Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing is constructed to support stably a rotating body to which a non-uniform force is applied, and a hard disk drive (HDD) employing the fluid dynamic bearing is provided. The fluid dynamic bearing includes a journal bearing part supporting a rotary shaft in a radial direction of the rotary shaft, a thrust part formed at one end of the rotary shaft, a thrust bearing part facing the thrust part and supporting the rotary shaft in a longitudinal direction of the rotary shaft, and a plurality of grooves formed on a surface of the thrust bearing part and/or the thrust part. The plurality of grooves include a first groove group including a plurality of grooves having the same shape and arrangement, and a second groove group adjacent to the first groove group and including at least one groove asymmetric with respect to the grooves of the first groove group.

Abstract: Provided is a hard disk drive (HDD) assembly. The HDD assembly includes: a HDD including a base member, a cover member, a spindle motor, a data storage disk, and an actuator; and a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed beside the HDD and operating the HDD. The HDD assembly can be mounted on an electronic device, for example, a mobile phone. In this case, the HDD assembly is mounted between a main PCB and a back cover of the mobile phone using a first damping pad interposed between the cover member and the main PCB and a second damping pad interposed between the base member and the back cover. The PCB for the HDD is disposed on the main PCB of the mobile phone to be placed beside the HDD.

Abstract: Provided are a method of calculating repeatable runout (RRO) of a hard disk drive (HDD) in a frequency domain, a method of calculating a compensation value using the RRO calculating method, and recording media used therefore. The method of calculating RRO in a disk with a plurality of tracks includes: calculating first set of frequency coefficients for representing the RRO by analyzing a position error signal (PES), which is sampled in a target track, in a frequency domain while a head follows the target track; and calculating the RRO using the first set of frequency coefficients.

Abstract: Dampers are interposed between plural surfaces of an information storage device and facing surfaces of an electronic device to reduce shocks and vibrations applied to the information storage device mounted inside the electronic device. Each of the dampers includes portions contacting the electronic device, and portions contacting the information storage device, wherein the two portions are set apart on a plane from each other. Each of the dampers includes a flat platelike body part having a first surface facing the electronic device and a second surface facing the information storage device, a plurality of protrusions protruding from predetermined positions of the first surface of the body part and contacting the electronic device, and a plurality of second protrusions protruding from the second surface of the body part and contacting the information storage device, the plurality of second protrusions being set apart on a plane from the plurality of first protrusions.

Abstract: Provided are a hard disk drive (HDD) assembly and a mobile phone employing the HDD assembly. The HDD assembly includes: a HDD including a base member, a cover member, a spindle motor installed on the base member, at least one data storage disk mounted on the spindle motor, and an actuator pivotably installed on the base member and moving a read/write head to a predetermined position on the disk; a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed beside the HDD and operating the HDD; and a mounting bracket mounted on an electronic device while accommodating the HDD and the PCB, and including a first accommodating space adapted to accommodate the HDD and a second accommodating space disposed beside the first accommodating space and adapted to accommodate the PCB.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for compensating disturbance applied to a plant, such as a HDD component, controlled by a state control device having an estimator & controller. The estimator & controller is adapted to generate a first control signal in response to a state signal indicating an estimated state of the plant. A second control signal is generated by applying a transfer function H(s) having defined gain/frequency characteristics to a control signal derived from the first control signal. An overall control signal is generated in response to the second control signal and the control signal derived from the first control signal and applied to the plant.

Abstract: An actuator latch apparatus for a hard disk drive (HDD). The actuator latch apparatus includes a first latch formed on one end portion of a swing arm, a notch formed on the one end portion of the swing arm and spaced a predetermined interval from the first latch in a pivoting direction of the swing arm, and a latch lever pivotably installed on a base member. The latch lever includes a second latch contacting the first latch when the swing arm pivots in a first direction, and a hook engaging with the notch when the swing arm pivots in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Facing surfaces of the first latch and the second latch are inclined such that the first latch and the second latch slide into contact with each other when the swing arm pivots in the first direction.

