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:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1997
Gary W Calfee, Santa Clara, CA (US);
David B Jeppson, Livermore, CA (US);
Quantum Corporation, Milpitas, CA (US);
Abstract
A disk drive having: (a) at least one data disk; (b) a brushless DC motor coupled to the data disk, the motor having: (i) multiple phase windings arranged as a stator, and (ii) a rotor having a permanent magnet or a DC current excitation winding for rotating the data disk; (c) a transducer for writing data to or reading data from the data disk; (d) a carrier supporting the transducer; (e) a voice coil motor coupled to the carrier for moving the carrier radially across the disk; (f) a drive controller coupled to the brushless DC motor and to the voice coil motor; and (g) a support for supporting the brushless DC motor, the voice coil motor and the drive controller. The drive controller periodically samples the rotor position and then drives the motor by energizing appropriate phase windings in relation to the rotor position that provide maximum forward torque to the rotor. While driving the motor, the drive controller also applies a series of current pulses to the VCM to oscillate the head carrier radially in and out. The combined application of maximum torque to the rotor and oscillation of the head carrier overcomes stiction between the slider and the surface of the disk to rotate the disk.