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:
Aug. 22, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 30, 1997
Carl Fred Adams, Yukon, OK (US);
Seagate Technology, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and associated method are described which change the mechanical response characteristics of an actuator arm in a disc drive such that damage to the disc drive resulting from mechanical shock is minimized. An actuator arm is provided which has a groove that extends along a side portion of the actuator arm. A side rail is attached to the side portion of the actuator arm, and is preferably T-shaped so that the side rail mates with the groove. The side rail can be constructed of a stiffening material and/or a damping material as desired to change the mechanical response characteristics of the actuator arm to reduce contact between the actuator arm and the disc surface which results from mechanical shock to the disc drive assembly. In the method of use, a groove is machined into a side portion of an actuator arm and then an actuator arm side rail is inserted into the groove.