Abstract: A spindle motor assembly includes a spindle motor having a shaft and a hub that rotates on the shaft, and a hard disk having a data storage medium mounted in the form of a whole disk, and a fastener attached to the center of a bottom surface of the disk-shaped data storage medium that faces the spindle motor. The fastener is a screw or a nut. In the case in which the fastener is a screw, a head of the screw is attached to the bottom surface of the hard disk, and the body of the screw is received in a screw hole in the upper portion of the shaft of the spindle motor. In the case in which the fastener is a nut, the nut is engaged with an external thread on an outer circumferential surface of the hub of the spindle motor.

Abstract: A disk holder for an off-line servo-track writer is installed at a driving motor of the off-line servo-track writer in a state in which a plurality of disks for information storage are assembled to the disk holder. The disk holder has a flange for supporting the plurality of disks, a mounting portion to be joined to the driving motor is provided at one side of the flange, and a hub is provided at the other side of the flange. A space into which air flows is formed in the hub, and the plurality of disks and a plurality of spacers for maintaining a gap between the plurality of disks are assembled around the outer circumference of the hub. A plurality of pressing members are installed at the hub to move back and forth in a radial direction of the hub.

Abstract: A spindle motor, which rotates a plurality of data storage disks in a hard disk drive, the spindle motor including: a shaft; an inner hub rotatably installed on an outer periphery of the shaft; and a hub assembly, which includes: an outer hub detachably coupled to an outer periphery of the inner hub, the outer hub shaped such that a plurality of disks and at least one spacer for maintaining an interval between adjacent disks of the plurality of disks can be secured to an outer periphery of the outer hub; and a fastening member coupled to a top portion of the outer hub and fixing the outer hub to the inner hub. The outer hub assembly to which the plurality of disks are secured can be mounted on an off-line servo-track writer, and can also be attached as is to the spindle motor after servo-track writing is completed.

Abstract: A shipping comb for use when moving an actuator of a hard disk drive, the actuator including a swing arm installed on a base member of the hard disk drive capable of pivoting, at least a pair of load beams coupled to an end portion of the swing arm, and at least a pair of sliders respectively coupled to the load beams to face each other. The shipping comb includes a frame operative to be coupled to the actuator and capable of pivoting, a first finger provided at the frame and for maintaining an interval between the load beams by being inserted between the load beams, and a second finger provided at the frame and for preventing collision between the sliders by being inserted between the sliders.

Abstract: A slim actuator and a micro-drive apparatus using the same are provided. The slim actuator includes a suspension having a head mounted at one end of the suspension to write/read data to/from a disk and a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a unit-mounting portion having one end connected to the suspension, a fantail molding portion extending from the other end of the uni-mounting portion, and a voice coil which is mounted on the fantail mounting portion such that current flows in the voice coil. The voice coil rotates the suspension by an electromagnetic force created by interaction between the electric field of the current and an applied magnetic field. Thus, the slim actuator uses a single channel and has excellent resonance characteristics. Mobile micro-drive apparatuses employing the slim actuators can be obtained.

Abstract: A mounting pad for a disk drive is provided. The mounting pad includes a sealing layer, which is formed on one surface of the disk drive so that a gap between a base and a cover of the disk drive can be sealed; an adhesive layer, which is formed on a surface of the electronic system facing the disk drive; and a vibration attenuation layer, which is interposed between the sealing layer and the adhesive layer to attenuate physical shocks and/or vibrations applied to the disk drive from the outside. Accordingly, it is possible to install the disk drive in the electronic system more firmly, attenuate physical shocks and vibrations applied to the disk drive from the outside, and seal a gap between the base and the cover of the disk drive.

Abstract: A disk drive having an anti-shock structure is provided. The disk drive includes: a base member; a spindle motor supported by a spindle motor support formed on the base member, the spindle motor rotating a data storage disk; an actuator rotatably coupled to an actuator pivot supported by a pivot support formed on the base member, the actuator moving a read/write head to a position on a recording surface of the disk; and slots formed in the base member around the circumference of each of the spindle motor support and the pivot support, the slots for partially controlling the stiffness of the base member. The slots include a first slot formed on a circumference region of the spindle motor support near the pivot support, and a second slot formed on a circumference region of the pivot support opposite to the spindle motor support. Due to the structure of the disk drive, the spindle motor and the actuator pivot are inclined in the same direction when an external impact is applied.

