The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 15, 1996
Iomega Corporation, Roy, UT (US);
Abstract
A voice coil actuator return path and a slotted flex circuit member for a linear actuator of a disk drive, which together accurately and precisely position the center guide track, and align the mass and forces of the electrical circuit on the carriage are disclosed. The outer return path is precisely formed from laminations of low carbon steel. The outer return path supports and accurately positions a central guide track, on which a carriage assembly slides. Moreover, the outer return path is oriented in a rectangle that is coupled to a disk drive platform, and includes an aperture through which a portion of the carriage assembly passes. A flex circuit member, which electrically communicates with the read/write heads, includes a slot that enables the central guide track to pass though. The slot enables the flex circuit member to be connected to the carriage assembly near a center axis of the carriage. The flex circuit member has a center of mass and center of force approximately equally distributed on each side of a vertical plane passing through a centerline of the central guide track.