type disk drive is powered down the actuator arm is moved to a parking position against an I.D. stop by a disk spindle motor back EMF, resulting from the spinning down of the spindle motor. Current is applied by the back EMF through a delay circuit to a latch arm voice coil on one end of a latch arm and forming part of a magnetic circuit including a drive permanent magnet on a ferrous base plate and a ferrous upper plate. Resultant movement of the latch arm overcomes a spring bias of a torsion spring extending between the base plate and pivoted latch arm normally keeping the latch arm in an unlatched position. A latch permanent magnet extends from the other end of the latch arm and is brought into spaced proximity, but not contact, with a ferrous member extending from the actuator arm so that the magnetic force therebetween holds the actuator arm against the I.D. stop in latched position to withstand high shock loadings. Powering the rotary actuator voice coil motor up overcomes the magnetic force and allows the biased torsion spring to move the latch arm to the unlatched position without resultant loss of data storage area.

Active magnetic latch for disk drive and method

A hard disk drive for a computer system including a head disk assembly with a disk platter of approximately one-and-eight-tenths-inch in diameter capable of storing more than forty megabytes. In an embodiment, data tracks on each data surface of the platter are spaced at approximately 2,558 tracks per inch and each data track has approximately 36,000 flux changes per inch. An actuator positions a pair of read/write heads on each platter surface using a voice coil motor to position the heads over a cylinder. A magnetic actuator latch attaches to another magnet on the actuator and locks the heads in a parked position at the innermost diameter of the platter. A spindle motor rotates the platter at approximately 5,400 revolutions per minute. A base plate, with a gasketed surface and a raised lip, hermetically seals with a cover to the base plate such that the platter, the actuator, the actuator latch, and the spindle motor are all contained within. The cover carries a breather filter and recirculating air filter. The raised lip on the base plate prevents direct electrical interference from passing between the base plate and the cover.

Micro miniature hard disk drive

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

Robert P Cloutier