Abstract: An actuator arm of an actuator assembly includes a 4-bar linkage structure defined by a trapezoidal shaped opening formed between a front end of the actuator arm and a pivot shaft. A first rounded extension portion and a second rounded extension portion are formed at two corners adjacent to the pivot shaft of the opening, respectively, and a third rounded extension portion is formed at two corners adjacent to a front end of the opening, and hinges H1, H2, H3 and H4 are formed at the actuator arm by the first, second and third extension portions. Design factors determining a shape of the opening are optimized to meet the following relations for the structure of the 4-bar linkage: W(cos ??1)+Z(cos ??1)=?x=0, W sin ?+Z sin ?=?y=0.

Abstract: A disk writing apparatus includes: a temperature sensor sensing an ambient temperature of a disk; a sync mark generator generating a sync mark having a pattern when a writing temperature indicating an ambient temperature at which data is written on the disk is sensed, wherein the pattern of the sync mark corresponds to the sensed writing temperature; a writing controller outputting the writing temperature sensed by the temperature sensor to the sync mark generator; a multiplexer adding the sync mark generated by the sync mark generator to the data; and a writing unit writing the data to which the sync mark is added on the disk. Accordingly, error rates when data is written and when data is reproduced can be improved by optimally compensating for the disk writing temperature and the disk reproducing temperature using parameters of devices of an hard disk drive.

Abstract: A disk fixing apparatus to fix a disk onto a spindle motor in a hard disk drive (HDD). The apparatus includes a coupling hole, in which a coupling portion to fix the disk fixing apparatus onto the spindle motor is inserted, on a center portion of the disk fixing apparatus, and an attaching portion, to which the disk is attached on an outer portion of the disk fixing apparatus. The attaching portion includes an attaching surface extending in a vertical direction so that a part of an inner circumferential surface of the disk can be attached to the attaching surface and/or an attaching surface facing an upper surface or a lower surface of the disk and extending in a horizontal direction so that a part of a non-recording region on the upper surface or the lower surface of the disk can be attached to the attaching surface. Thus, the stress applied to the disk can be reduced and the deformation of the disk can be reduced, and thus, changes in floating height of the head slider can be minimized.

Abstract: A slim spindle motor and a micro-drive apparatus including the slim spindle motor are provided. In the spindle motor, a hub is rotatably mounted on a base plate by ball bearings. The hub is used to seat a disk thereon. A ring-shaped magnet is engaged to the outer boundary of the hub. A stator is formed by arranging a plurality of yokes in a round shape around the outer boundary of the ring-shaped magnet. The yokes include cores having curved ends to reduce the central axis offset between the yokes and the ring-shaped magnet. Most of the yokes include coils that cover the cores. Since the central axes of the yokes in the stator are made collinear with the central axis of the ring-shaped magnet, the slim spindle motor can operate stably.

Abstract: An actuator of a hard disk drive includes a swing arm having an axis or rotation, a suspension extending from a distal end of the swing arm, a read/write head mounted on the suspension, a coil support fixed to a proximate end of the swing arm so as to rotate with the swing arm and to which a voice coil motor coil is wound, a respective magnet disposed above and/or below the voice coil motor coil as facing the voice coil motor coil, and at least one magnetic retracting member of a magnetic material fixed to the coil support and attracted to the magnet. Each magnetic retracting member arrives close to the magnet when the swing arm is rotated clockwise or counterclockwise about its axis of rotation. Thus, the force of attraction between the magnetic retracting member and the magnet biases the wing arm in one of its directions of rotation such as that in which the swing arm is moved during an unloading operation in which the read/write head is parked.

Abstract: A spindle motor assembly and a hard disk drive having the spindle motor assembly. The spindle motor assembly includes a data storage disk to store data and having a parking region in which to park a read/write head, a spindle motor to drive the data storage disk and having a hub around which the data storage disk is fitted, and a clamp member to fix the data storage disk on the hub. The clamp member has a vibration restriction portion formed on a circumferential outer edge thereof to face the parking region and to form a marginal gap with the disk.